reCAP :: Karl Denson's Tiny Universe ft. Chuck Leavell w/ The London Souls :: 2015.09.11
Great bands create longevity by keeping things fresh, and for Karl Denson's Tiny Universe, that's seemed to mean keeping its membership somewhat elastic, as well as expanding its repertoire to include theme and cover shows as well as maintaining the scorching jazz-funk that's defined it for nearly two decades.
Sometimes that also means overindulging; you can count me among the sometimes-skeptical KDTU lovers wishing for fewer nights of Beastie Boys, Ray Charles and Run-DMC and more of Karl and his colleagues getting right proper filthy on horn- and guitar-driven instrumental grooves. But then comes a show like this Friday rager that had an adequate balance of "classic KDTU" and themed KDTU and you walk away having experienced the full effect.
Of course, this one was helped by not so much being about a theme as a guest: the mighty Chuck Leavell, legendary sideman for the Rolling Stones, Allman Brothers Band and countless others. Denson, as a recent recruit to the Stones touring band, has what appears to be a tight friendship and an even tighter musical rapport with the wizardly Leavell, and this show -- tacked on ahead of the the KDTU+Leavell set planned for Lock'n and by all accounts the stronger showing of the two -- was a funk, jazz and rock 'n' roll playground, touching everything from boogaloo to roadhouse blues in a loose, limby two hours.
You had KDTU in is current form, tearing through ripping funk tunes like "New Ammo," groovier cuts like "Gold Mine" and blues rockers like "My Baby" which coupled a blaster of a Denson solo with paint-peeler slide guitar. Perhaps strongest of the newer KDTU tunes -- many of which will be on a forthcoming KDTU album Karl referred to as "Camping In Suits" -- is "Monk Strap," by guitarist DJ Williams, in which Denson turned to flute and which saw the whole band build to several peaks, in several layers.
Leavell soon arrived, parked at an electric piano at right-center stage, and wasted no time pulling KDTU into his orbit while supporting the band just the same. There were "Statesboro Blues," "Glad," and another Denson sparker, "Smart Boy." There was Stones -- of course there was Stones -- in "Tumbling Dice" and "Rip This Joint." There was the KDTU-fied version of "Seven Nation Army" by the White Stripes. There was a Leavell perennial that fit this ensemble to a T, the Les McCann/Eddie Harris "Compared to What." There probably wasn't enough raw KDTU for some, but the expanded band -- and so nice to see Soulive's Alan Evans back behind the kit -- kept the pace steady and rolling.
It was worth an early arrival for The London Souls, who get better, tighter and more interesting every year. Lead singer and guitarist Tash Neal survived a near-fatal car crash in 2012, but rather than come back diminished, he roared back, even mightier as a musician than before. The duo of Nash and drummer/vocalist Chris St. Hilaire -- occasionally expanded to a trio, though on this night just the two of them -- are fierce, fierce, fierce: that intersection of sounds where Led Zeppelin, Hendrix and Sly & the Family Stone overlap in groovy blues, harrowing garage rock and psychedelic R&B. That's how they've always been, though; what's different now is stronger songs, better pacing and an even more assured delivery that leaves you pummeled but also ensure the best of their songs (including "The Sound," "She's So Mad") stick to you long after.