I've been wondering how an
Open Mic feature set of Burnt Sugar might sound with minimal to no drums and only core players on stage. I got my chance to hear a really cool rock/blues/folk/country/reggae band tonight as the feature at Open Mic ~ no drum kit ~ so I checked it out.
 |
Bassist Tim Duffy of the
Jefferson County Green Band
(and guest player with
Burnt Sugar Blues) |
Cafe Paradiso's Wednesday night Open Mic featured the
Jefferson County Green Band, who promoted an "unplugged" set although each of them had at least one mic or amp, sometimes two. They did not, however, have a drummer. Bassist Tim Duffy held down rhythm in fine form. Most of their songs were new, some from their latest
album Great Spirit (including the title cut) and some from their next album (as yet unnamed). Duffy spends most of his time brokering hotels while living in Cedar Rapids, 95 miles away, so he heard JCGB's newest songs for the first time at 5 pm . . . four hours before taking the stage with the band. This man is a master! Tim Duffy monsters the bass!
Lead singer Steve McClain sounded buoyant and the 45-minute set was full of easy, happy vibes. Fatherhood looks good on Steve ~ radiant, actually. His wife, Michaela, sang two songs with the band ~ one was a really beautiful calypso version of
Islands in the Stream (sung in 1983 by Kenny Rogers/Dolly Parton) . . . calypso because they "had to spice it up." Mmm, scrumptious.
The Green Band will be at the Neil Young tribute at
Red Rock tavern tonight, Thursday night.
So . . . I'm excited about doing a feature set for Open Mic sans drum kit. We have some songs that would be perfect. :)
*** Update: Friday 12:02 am ~ I changed Tim's career info above to hotel brokering. He handed off hotel management last summer.