Everyone in the place knows the song as soon as Jay “Bird” Koder plays the opening riff. He begins with what has become a signature line for about two bars before Reinhardt joins in on the high hat. Another 3-4 bars and Jarrod joins in on keys, then vocals. The ascending chords crescendo to a quick stop before the first lyrics are sung.

It may be the most requested song in SoulMates’ repertoire. It always brings oohs and aahs from the audience as soon as they recognize what is coming at them. The song is subtle and graceful and was written to the love of Bird’s life… who is also subtle and graceful.

The song is called Man4U.

First verse:
Sweet lady, My heart flies for you
'Cause you are on my mind all of the time
Moonbeam lover, I want to be with you
At this point Bird plays this cool little repeating couplet that absolutely calls to mind dreams of moonbeams and starlight reflected on a watery pool. In fact, it almost puts one in mind of a tone poem like Smetana’s Moldau or Sibelius’ Swan of Tuonela.
Help me find the words to make it right is sung over a guitar gliss that is full of optimism and hope. This is also the first mention of the shared efforts of the couple in finding their life together. It will be repeated in various ways to drive home the cooperative nature of serious love. 
  
Chorus:
I could be the man for you
Yes, I could be the man for you
Yes, I could be the man for you
The chorus carries that familiar guitar riff again throughout these three lines. They conclude the stanza with the assertion that he could be what she wants. “I could be the man…”isn’t an expression of uncertainty. It is rather saying that he will be the man for her if she chooses him to be the man for her. It is not the assertion of a domineering man; it is the cooperative man who knows (and acknowledges to her) that she has a choice. This is a love song from a grown-up. It is rich and wise and understanding.

In the second line of the chorus above, I am certain that I hear a little wolf-call from the guitar. With all this serious attraction, there is also a playfulness. The chorus ascends to a crescendo and then again to a full stop.

In the following verse, the listener has to “listen with both ears” because Jarrod is singing the verse melody but Bird is playing something else underneath it all.

Second verse:
Lovely lady, Walk a while with me
So maybe we can help each other understand is a refrain of the co-operative theme of the song.
We can sing a song in the key of life is accompanied by an almost-lullaby phrase that is very sweet.
All you’ve got to do is take a hold of my hand
The crescendo/stop is repeated after a change from lullaby to funky ballad and the chorus is then pronounced in an almost staccato drive. It is single-minded in  its thrice-repeated line.

Chorus:
And I could be the man for you
I could be the man for you
I could be the man for  you

Another crescendo before the bridge opens onto the most
beautiful harmonic imagery of support and devotion. Again, the tone poem is called to mind because that imagery is remarkably and clearly projected with the music alone. The bridge is my favorite part of the whole song and I love the whole song!

Bridge:
Let me be the one that you can turn to
When everybody else lets you down
I want to be the man inside your eyes
Feel your heart, your soul in mine
If you don’t know by now let me say it again

Chorus:
That I could be the man for you
Yes, I could be the man for you
I could be the man for you
 
The sexy guitar sounds like pure desire. Yet again appears the wolf-call in the guitar lick. Meanwhile, Bird’s running arpeggios uniquely build this feeling of longing in the music. The bridge serves as an interlude of reflection in the midst of the wooing where Bird writes of his own desires before returning to verse and chorus of winning her over.
 
Jarrod gets to improvise in between chorus and verse and Bird always acknowledges him with “J-Law is the man for you.” It Bird’s composition but he gives Jarrod all the space he needs. 

Then follows another guitar solo which is more raw but still contains the beauty and sexiness of the earlier, more delicate, solo. While there is a delicacy mixed in, the listener gets the feeling that in the winning over of his loved one, he is becoming bolder and then following lyrics of the final verse move to assertion and a straightforward declaration of their own reality, especially as the improvisational section returns to this final verse.

Third verse:
 Lovely lady, Let me love you girl
I need to let you know that this is for real
This life we share is no fantasy
Baby, let me show you how much I feel

Chorus:
I could be the man for you
I could be the man for you
Yes, I could be the man for you
The final proclamation has been made and it can only bear repeating during the extended coda wherein guitars, vocals,
keys, and drums drive the point home.

Coda:
I could be the man for you
Yes, I could be the man for you
Yes, I could be the man for you

The masterpiece concludes on the sweetest and most delicate of phrases. This work has run the emotions of the whole courtship/pursuing relationship; from shy intention to boldness to urgency to victory. It is not, however, the victory of  conquest but the sweet victory of relationship and belonging. It is not the conquest of one person’s will over another but the victory of two souls who have become one soul.

This is the music of the soul. It has come from the most personal of experiences and is shared with those whose souls are open to such sharing.

Ah, sweet sexy soul…

Okay, so I ripped off Alfred E. Smith's quote about democracy. Admit it, you like it.

But the truth for me is simple; whenever it feels like life is beating the living daylights out of me, listening to SoulMates is the cure. It has never failed in the all the time I have listened to them live or recorded. Monday nights at Quimby's is the place for just such a cure.

Last Monday night saw SoulMates turning it on still red, hot and blues after their stellar performance at Portland Water Front Blues Festival celebrating the Fourth of July. There were some new additions to the already impressive SoulMates repertoire and Monday night saw the unveiling of some of the new additions.

The opening of the first set of the night began with the warm-up instrumentals. These "warm-ups" have never revealed a need for these guys to warm-up. If anything, it is only to get the gear and amplification tweaked for the night. The musicians are always ready to set a place on fire from the very beginning. They smoke from the very first notes and do not let up until they say "good night."

The first number was a cool jazz standard that highlights Jay "Bird" Koder's guitar virtuosity that surpasses anyone you care to name. Drummer Reinhardt Melz kept the jazz groove on track and shows himself again and again to be the superlative drummer in Portland or anywhere else.

After the first piece, Jarrod was trying to get his own gear back in order and showed the only possible need for the "warm-ups;" warming up instruments not musicians. Into the second song, all three are working over their various instruments, bending them to their will. Reinhardt begins early to introduce some of those funky patterns that make the listener sit up and wonder what it was they just heard. This is one of the main reasons that I don't understand how people can chatter during any performance of SoulMates. You will most assuredly miss something if you don't listen very attentively.

Jarrod Lawson was dropping the sweet keys and had corrected any problem he may have felt needed correction. Then in the third number, Valdez in the Country, he started drizzling where there were no vocals in the song at all. It was a cool cross between George Benson's and Keith Jarrett's vocal overlays on instrumentals.

The song, as always, was sent out to Michael and Theresa G and Jonah Kobayashi knew immediately what the song was and shout out "Valdez!" It is an early showcase for Reinhardt and he never gives you the same sound twice. With every performance that I have heard of this song, Reinhardt has never repeated himself. Not once.

It should always be remembered, also, that this piece offers a really great chance for the guitar to wail and the Bird never lets you forget it. His improvisational skills also get highlighted in his solo. This Monday night, however, saw Jarrod stake his claim to the song as well with his great keys and matching vocalizations.

Jarrod got the nod for She's Right and he got to turn on the vocals proper for this one. Both Bird and Reinhardt play the low profiles here and give Jarrod the complete spotlight. That does not mean that the two of them do not provide absolutely breathtaking accompaniment. The guitar solo and rhythms are sweet and understated and the three SoulMates leave one wishing that this were a 30-minute song.

When the song concluded, Jarrod asked the audience "How ya'll doing?" and someone answered "Ready to make some babies!" This brought uproarious laughter from the crowd because it is a catch-phrase used by Jay "Bird" for certain styles of music which he calls "baby-making music." Some audience member asked Jarrod "How YOU doing?" Jarrod's answer was typical SoulMates sentiment, "I'm just better when ya'll are here."

I've said it before and I'll say it again, this is what makes SoulMates so special. The feeling of community and connection is the foundation of this unique blend of music, artistry and affection.

Jarrod continued his scat and drizzle during Fifty Ways to Leave Your Lover. Again, this was a new foray into vocal experimentation that has not been unveiled at Quimby's before. Bird and Reinhardt were also opening new vistas previously unseen. Fifty Ways... was being transformed yet again under the influence of SoulMates. This is commonplace. Nothing remains the same under SoulMates' treatment and it is always for the better.

For the next song, someone in the audience requested something by D'Angelo and SoulMates responded with One Mo' Gin from D'Angelo's album Voodoo. This was a phenomenal album and produced several memorable songs. But once again, SoulMates provide the superior version because of the superiority of the muscianship. The YouTube link below lets you hear the original version.

Bird acknowledged Jarrod with "the man made of soul" nod. The Bird sails into a really soulful blues solo after which he claimed that he wasn't sure that he could "pull out of that one." He did, of course, and brought howling cheers from the listeners. Meanwhile,  Reinhardt pops his rhythms and shakes up the whole groove. Nobody lets up in this one. Reinhardt keeps driving and Bird keeps flying and Jarrod covers it all with the sweetest of vocals. Indeed, this is the superior version.

When the song finished, Lance Giles walked in and was greeted warmly by everyone, as usual. Bird and Jarrod told him that just five minutes before his arrival, they almost did Great Day in the Morning but decided to wait just in case Lance showed up. Bird then informed him that they would play that song last and make Lance have to stay until the very end. You see, Lance makes the trip from Seattle to Portland just to see SoulMates and he has to catch the train back to Seattle. Making him wait until the end is no real punishment as he loves every moment of every performance.

SoulMates then brought out one of the new numbers that they had included in their Blues Festival set. They tore into a smoking blues intro and I found myself wondering which song this was. It was an old Stevie Wonder song.

"You know when times are bad/ And you're feeling sad/
I want you to always remember/
There's a place in the sun/ Where there's hope for everyone/
Where my poor restless heart's gotta run/ I know there's a place in the sun/ And before my life is done/
I gotta find me a place in the sun"

Of course, the song was A Place in the Sun which some mistakenly think is entitled "Moving On." It was wonderful (no pun intended) and heart-warming and thrilling all at once. When the song ended, there was about 3 seconds of stunned silence from the audience. I'm not kidding. The crowd was just enthralled and could not immediately respond to what they had just heard. That happens a lot--silent awe.

Someone requested a Latin taste and when Jarrod couldn't find his chart for it, it turned into a Three Stooges routine for a minute or two with implied threats like "Why, I oughtta..." and "Don't make me come over there." Music AND Vaudeville in one show.

The comedy turned around quickly when SoulMates launched into the beautiful and longing emotions of You Were Meant for Me. As much as SoulMates render amazing performances of Stevie Wonder tunes, it is Donny Hathaway that they have taken to perfection and I am not using the word "perfection" lightly. Jay "Bird" calls forth the most tender sounds imaginable. If there were no lyrics in the song, Bird's guitar could still make one feel exactly what the song intended. It is lovely and it makes me teary-eyed everytime I hear it. Then Reinhardt cuts loose with the Afro-Cuban rhythms that only enhance the feeling. Despite the furious pace he sets in his solo, Reinhardt retains the tenderest of sounds and continues the emotional effusion.

"You were meant for me/ No one else can come between us, love/ I know you'll always be the one/ You and me it seems/ Never had a problem we can't overcome/ You'll always be the one/ You'll always be the one/ You'll always be the one."

To close out the first set, another great song was turned loose for the first time at Quimby's: Signed, Sealed, Delivered. This was fun stuff with "Bird" Koder resurrecting the funk and Reinhardt giving it a pulse. The set closed out to huge applause for SoulMates and for Rhonda and Shawn behind the bar. Shawn was also a Candlelight employee who made the transition to Quimby's seamlessly after Rhonda had come over. The family that parties together... or whatever.

The second set kicked off with Bird's introduction "SoulMates comin' back atcha..." and the sound of Jarrod's vocals preparing the way for Lance's favorite Great Day in the Morning (Greatdayndamonin') which brought a loud affirmation from the audience. Bird's guitar is an incredible display of cross-dimensional playing that is vicious and elegant at the same time. This is one of the many things that sets Jay "Bird" Koder apart from anyone else who attempts mastery at the guitar. His solos brought loud shouts of appreciation form the listeners.

Reinhardt's clap-sounding rhythms kept the groove on a joy-in-the-face-of-despair feeling throughout the song.  It was an encouraged audience that responded immediately at the close of the song. Jonah Kobayashi yelled out "We love you, Jarrod! Love you, too, Jay "Bird" and we haven't forgotten you, Reinhardt!!!" Jonah's declaration is proof of what it is that SoulMates instill and call out in their listeners. It is real respect, and even love,  and that is not feigned or over-estimated. 

I attended a performance by Joan Armatrading back in 1983. Someone in the audience shouted, "We love you, Joan!' Armatrading's response was truthful with "Love me? You don't even know me!" I understood her point then and now. This again, however, is what I mean about SoulMates and their relationship with those who come to see them every Monday night and wherever/whenever else we may get to see them. A mutual affection has been born out of the magic of soul music and these incredible musicians and men. Jonah can rightly say that he "loves" these three and they can respond in kind with complete honesty.

As I have said before, this is why it is called soul music-- because it comes from the soul to the soul.

The next guitar riff introduced the following song with Reinhardt joining in on the high hat to leave no doubt that we were about to hear Bird's own composition Man 4 U. This will be the focus of a future article here. It is sweet, sexy soul at its finest and deserving of a full-length discussion. Stay tuned.

It is one of the songs that quiets even the rowdiest of audiences, except to elicit hoots and dance invitations and moans of approval. It also has one of the coolest bridges ever and it contains one of Bird's most emotional solos. It is soul.

With the end of Man 4 U, Arietta Ward was called up. Bird introduced her and the audience (as always) shouted their delight. Bird had gotten to play with Steve Miller the night before and was now about to embark on SoulMates' great cover of Miller's Fly Like an Eagle. Etta just owns the song as I have written so often before. Etta calls it her "SoulMates staple." But no matter how many times one hears it, it is moving and powerful. And Reinhardt always...always...throws a funky rhythm her. She adjusts--or not--and takes flight with the song each and every time. She personalizes the song and turns it into an anthem. This Monday night, Jarrod backs her on vocals and they take it higher.

Bird's solo rolls on into the blues and Etta could be heard saying "It's gonna be one of those nights." She could sense the energy and enthusiasm from the start and she always adds to it. Bird often talks about musicians making space for the others onstage and this was a great example. Part of that "making space" is, I think, the sheer admiration that the musicians share together. They sit back and listen to each other. Bird admires her and he plays quietly, then she stands aside quietly and listens to his solo. They enjoy each other. And we get to enjoy it all.

When Will You Call Me was next. It is so cool. It is the song to make you close your eyes and simply drink it in... and feel the soul. The chord changes are stunning and Reinhardt's drumming is almost tear-inducing. Reinhardt's heart seems to really possess  this song as much as any other. Even beneath Bird's beautiful guitar, that slowly rolling and heavy rhythm just gets me. That melodic drumming...no one better than Reinhardt.


The talented and lovely Nicole Burke joined Jarrod for a duet of You've Got a Friend...Donny Hathaway and Roberta Flack style. It is a song that always appears at the right moment. Just when you need it. "People can be so cold/ They'll hurt you/ And desert you/ Well, they'll take your soul if you let them/ But don't you let them." Sweet and needed.

Rhonda was checking for last drink orders and Tim Leavy was singled out for the final song of the night. And what a song. It was I Love Every Little Thing About You. It is joyful and uplifting. It is also how we feel about SoulMates.

Reinhardt, Jarrod, Bird... we love every little thing about you.


As Jay "Bird" always says "We're going to join you for some drinks and then we'll be right back"... and so will I.

So just how is a person supposed to survive on a diet of no SoulMates? It has been a month since SoulMates graced Portland with their own distinctive sounds of soul.  Again, how does a person survive? My wife and I were under constant intraveinous feeding of SoulMates: Live and In Living Color.  You get your fix any way you can.

But Monday night, June 25, 2012 was the return to Quimby's at 19th and what a return! A few changes in the look of the place and Sara waiting to greet the band and customers alike set a sweet stage for the end of a month-long draught.

A green drape was hung over the brick wall behind the band in order to dampen the sound banging off the back wall. A nice touch that was much appreciated by drummer Reinhardt Melz.

SoulMates wasted no time in thrilling the growing crowd with the opening instrumental Bacchus. The punchy little staccato beats traded between drums, guitar and kicking bass framed the more lyrical layers that allows the listener to ease into the music while being awakened to what was to come. Good stuff and a great way to start again.

The second instrumental was introduced by guitarist Jay "Bird" Koder with "SoulMates coming at ya. Getting it warmed up, here. We're gonna get it on... at Quimby's." The band and the crowd were both getting warmed up as was obvious by the chatter amongst the patrons. Missing the band and missing the family for a whole month.

Jarrod was turning it on with the keyboard solo and was simply staggering. The Bird was in full flight himself and the paired solos were sweet to hear. Beautiful lyricism!

And in walks Jonah and Monica... the cutest couple in the world. Talk about presence that lights up a room--these two have that kind of impact. The world just seems a better place when they come around...and it is.

They arrived just in time for the third song and instrumental, Europa, the great guitar showcase that Carlos Santana used to evoke his own moments of soul. Below is a link to a live recording of Santana playing it but only for you to hear the song and to imagine what it could possibly sound like under the Bird treatment. Not insulting Santana, whom I love, but Carlos just needs to put his guitar down and listen to the Bird on this one! Bird's version is so much cooler and soulful but tonight it was even more emotional. It was touching and it certainly touched me.

After the Bird's domination of the Santana piece, it was the time to give Reinhardt his first real solo of the night in the fourth "warm-up" piece. And he lit it up! Never make the mistake of thinking that Reinhardt is one of those drummers who solos only to showcase their power. Reinhardt is a precision percussionist. The melody is never sacrificed for flashy power but the power is always in service of the melody in his playing. And when he concludes... many heads are shaking in disbelief at what they have just seen. Can I get a witness?

Michael and Krissie Magaurn joined the audience at this point. Their arrival always adds a touch of class to any event and venue. The Magaurns could show up at a roadside hot dog stand and they turn it into a 4-star place. Presence does that, too.

"You've heard him on the keys, playing up a storm, and kicking bass all over the place. Now you get to hear the soul of Mr. Jarrod Lawson," was Bird's intro to the first Jarrod's vocal number of the night, Stay. Reinhardt's cool groove with the doubled rim-shots and Bird's blue guitar heighten the sense of resolve and hope that the lyrics and Jarrod's vocals portray.

Bird's guitar was especially wailing on this particular evening. He starts with deep blues then ascends to hope as Reinhardt matches the mood. After his solo, someone yelled out "Oh, MAN!"

The song backs down to conclude with strong impressions from guitar, vocals, keys and drums. Hauntingly hopeful is about the only way to describe the sound. It worked.

The chatter between songs was fun. Jarrod was asking how everybody was doing which elicited a hoot from the audience. He added that it was good to be back at Quimby's and Bird joined in with enthusiastic agreement. As they were still talking, Reinhardt started the "Gadd groove" to intoduce Fifty Ways to Leave Your Lover. In this night's treatment, Reinhardt maintained Steve Gadd's original beat while adding different flourishes of his own. You really have to listen to Reinhardt and you also have to know the original recording to see just what Reinhardt is bringing to the party. It's his subtleties that make all the difference.

Meanwhile, the Bird is working his magic on the guitar and provides sounds that Paul Simon never saw coming. At one point he adds an almost Arab sound that really boosts the beauty of SoulMates' version, especially when the song is turned into a samba at the end.  This was not a cover...it was a conquest.

The room at Quimby's was the great space for such a takeover. When Fifty Ways... concluded, Jarrod said "I love this room! The best acoustics." Scott and Sara have done a great job of adjusting and manipulating the room just so... and it has paid off. Sara wants to make it right for SoulMates and she does a great job of promoting the music and the band. She is a dream-come-true.

Everyone was talking about the place right up until the next song began. One could hear Bird and Jarrod and Reinhardt talking about the small details and their appreciation of it. Then they slid into a cool intro that they played around with as Lance Giles entered the room and got shouts of greeting from everyone.The cool intro continued into a smooth but harrowing narrative as Her Twisted MInd unfolded in bluesy splendor. This song is cool and it is the nightmare of every guy who has ever dated.

But even the horrors of Her Twisted Mind lose their fearful grip when the lovely and winsome Rhonda is serving in the house! Rhonda, you may recall, was the ever-present darling bartender at the Candlelight Cafe and Bar. When the Candlelight closed, she took up employment at Quimby's in hope that SoulMates would be coming to Quimby's sooner or later. Her foresight paid off and all is right with the world. Rhonda at Quimby's!!!! It brings a thrill... and it lets you know that we are on The Right Track.

Sure, that was a cheesy transition but you have to allow me one occassionally.

The song may as well have been about Rhonda. "Without her, I'm nothing but a man sitting here alone. Without her, I'm nothing but a man on an empty shelf." Rhonda was the missing ingredient to the restored fun that has been missing since the close of the Candlelight.

The song is cool, bluesy and funky...like Rhonda. There are people whose absence leaves a hole in your heart. Rhonda is just such a person. Adorable and warm-hearted, that's Rhonda.

The first set was ready to close with the Donny Hathaway classic, Love Love Love. A flawless song, it somehow gets even better under the loving touch of SoulMates. Bird's guitar is just unmatched. He turns on the charm and lays over the swinging rhythms of Reinhardt as Jarrod underscores it all with the kicking bass and the harmonious keys.

Then...up steps Paul Mazzio! He jumps into a cool solo that can bring a smile to the corpse of Julius Caesar. Two horn players understand better than all others just how to play with SoulMates. Paul Mazzio is one. The other would show up in the second set.

After his solo, Paul keeps up the beautiful undertones as Jarrod sings like he is channeling Donny Hathaway. Paul and Jarrod cross over each other beautifully. Good Lord, this is good stuff. The set was not allowed to close so SoulMates gave the audience one more before the break.

Lance Giles got the obligatory dedication with She's Right. He deserves it. He travels from Seattle every Monday just to hear his SoulMates. I often wonder if there is a story behind why Lance especially likes this song. Jarrod sings it like he means it, so it is probably safe to say that every man who has been in a relationship with a woman has had to confess "Yes, she's right and I'm wrong."

It was a great way to close out the first set. The band joined the audience for conversation and drinks and it seemed like home for those present.

The second set took off with Greatdayndamoanin (Great Day in the Morning). This shows Reinhardt at his funkiest. He changes rhythms like nobody else and has left many bassists in his wake.

Then steps up...the second horn player I previously mentioned... Farnell Newton! Asking which player you prefer is like asking which you like better; pecan pie or key lime pie. Maybe you can answer the question but I love them both and can't get enough of either.

Farnell plays the funky side and plays against Bird's guitar in the coolest of ways. All the while, Reinhardt is rolling the thunder...

By this time, the audience is now calling out the songs they want to hear. Peter Winhcester had been calling out for Everything I Need since the first set. So, Bird decides on Jarrod's great work, Everything I Need. No matter how much I write about it, I can never say enough about this song...but I still try. In case you missed it, I wrote last week at length about this song here: http://travisrogersjr.weebly.com/2/post/2012/06/jarrods-magnum-opus-everything-i-need.html.

Bird's guitar on this is stratospheric; it soars. It wails and rejoices, laments and encourages. Jarrod provides a little church music in the background and Reinhardt plays a triumphant pattern. This song is... amazing. And the audience feels the same way that I do. The roaring applause proves it. Peter called for an offering to be taken after that song. Jarrod picked up the tip jar "Seymour Tips" and said, "Right here."

Arietta was then called up by Jarrod and Bird. You know the song she sang, if you've been around Etta and SoulMates at all; Fly Like an Eagle. She makes this song fun and political and stirring all at once. Then they were all joined by Farnell again. It was an all-star game now. And when it was over, everyone called their love to Arietta.

Miss Toni Hill was also in the house and she joined in next. The song she joined in was Gershwin's Summertime. Arietta screamed in appreciation at the very first note. Toni's soulful working of the Gershwin classic was gorgeous. Then Bird's fabulous guitar interpretation took the piece into the clouds yet again. Reinhardt's clapping rim shots gave the song a jazziness that supported it all. Fabulous song!

Despite Jonah's call for certain songs, Lovely Day was the next song. When they got to the chorus, Arietta and Toni sang the harmony with Jarrod. Then Bird's guitar solo set hearts aflame as he always does. And that would have been that... but Jonah kept begging and he got what he wanted.

The encore was Man 4 U, the Jay "Bird" Koder original. Jonah was right--it had been far too long since we had heard it.  This is a great encore for people who love SoulMates. Even people who don't dance want to dance when this song is performed. There is a movement and melody that simply captures the heart.

The bridge of the song is wonderful. "Let me be the one, the one that you can turn to when everybody else has let you down" is written as a love song to the love of his life. But the thing about Bird is that he is that for everyone that meets him.
SoulMates are like that, also. This is where you can turn when everything else has let you down.

Farnell was back to conclude the bridge and return to the verse. He adds a punctuating blast to drive home the point. Then Bird's guitar returns as calming and soothing assurance. It becomes a 10 1/2 minute testimony of devotion and the security of a loving heart.

This is the devotion from the soul of SoulMates to the soul of those who have been touched by their music. Once you have been touched, you are a soulmate forever.

Wednesday, May 16, 2012 finally bore witness to what we had been hoping to see for months-- SoulMates were going to be playing at Quimby's on 19th and Quimby Ave(www.quimbysat19th.com). This was the place that everyone had been watching and awaiting as a possible venue for the band and music we love.

Quimby's had seen people stop by, peek in, and scout before finally the date was scheduled. To make things even better, the sweet and lovely Rhonda was now working there, having found a home there after the demolition of the beloved Candlelight.

There was the ever-hoped for chance that this could be the new Candlelight.

A call was put in to Lance Giles to inform him of the change of venue and day. Lance made the trip from Seattle for the special event. Everyone wanted to be there, showing up early to get prime seats and peruse the menu. We were soon joined by Michael and Theresa G and the Magaurns. Toshi and Adam would have to wait until Toshi was finished with his own gig before they could arrive.

Quimby's welcomed everyone warmly. Sarah was the perfect hostess and she detailed the plans that they have envisioned for the place to accomodate the music. The place is warm and the staff is just as warm. After the music ended, many of us stayed until 2:30 am and we were never rushed out or felt anything other than welcome and gratitude for being there. We could stay and talk about the music of the night. This was beginning to feel like it could be home.

When SoulMates began to arrive, with Jarrod Lawson always first to get there, everyone was chatting up the new site. Only one thing was left to check and that would have to wait until the music actually began...

And when it did begin, it was what we had craved: good acoustics and a good sound system. The first song proved it. The brick wall behind the band posed a challenge for a moment but with an adjusted monitor here and a repositioned speaker there, the sound was good for everyone, band and audience.

At this point, Lance Giles walked in the front door which resulted in a whoop from everyone...or maybe it was just me being loud all by myself.

The opener was a sweet instrumental and it set the finest of moods for the evening. After Jay "Bird" Koder's first guitar solo, Matt in the audience (himself a guitarist) commented aloud, "Man! That's the very first solo?" Then Jarrod Lawson followed with some of his most beautiful piano work. As I have often said, it is too easy to overlook Jarrod's keyboard playing because of his amazing voice, but Jarrod is a first-rate pianist. Never forget that.

Reinhardt Melz laid down the solid rhythm which were expanded into the following number, also an instrumental. From that groove sprung Jarrod's amazing turn at kicking bass and Bird's solo was just gorgeous. It was emotional. It was tender. It was what every grieving heart needed to hear.

SoulMates celebrated the first night at Quimby's in style with old favorites send out to old friends in a great new setting. Valdez in the Country was shouted out to Mikey G.  In fact, the SoulMates version should now be called Mikey in the Country. This song is a great showpiece for Reinhardt's stickwork and he always provides something new and exciting. It is one of Donny Hathaway's brilliant forays into jazz and SoulMates can work a Hathaway composition like nobody else can.

One Mo 'Gin is a great vocal piece for Jarrod. It is slow and soulful and Reinhardt provided such a cool groove to it. The slow ascent is stirring. The lyrics are inspired and meaningful and Jarrod makes it his very own.

Then Bird begins the spacey riff of Fly Like and Eagle. I will freely admit, I was not much of a Steve Miller fan when he could be heard on fm-radio about 20 times a day. It wasn't until discovering the early Steve Miller Blues Band that I appreciated his guitar performances. I came late to that party. But Jay "Bird" takes the Miller piece and runs it through the SoulMates soul-maker and "turns it on its ear," as the Bird puts it.

This particular night, the Bird just shreds the guitar solo. Now I dislike using musical cliches like "monster chops" or "hot licks" but shredding is the only way to appropriately describe what is happening. Especially...ESPECIALLY...when Bird is doing it with one hand while the other hand hangs loose by his side. Wait...what? Yes, a one-handed "shred."

Then comes the sweet return of Donny Hathaway with You Were Meant for Me. Trumpet great Paul Mazzio walked in at this point, just in time to catch the beautiful intonations of Jarrod's vocal delivery. Ah, but there I go again... Jarrod's piano skills are more than equal to the piece. Sometimes I just focus on watching Jarrod's playing. It is effortless in appearance but so emotional and so very warm.

There are not that many who can pull off the warmth in their piano playing. Mostly, when I think of piano warmth I think of Oscar Peterson...and Jarrod Lawson. The great Hathaway song was rearranged SoulMates style and Bird, Jarrod and Reinhardt took it higher than ever before. It's what they do.

The next composition is one of my very favorites of all SoulMates' originals. It was written by Jarrod and he had in mind the disasters that befall people and the realization that follows of what is truly important in life. The song, of course, is Everything I Need.

In a future article, I will devote the whole piece to this song. For now, however, let me say that this: the song is about finding the essence of what life is. It is about being in the presence of those we love.

This is the message that we can carry away with us; that it is not things but people that matter in this world. Relationships and not possessions are the things of the spirit and the soul. This was what Bird was saying to those in attendance--that wherever we go and in whatever situation we find ourselves in this world, we have everything we need when we are in relationship with our SoulMates/soulmates.

It is the sound of Jarrod's voice in our heads that can get us through a difficult moment. It is Reinhardt's full-throated laugh that turns away sadness. It is the light in Jay "Bird's" eye that banishes grief. Indeed, we have everything we need.

The rendition on this Wednesday night was simply flawless.

It was followed up by yet another composition of Jarrod's done in cooperation with Farnell Newton and Steveland Swatkins. The title is Everything is Clear. It can be found on Farnell's CD Class is Now in Session. Toshi and Adam joined the Quimby's audience during this moving piece. It was a well-timed entry as it gave them a moment to catch their breath and relax.

They moved on to the blues ("Because Krissie Magaurn loves the blues") with She's Right. Reinhardt was crossing up the groove in a cool, bluesy way and it was a pleasure to hear. Sometimes we get so used to the thunder and lightning of Reinhardt's drumming that we forget how subtle he can be. It is in those subtle moments that his unmitigated brilliance shines in a completely different way.

It was also a moment of Bird's sweetest guitar work. It is the downplay that makes one sit up and take special notice. It is as someone once said about a whisper being the best way to draw attention. So it was with the whispers from the trio at Quimby's. Those heartfelt quiet moments were overwhelming.

That sweetness remained in Lovely Day, another song that never grows old for me.  It was another moment of some of Bird's most intriguing guitar solos which was brought to a conclusion by one of Reinhardt's crash-stops. It was the final number for the first set and we were immediately struck with a feeling that the night just could not end. At least, we did not want it to end.

The break was filled with photo-taking and hugs and everyone was enjoying Quimby's and the home that they had provided. Those who usually would have departed after the first set remained for friendship's sake. Nobody was wanting to say good-bye and everyone stayed late.

The second and final set opened with Fifty Ways to Leave Your Lover. Reinhardt was working his magic in new and wondrous ways. It was the finest version heard yet.

From Fifty Ways... to Greatdayndamornin, a Lance favorite. It gets him up and dancing every time. Watching Lance dancing made me stop and look around at those gathered together. At our table were the wonderful Michael and Kris Magaurn, he the noble patriarch of the SoulMates family and she the Woodstock girl who is as adorable as she must have been back then. Toshi Onizuka, the brilliant fusion guitarist and dear friend was seated beside me and beyond Toshi was Adam Gloria who is one of the gentlest souls ever known. The Earlys were close by. Music fanatic Randy Corby was seated with Paul Mazzio. The lovely Miss Connie was beside my sweet wife Chieko. Miss Connie was the one who inspired the Bird song Man4U; she is the love of his life.

Then my sight came to rest on Michael and Theresa G. Two of the most inspiring people ever. He is an inspiration to me and she is a ray of sunshine. I'm sure she gets angry but I have never seen it or heard tell of it. I'm sure he gets down but he never speaks a word of anything less than light and love. Someday maybe they will let me tell you their story--it is worth hearing. I thought about how all of this began for Chieko and me; how it all began with Mikey G.

We were walking down the sidewalk in downtown Vancouver in March of 2011 and Mikey was standing outside his guitar studio. We were introduced to Mikey by a mutual friend and the friendship with him was instantaneous. We talked about music and Mikey invited us to join him on Mondays at the Candlelight to hear a friend of his "who has this band called SoulMates." I asked him who his friend was and he said, "Jay 'Bird' Koder." I knew who Jay Koder was! He had been with the Jeff Lorber Fusion, had recorded with Freddie Hubbard and Chick Corea, toured with the Steve Miller Band and the Doobie Brothers, and had been a member of the Stilettos...and on and on...

We went to the Candlelight the very next Monday and life would never be the same. I owe it all to Michael G.

I was brought back to the present when Bird asked me what the next song should be. The choice was obvious for me. It was the song that got my dear Chieko through a difficult week. It was the song that filled our heads and hearts with the sound of SoulMates. It was Stevie Wonder's Knocks Me Off My Feet. It is the sound of rejoicing.

I thought about the history of that song with Chieko and me. I then began to watch Bird and Jarrod and Reinhardt as each one contributed their mastery to this singular piece. I thought about the wonderful journey that life can be when you travel the road with people like Jay "Bird", Jarrod, and Reinhardt. When I think about them and what they mean to us...well, it knocks me off my feet.

The final song was Ain't Too Proud to Beg which was wildly fun and a riotous end to the evening's celebration. It was a great way to part company for a little while. To our delighted surprise, Jonah and Monica--the most adorable couple ever--burst in after the music was finished. Just because they wanted to enjoy even the last portion of sharing the night with everyone.

As I said, we all stayed late and talked about the music and the future and a fine place called Quimby's.

Here we were at a transitional moment when new possibilities opened and we were finding a home. We were welcomed by Quimby's but home is where we are together; where a person can have "great comfort in his friends on the long grey road."

It truly is... everything I need.

To have missed SoulMates' Tribute to Donny Hathaway and Roberta Flack, you needed a really good reason. One special couple missed it and everyone noticed they missed it. As it turned out, there was a very good reason and that was evidenced by the young man's Internet posting on Saturday (the day after the tribute) which read: "(She) said yes! I'm getting married!"

Although SoulMates' fans never need a reason to celebrate, this was as good a reason as could be hoped and the celebration was on. Fresh off the Hathway/Flack tribute, there was sweet music for celebrating as the tribute continued from the previous Friday night.

And it all started with an instrumental of Roberta's huge hit Killing Me Softly. This instrumental version proved the depth of the material as one would tend to think that the strength of the song was in the agonized lyrics. But Jay "Bird" Koder, Jarrod Lawson and Reinhardt Melz proved that the foundation of the piece was indeed to be found in the music.

After another couple of warm-up instrumentals, SoulMates concluded the intro section with their own instrumental composition entitled Bacchus. The fingers, gear, audience and the voice were truly warmed by now as Reinhardt worked over a barrio beat while Bird had taken flight with his guitar solo. The keyboard solo also proved that they were ready to roll.

Attention was then turned to Monica and Jonah as it was announced to the audience of Jonah's proposal and Monica's acceptance. Full-throated cheers went up in acknowledgment and celebration. SoulMates then sent out Jonah's favorite song to the couple, Otis Redding's Sittin' On the Dock of the Bay. Fortunately for the newly-engaged young woman, the song does not reflect the young man's work ethic. "Sittin' in the morning sun/ I'll be sittin' when the evening comes..." is not what a future wife wants to hear about her man's prospects for employment. But it was a swinging, cheerful version and was affectionately received by the lovely couple.

With Donny Hathaway still in everyone's mind, SoulMates moved to I Believe to My Soul which contains the great lyric delivered so well by Jarrod; "Last night while you were sleeping I heard you call my name 'Oh, Ronny.' ... When you know my name is Donny!" Jarrod's intonation was filled with bitter irony and it worked. Great stuff.

With Knocks Me Off My Feet, Bird took ownership of the room...again. His guitar solo took him into the audience like a medieval minstrel passing amongst the nobility in a great hall. He was greeted with awed, wide-eyed stares as he played before the assembly. While he was passing between the tables and patrons, it became clear that a metamorphosis has taken place over the weeks since SoulMates had set up shop in the Blue Diamond at 20th and Sandy in Portland's eastside.

The audience had changed. It was no longer just the Blue Diamond regulars who had been there all along nor was it the SoulMates regulars who had followed the band after the closing of the Candlelight. The crowd were now filled with young people. There were 20-somethings in the audience and they were making up a larger and larger percentage of the audience. These listeners had heard the sound of Bird's guitar, Reinhardt's drums and Jarrod's voice and had begun to attend and to bring their own crowd with them. Here was fresh energy and a fresh outlook on music that we had grown up hearing. These listeners arrived after the original artists, in many cases, had already passed. The music they were hearing was not their parents' music but was music that has been reinterpreted and reinvigorated and it is now their music just as much as it is our music. They do not bemoan the fact that Donny Hathaway passed before they were even born. Rather, they breathe in the timeless music of Donny Hathaway or Marvin Gaye or Otis Redding as retold by the SoulMates who belong to them.

They rejoiced in Earth, Wind and Fire's September as offered up by SoulMates. They loved Bird's funky guitar and Reinhardt's blistering drums and Jarrod's celebratory vocals. It became clear that the new audience was also breathing new life into the old audience. It has made me see the music as celebration and not simple reminiscence. Hearing the music alongside them has made me hear the music afresh; not just as great versions of eternal classics but as great music played with...soul.

Now the Remy Shand song Colour of the Day is from their time. Once again, however, SoulMates have made it their own and have given a depth to it that did not seem to exist before. The story of Remy Shand is rather a bleak one, if you will permit me.

Remy Shand was born in Winnipeg, Canada. At the age of 19, he sent in a demo tape which was presented to Motown Records and Shand was signed to the label and released his widely received 2002 debut album The Way I Feel. The album was a huge success in Canada and the US, selling over half a million recordings in the US alone. It received the 2003 Juno Award for best R&B/Soul Recording and was even nominated for a Grammy.

In 2003, Shand was set to release his highly anticipated sequel A Day in the Shade. It was never released and the reasons are not known. More than simply that, the whereabouts of Remy Shand have remained unknown. In 2006, someone who claimed to be an insider stated that Shand had been through a bitter divorce and had suffered from depression. He was returning to music in 2005 when his mother passed, leaving him so broken that he could not even attend her funeral.

The quest to find Remy Shand had become a near-obsession from 2005-2007 but the public have moved on and only infrequently do searches reappear. His website now redirects to the Motown website and email addresses are seemingly dead-ends. His original of Colour of the Day can be heard on the YouTube link below.

From Colour of the Day, SoulMates turned on the juice with All Day Sucker and Can't Hide Love and the latter included an enthusiastic audience sing-along of the coda. Reinhardt's Afro-Cuban rhythms in All Day Sucker simply left Blue Diamond owner Steve shaking his head behind the bar.

Donny Hathaway got a final nod of the night with Love, Love, Love as the young couple were still being celebrated. It was near closing time but few were making any moves toward the door. But the crowd was sent off with the roar of You Haven't Done Nothing or, as Reinhardt calls it, "the doo-da-wop song."

Feeling that good makes it difficult to leave the place that gave that feeling. As long as any SoulMates were around, so were music-lovers. It's tough to leave those who bring such joy. Especially, when you have to wait a whole week...

It was one of those nights when spirits were high and some people were made high by spirits and funny mixed in with the fun.

Where to begin? Was it Mikey G shouting out "Power Mushrooms!" when Jay "Bird" Koder sent out the song Valdez in the Country to him? Or when "Bird" responded to him with "Time to get your fungus on...?"

I don't even know who started it or when but it was a night a cheers and jeers and nicknames thrown about.
"Bird" dubbed Jarrod Lawson "the Locksmith of Love" sometime during the night and I think it might have stuck.

During the "Bird's" solo in the second song of the night, it was a beautiful, airy improvisation and Peter encouraged from the audience, "Take your time! Take your time!" echoing the sentiment we all had that we didn't want to end too soon.

It had been a while since Peter and his lovely lady Traci were with us and they brought the fun humor and their fine dancing back to the Candlelight. Peter keeps everyone within earshot laughing but he takes the music seriously. And their dancing is serious, too.

All the dancing styles were represented on Monday night. From Peter and Traci to the interpretive and freeform dancers to the solo dancers. It wasn't limited to the audience, either. As Rhonda was carrying her tray of empties and the "Bird" was on the return trip from his stroll into the audience, they got into a bottleneck between the tables and they extracated themselves through a funky little dip and swirl without a pause or a misstep.

Another nickname to remember (and he was surely remembered)  was Joe Willie "Pinetop" Perkins, the great delta blues pianist who had died last March 21, 2011.

Perkins had begun his professional career as guitar player but was involved in a barfight that left the tendons of his left hand severed from a knife wound. He switched to piano and we're glad he did.

He played with Muddy Waters' band and so many other blues greats like Sonny Boy Williamson and Earl Hooker. However, he would not have an album that showcased him alone until 1988's After Hours. He was 75 years old at the time.

As the SoulMates prepared to play the Perkins composition, Reinhardt "Nose" Melz asked about the tempo and "Bird" responded with "Slow shuffle. It wants to go 12/8 but don't let it!" Some songs have a mind of their own. The keyboard work that Jarrod handed in was something Perkins himself would have loved. Sweet and soulful.

Forgive the history lesson above but Jay "Bird" gave us a little history lesson about the Candlelight Cafe, also. The place was built in the 1930's and remains the oldest blues club on the west coast still playing live music seven nights a week. It was originally named something else but it has been the Candlelight Cafe and Bar for more than 40 years now. Sadly, the place is destined for demolition by Portland Tri-Met and is scheduled for closing at the end of March, 2012. Clearly, government has no soul.

Part of the fun was wrapped up in the celebration of the birthday of Jonah Kobayashi. Jonah's father, Mark Kobayashi, was in town from Hawaii to visit and enjoyed the celebration and the music along with everyone else.

Jonah and Monica are those kind of people that just steal your heart the minute you meet them. They are soulmates drawn to the SoulMates.

So Monica escorted Jonah to the front as Jarrod sang his soulful rendition of "Happy Birthday to You." 

Here's another history lesson--that song was composed in the mid-late 1800's by sisters Patti and Mildred Hill.

Seriously? It took two people to write that song?

But in addition to that song just for Jonah, the SoulMates gave him his birthday wish by singing the Otis Redding song, Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay. It was the first time I have heard the SoulMates do that song and it was worth the wait. Once again, it was that vocalization by Jarrod that turned it upside down.

But swirling in the center of all that soul was the introduction of another song previously unheard from the SoulMates. The song was The Color of the Day. Amazing. "Bird's" guitar work was so smooth and melodic. The chord changes were just breath-taking! Reinhardt has nosed into the groove, as always, and Jarrod simply owned the song. The lyrics were haunting.

And I recognize the price that must be paid for salvation
You know that I want ya to figure out
Just what you started in lookin'
When it ain't no backseat praise to put ya under
Do you feel when it's safe to say
How your childhood was all over
Now that you've grown up
You've gone and thrown it all away




It was sad. It was sweet. It was the SoulMates. There was some discrepancy, however,  about who wrote the song. Jarrod said that it was written by Remy Shand. I said that it was written by Jarrod.

Of course, we were treated to compositions by Jarrod with Everything is Clear which featured more of that Reinhardt groove. But for me, Jarrod's magnum opus remains Everything I Need. Thankfully, we got to hear that one in the second set. This again is why I always say..."Never leave at the end of the first set." You just miss everything!

Besides, leaving before midnight means missing Valentine's Day with the SoulMates and who would want to miss that? When the clock struck midnight, it was then Valentine's Day. But then one is reminded of the last line from the Rodgers and Hart classic-- Each day is Valentine's Day.

Especially when you are with your SoulMates.