Graham Central Station – All Aboard!

In 1968, Sly and the Family Stone put out an album that probably had the biggest single impact on the music of that era than any other single musical creation of those times.  It was called Dance to the Music.  It was on this album that Sly decided to feature more of the individual members of his multi-cultural group in an effort to appease CBS executive Clive Davis' request for Sly Stone to make his sound more pop-friendly.

“I’m gonna add some bottom, so that the dancers a-just won’t hide …”

It was from the title track of their breakout album, Dance to the Music, when we heard Larry Graham play that funky, fuzzy bass line and introduce us to the purest, richest baritone voice in the Western hemisphere.  And that was only because the Eastern half of the world had not yet heard him. Little did anyone know that the standard for playing bass in R&B, pop, funk, psychedelic, rock, punk, garage band … whatever – would be changed forever.

Over forty years have gone by since we were first mesmerized by Graham’s signature thumb-plucking, slapping, funk-a-fide bass-playing style that has become the norm for anyone who wants to to call himself a bass player to incorporate into his skill set.  There isn’t a bass player on the scene today that does not use Graham’s classic technique.  Not only is Larry Graham the undisputed originator of the “slap-pluck” technique, he is still the undisputed master of it.  Oh yes, he is. I saw it with my own two eyes this past Saturday night at the Ram’s Head On Stage, in Annapolis, Md. If you ride through Annapolis and go past 33 West Street, you can probably still feel the building rumblin’ from all that thumpin’. 

Graham started the show off with some of the GCS favorites, such as “Ain’t No Fun to Me, Feel the Need, Release Yourself, The Jam”, and “It’s All Right”.  He then slowed things down and gave the audience some of that incredible voice with songs like ”Just be my Lady” and of course, there was a house sing-along during his must-do performance of “One in a Million” which was enjoyable even for anyone who might have thought they couldn’t bear to hear it one more time.  Let me tell you something: it’s a whole lot different when you’re hearing the real deal singing it right in front of you - and not some karaoke wannabe at destroying it at your local pub.

Larry Graham and GCS brings so much energy to the stage that for the first fifteen minutes of the show you are literally stunned. Then, just when you think you’ve adjusted to the GCS train coming through, they throw some more coal in the burner and rev it up some more.  Ashley Cole, aka “Biscuit” is the current female vocalist for GCS. Strongly influenced by the late Teena Marie, Biscuit kept the party going (and believe me, it WAS a big ole’ party) with her rendition of “Square Biz”.  She was fantastic as she belted out the tune with incredible authenticity.  If you are a Teena fan, then you would have loved this performance.  The band also accepted a mock challenge from an audience member to perform the song, Moves Like Jagger by Maroon 5. After doing a slam-dunk version of the song, Graham proclaimed , “Don’t mess with The Station! You just never know what we might play up in this camp!”

But it was the final set that really let the joint out. “The Station” went on to do a medley of tunes from the Sly and the Family Stone glory days, including “Family Affair, Everyday People, Dance to the Music” and even an open-mike version of “If You Want Me to Stay”, at which time audience members were invited to the stage to perform a verse or two.  They closed out the show with their encore song “Higher” which left us all wonderfully exhausted. It was a night of good, clean fun that made you glad to be a child of the 70’s, and made you jealous if you were not. This was one of the most electrifying performances that I have ever seen from any band.  After it was all over, all I could say was “Wow”.

G.

Check out this recent video and see for yourself!

Jumpstreet Regroups for Eubie Blake Center Fundraiser

Over the years, I have seen some of the world’s great musicians right here in my own hometown.  No, Baltimore was not -  and will never be New York.  But it was definitely a city that every touring artist would have to make during the heyday of the 60's and 70's.  Baltimore’s Left Bank Jazz Society had regularly featured musicians like Herbie Hancock, John Coltrane, the Jazz Crusaders, Freddie Hubbard, and many more.  Even though I was still a little too young to actually see some of those guys, I can’t help but wax lyrical about the number of talented cats that came through this old town.

    

Today, there are still many musicians in Baltimore who have had the privilege to play alongside those giants, some of whom continue to share their musical chops with today’s contemporary artists. Such is the case with the members of Jumpstreet.  These guys have covered both ends of the musical spectrum, having performed with old-school legends as well as today’s contemporary popular artists. They continue to cultivate longtime friendships with guys who cut their teeth with them right here in Baltimore. Guys like Victor Wooten, Kim Waters, Dennis Chambers, and Greg Karukas can still be seen jamming with members of the Jumpstreet band on touring gigs, or heard on studio recordings, etc.

Last Saturday night's fundraiser for the Eubie Blake Center featured Jumpstreet, a popular jazz group with R&B layers that had kept Baltimore jumping for years, hitting their stride in the late 80's and on into the 90's.  They may have sprouted one or two more gray hairs than when they were regularly rocking the house at The 13^th Floor, or at The Haven, but it was great to see the boys from Jumpstreet still playing their music with the same gusto as they did when they first got together, some thirty years ago. These days Brad Collins fronts the band on sax.  A true master at his instrument, Brad’s style reminds me of David Sanborn; a nice combination of power and savvy, tastefully allowing the music to “breathe” when the song calls for it.  Did I mention that Brad can sing? Oh yes, ladies and gentleman – the man has velvet pipes, okay?  Jeff Wilson is a treasure at the keyboards.  You can hear him regularly at the Prime Rib as he performs solo at the baby grand and delivers jazz classics with a style and finesse that is truly extraordinary.  James “Jimmy” Taylor is rock steady on the drums and knows how to leave “the pocket” and dazzle you for a few minutes, then slide right back into the original groove.  His cousin, Terry Battle, the group’s highly recognized bass player and bandleader, is still cool as ever, never overbearing or pretentious.  He gives you just the right amount of sophistication to seamlessly tie it all together.

I thoroughly enjoyed the event and give big-time kudos to the Executive Director of the Eubie Blake Center, Troy Burton, for putting it all together.  I chatted with him after the show and needless to say, he was very enthusiastic.

“When I got involved six years ago, I wanted to emphasize the potential for the Center to be a performance venue where live jazz can thrive in this city.  My vision is to continue working toward making this a place where musicians can come and showcase their craft and preserve the art of jazz in front of a live audience.  We are not looking to have the Eubie Blake Center to be regarded as a museum ...”

Right on, Troy.  Looking forward to the upcoming shows.

Don’t miss the Jumpstreet Trio at the Prime Rib on weekends, featuring  Terry, Brad, and the incomparable Jeff Wilson on piano, for an evening of fine dining with an elegant, smooth- groove backdrop. You might even see a special celebrity guest sit-in for a surprise performance.

For more information:

Phone: 410-225-3130 - Email: info@eubieblake.org: 847 N. Howard Street Baltimore, Maryland 21201-4605