The concert was held for free in the Prospect Park Bandshell as part of the Celebrate Brooklyn! Summer Concert Series. While the rain was able to deter many fans from Dumpstaphunk’s incredible opening set, a couple hundred fans who did not let showers spoil their night were handsomely rewarded with unbeatable New Orleans funk and ample dancing space. The evening began with ponchos, umbrellas, and a bass-heavy Dumpstaphunk jam leading into the vocal explosion, “Everybody Wants Some.” While the whole band held down the beat, organist Ivan Neville and bassists Tony Hall and Nick Daniels collaborated on vocals, emitting the kind of harmonious yet powerful sounds that can only come from mixing such differing tones. Ivan lingered in the lower register, and Tony’s energy and power behind the mic added to the effect of his James Brown-esque screams, lyrics, and cadences, all while Nick accented the choruses with his high-pitched wails. As the rain began to subside, the funk continued with Tony strategically switching between bass and guitar, supporting Nick and Ivan, respectively. On guitar, Tony ripped up a song dedicated to New Orleans while Ian powered away on rhythm guitar, sporadically shredding just enough to leave the crowd wanting a little bit more. On bass, Tony and Nick participated in their typical, though never dull, bass battles during a ‘70s funk-style song and the band’s feel-good mantra, “Meanwhile,” which ended the set. In the meantime, Raymond Weber was holding down the drums in front of his characteristic wide-mouthed smile and genuinely happy eyes. Tony once told me that Raymond is such a great drummer because he knows his musicians. He knows what Tony’s twitches and Ivan’s quick glances mean and how to perfectly complement them. This set was a perfect example of that communication.
Accompanying the already flawless band were Sam Kininger and Ryan Zoidis who make up The Shady Horns. Kininger’s alto-sax and Zoidis’ bari-sax provided some always-welcome brass overtones to round out the sound. The only unfortunate aspect of the night’s performance was its too-short length. After only nine relatively album-length songs, including just two short-lived bass-offs and no girls dancing on stage (like Tony usually instigates), the band got the red light and the funk was put on hold…at least until Royal Family legends Soulive set up.
After a short break from the music, the funk/soul trio Soulive was finally ready for their tenth anniversary show. Soulive consists of brothers Alan Evans (drums) and Neal Evans (keyboard) plus guitar superstar Eric Krasno. Accompanied by The Shady Horns, Soulive’s uniquely funky grooves instantly attacked the crowd’s eardrums and didn’t stop until the last note of the evening. The first several songs perfectly represented Soulive’s musical niche between smooth, soulful guitar riffs and harder, funkier beats accented by the horns in the background. The seamless communication between Krasno and the Evans brothers gave way to some remarkable jams dispersed amongst some recognizable Soulive songs. Soon, jazz trumpet player Christian Scott joined The Shady Horns on stage, further backing up the frontline trio with his classically jazzy runs and high-note accents. The jazz flavor was further enhanced when legendary jazz guitarist John Scofield took the stage. As someone who has never seen Scofield live, I was blown away by the ease and smoothness with which he handles his guitar. Every sound emanated effortlessly from his fingertips and his face reflected this same comfort despite the incredibly complicated nature of his playing. Christian Scott’s playing was enhanced by Scofield’s guitar as Scott was able to jazz up the horn section even more and the funk/soul feel of the concert shifted slightly to a jazzed-up groove.
For their last few songs, Soulive brought up gospel/soul vocalist Nigel Hall, nephew of Dumpstaphunk’s Tony Hall. By the time Nigel started leading the band through some funked-up gospel numbers, the crowd had multiplied to fill most of the designated bandshell area. Thousands of fans fed off the high-energy musical performance while the musicians gained momentum from the crowd’s intensity, which culminated in an incredibly soulful tribute to Curtis Mayfield. The encore consisted of Stevie Wonder’s “Jesus Children of America” and Sly and the Family Stone’s “If You Want Me to Stay,” featuring Tony Hall and Ivan Neville accompanying Nigel Hall on vocals.
By the time the evening came to a close, the dedicated, still partially drenched fans had traveled on an aural adventure from dirty New Orleans funk, through Soulive’s smooth grooves and the jazzy ensemble of Christian Scott and John Scofield, and finally towards the soul/gospel perfection of the set’s encore. The show was a musical journey from start to finish, and regardless of the weather, no live music fan could complain.
Joanna Asher is a certified Mat Pilates instructor through Pilates Academy International. She is a recent graduate of Tulane University in New Orleans with both a BA and an MA in English. Her interest in live music began at a young age and was only enhanced by her experiences in New Orleans, which exposed her to a multitude of diverse musical talent.