James Brown Dance Party | 2018-01-19 | Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom, Denver, CO [SBD/AUD Matrix]

It feels like Denver has been trying to cure this cold weather with funk…and I think it’s working! Warm up with this funky #MusicMonday and enjoy some #FreeMusic from The James Brown Dance Party headlining Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom!

Love for funky James Brown music was alive and well in Denver last Friday night as the JBDP treated a sold-out Masterpiece Ballroom crowd to two sets of funky favorites performed by jam scene greats from national and local acts.

Put together by The Chase Brothers (Jazz Is Phish) and fronted by the electric Chris Rob (Talib Kweli, John Legend, Lauryn Hill), The James Brown Dance Party is well staffed to take on the Godfather of funk’s epic repertoire. Really the entire lineup is filled with an absolute all-star cast. First and foremost you have a man James Brown dubbed “The most sampled bass player in the world” – Fred Thomas on bass. He held up the low end with masterful tone and rattled off several commanding bass solos showing off his 40+ years of experience. Paired with Adam Chase (Jazz Is Phish) and Jeremy Salken (Big Gigantic) on drums, the rhythm section was as tight as could be. Guitarists Matt Chase (Jazz Is Phish) and Binky Griptite (The Dap Kings) helped add to that, holding down the guitar roles with patient funky stylings and occasionally trading solos. Also what’s funk without a strong horn section? Legendary trumpeter Michael Ray (Sun Ra), Snarky Puppy’s Chris Bullock on saxophone and Scott Flynn (Odesza, Pretty Lights) got it covered.

Chris Rob really steals the show with his energetic performance and powerful command of the audience. If you are going to call yourself the James Brown Dance Party, you better have someone who can commandeer a dance party, and Chris Rob is certainly that someone. He often times injected some hip hop elements into certain tunes, rapping verses to songs that have often times sampled James Brown lines themselves.”Get Up Offa That Thing” contained several moments like these and even included lines from The Rolling Stones’ “Satisfaction”. At the beginning of the second set he invited about 20 ladies on to the stage to help him funkify the crowd. The Dance Party starts and stops with him. He is Mr. Dynamite.

The local scene was represented as well as The Magic Beans‘ keyboard slayer Casey Russell sat-in for several songs including a bulk of the second set. Also Mama Magnolia‘s Megan Letts contributed her vocal talents to several songs including leading a rousing rendition of “This Is A Man’s Man’s World”.

As far as operative titles go, James Brown Dance Party delivers. Fantastic selection of James Brown songs? Check. Dance Party atmosphere from all angles both on stage and off? double check. That’s not a long list but a simple enough recipe for a fantastic show every time. If you dig James Brown’s music, you’ll love his dance party.

James Brown Dance Party | 2018-01-19 | Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom, Denver, CO

Set 1: Soul Power -> We’re Gonna Have A Funky Good Time > The Boss[1], Make It Funky[2], The Payback, Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Sex Machine > Ain’t It Funky Now[2]

Set 2: Hot Pants[3] -> I Know You Got Soul -> I Feel Good, It’s A Man’s Man’s World[4], Get Up Offa That Thing[5], Super Bad[2] > Cold Sweat[6], I Got The Feelin'[2]

Encore: Get Up On The Good Foot[2]

:Lineup:
-Matt Chase (Jazz Is Phish, James Brown Dance Party) on guitar
-Adam Chase (Jazz Is Phish, James Brown Dance Party) on drums
-Fred Thomas (James Brown) on bass
-Chris Rob (Talib Kweli, John Legend, Lauryn Hill) on vocals
-Jeremy Salken (Big Gigantic) on drums
-Binky Griptite (The Dap Kings) on guitar
-Scott Flynn (Odesza, Pretty Lights) on trombone
-Chris Bullock (Snarky Puppy) on saxophone
-Michael Ray (Sun Ra) on trumpet
-Megan Letts (Mama Magnolia) on vocals

Show Notes: Denver’s Michael Jackson All-Stars opened the show and James Brown Dance Party was the headliner.
[1] “The Boss” contained “The Get Down” (Nas) quotes.
[2] “Make It Funky”, “Ain’t It funky Now”, “Super Bad”, “I Got The Feelin'” and “Get On The Good Foot” all featured Casey Russell (The Magic Beans) on keys.
[3] “Hot Pants” contained “Take Your Dead Ass Home!” (Funkadelic) quotes.
[4] “It’s A Man’s Man’s World” featured Megan Letts (Mama Magnolia) on vocals and Casey Russell (The Magic Beans) on keys.
[5] “Get Up Offa That Thing” contained “It Takes Two” (Rob Base & D.J. E-Z Rock) quotes and “Satisfaction” (The Rolling Stones) quotes. It also featured Casey Russell (The Magic Beans) on keys.
[6] “Cold Sweat” featured a Jeremy Salkin vs Adam Chase drum-off and also featured Casey Russell (The Magic Beans) on keys.

Taper Notes: Slightly FOB stage right of the soundboard. Mics raised around 11′ PAS.

Thank you to The James Brown Dance Party (especially Adam Chase) and Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom for being cool with taping/sharing shows. Go see live music! #spacetapes

LINK: https://archive.org/…/jamesbrowndanceparty2018-01-19.AKG.P…/