Sunday, March 2nd, 1997

Greaze afternoon and Greaze evening to all you freaky folk from Funkytown, out- of- town, up & down, "Tears of a Clown", jump down, turn around, till you feel the groove creepin' on up to turn your frown upside-down. Greazy Meal provides the most authentic soul that I've heard from any contemporary artist. Their respect for the old school flows out 'cross the dance floor and spreads throughout The Cabooze, The Meal's crib on Sunday evenings around 9:15-9:30pm, every Sunday night. The Greazy sauce they're spreadin' is like "Manna from Heaven". This eight- piece band makes the "Manna" taste like anything and everything you could ever crave. This past Sunday, March 2nd, 1997, the sauce was sticky to use , as smokin' as the 49th Funk, and loose like Cat's aerobic, bionic booty.

Here's the set list from Sunday's gig:

1) The band opened the gig unusually late (9:40ish), with their usual experimental jazz jam. I've heard the jam take on various particular riffs from Strawberrius' guitar, different thundering bass thumps from the ever-atomic Jimmy Anton, and steady, polished solos from Papa G on the tenor sax and from Sexy Tommy B on the keys. Recently, the band has improved on previous attempts, or lack thereof, to include more solos from the writhing rhythmic contributions of Kenny Chastain on the stretched out skins, Anania on the drums, and Spicy T on other varied sharp accents. These jams, while different from one another in its particulars, usually has the same ending. The Atomic Anton lays down a "Mammy's Cookin' Shortbread" bass riff, and Papa G leads on his tenor with building tempo, till the whole crazy crew drops out "on the one". The intrigue lies in the unknown. How much of the jam is rehearsed?, and how much is improvised? Ultimately, I can only summarize that this jam makes it wholly worth your while to get to The Meal's joint early, even if that means doin' your joint early.

2)Inner City Blues (Makes Me Wanna Holler)- by Marvin Gaye

This is a great piece in Greazy Meal's repertoire of covers for both symbolic and musical reasons. Symbolically, the song holds poignant relevance as a plea from the sixties and seventies, for more economic, social, and political opportunities for blacks. Sadly, blacks and other minorities have a legitimate gripe that America hasn't made progress even quasi-commensurate with the violent and non- violent struggles against such inequalities. Whether they intend it or not, it's good to see a contemporary band concerned with the struggles that Brother Marvin was constantly addressing with his music.

What's more, musically, the song has a spiritual haze to it that places the struggle in a dreamy, almost trippy state of mind. The groove itself has a deliberate tempo juxtaposed with dreamy backing vocals that slide up behind the good Dr. Collins' impassioned moaning and pleading for self sufficiency in the black community, with lyrics like "money, we make it, but before we see it, you take it". There's one point between the 2nd and 3rd verses that always moves me for it's sharpness and musicianship. Papa G has this great sax solo for a full set of bars, and then this key change comes, pushing the whole band to turn it up a notch. From the change, the band takes it back to "the edge", with the bass leadin' the way, slowly thumpin' . . . . Boom, Doo, Doo, Doo- Doo, Boom, Doo, Doo, Doo- Doo. It happens to be an exceptional moment of music. As I've found in other tunes such Money , an original by The Meal, the band has a noticeable strength with key changes in mid- song. They all come in on top of their notes, and the groove always alters tempo either faster or slower. The changes are always crisp and they give a new feeling to the groove. It's a funny thing to notice, but if you listen carefully, you'll feel what I feel; stimulated.

3)People Make the World Go 'Round- by The Stylistics

Kenny C and I were rappin' after Sunday's gig, and we were decidedly unsure about the origins of this cover, and unsure of a few others as well. So I did a little research, and I found this tune in several different forms between the first two volumes of the Crooklyn Soundtrack. Originally it was recorded by the Stylistics, a soul group from the early seventies, but was later covered by others, including a cover by the great Stevie Wonder. The song's tempo followed the mellow groove from Inner City Blues , so they were good songs to piece back- to- back. Beyond that, the cover felt hesitant, as if the band didn't feel enough of a groove to make it a Stylistics' cover, or stamp the tune with the Greazy seal of ownership. Maybe with more work Greazy Meal's efforts will capture the breezy, sinclav- heavy, soul that expresses the song's message of accepting people's differences.

4) Use Me - by Bill Withers

This is a personal favorite for the rim shots that cautiously carry the song's tempo as Julius plays the role of a man who can't get enough of this funky lady and what she does to him, even if he has to get used. Anyone else that can relate, knows that when the lovin's too cool, it don't matter what's goin' down as long as "you keep on usin' me, 'till you use me up". Every time Greazy Meal does this tune, they make it their own by adding these creepy- sly backing vox to the chorus. Julius calls to his lover to "keep on usin' me" to which the band calls back in a taunting, "go ahead- make my day". They also add a "Yeah bay-beh!" to punctuate the pulsing from Sexy Tommy's keys. Sunday, Papa had himself a blaring solo between the 2nd and 3rd verses that put his own exclamation in support of bein' used. Definitely one of Sunday's many highpoints .

5) You Caught Me Smilin' - by Sly and the Family Stone

The band always seems to feel comfy with Sly's material, and this groove is no exception. In particular, "Smilin' " works as a great showcase for Tommy Barbarella on the keys. After all, Sly was keyboardist himself, and I think most of his material has really swanky key sections, or solid key chords to back the melody, and so on . At the gig on 2/16, Julius seemed to work so passionately on capturing Sly's warbles, cries, and wails. Unfortunately, I didn't notice the same effort tonight.

6) Come On (Come Over) - by Jaco Pastorius

This is another tune that Kenny schooled me on. Till tonight, I knew nothing about the song or the artist, other than I knew it was a swingin' cover and a staple of the band's cosmic slop. According to Commodore Chastain, Jaco Pastorius is a jazz bassist whose music profoundly influenced The Atomic Anton and his bass playin'. At Greazy's hands, the song has alternating lead vocals between Julius and Kenny, which compliment each other very well. Then after trading bars on each verse, Papa's sax leads a break into this greazy swing section that flies around with all kinds of stinkin' syncopation. Anania keeps tempo on cymbalina, while Kenny pops the skins. All the while, Jimmy's Big Stick leads with funk. If you don't dance around, shaking and struttin' your "Jaco Posterior" when you hear the swing section, then we better work on your jive-assed fanny till you do. It's positively infectious. It's another strong number, and one worth looking forward to.

7) 10 Zillion - by ??????????????

"10 Zillion" is how this tune was set listed, and Neither Kenny nor I had the faintest notion. If you recognized this piece last Sunday, then please enlighten me when you have a second. We guessed that it was Stevie Wonder, but again that's a guess. Anyhow, the groove was pretty Smooove, and if my dopey brain can recall, the tempo was chill. The song had an airy quality to it, and it wasn't too familiar to my ears. I'll have to do some research on this one and get back to ya'll.

8) Money - by Greazy Meal

Money was this evening's first original composition after six straight covers, and a great departing point for album exposure. The song fits nicely in the middle of their album Visualize World Greaze, (available at your nearest record shop, and if you don't have it yet, then get movin', man..... jeez!) , and has some lyrics "on the level". Tommy has great popping all over this tune from his keys. At the chorus, Strawdaddy has a great spitter spatter of chicken grease on mid 3/4 of the measure, followed immediately by more spattering spitter on mid 2/4 of the next measure. It's a unique feel you have to experience for yourself. Jimmy's Big Stick is solid from top to bottom, and there's always essential percussion bits and backing vocals provided by Kenny C and Spicy T and the Straw. Papa adds his woodie tenor, making the jam almost too pretty. Usually I get so caught up in Anania's perfectly driving tempo, that I can't absorb all the sensations this song provides stimulus for. Easily at the head of the class for these "naughty little school children" (said in your best, most condescending English accent). If you have the album, you'll notice the band changes the middle section ("I've got my head on the street . . .") from studio to a live format. In the studio version this section takes off with Anania's kickdrum, Kenny's skins, and Jimmy's bass, to compliment the vocal trio of Julius, Kenny, and John Thomas Strawass. Each takes a vocal shot leading back to Dr. Julius, and then the music builds at a furiously orgasmic tempo with shaka-lacka tambourine, shooka-dacka rice shakers climaxing at a concise solo by Papa. Instead, when they play it live, the band does an two "on the ones" and follows into a swing- style section for Papa's solo. The diversity between these two parts is great musicianship, and the twist lends variety and experimental maturation to their growing list of superlative qualities as a band. After all, who wants to hear their favorite band do an album song "as is", each and every time they play it? You can bet your tootin' kazoo that Greazy is crazy legit.

9) Give The People What They Want - by The O'Jays

Another political commentary/ staple cover from The Crazy Greazies. Tommy has a screamin' solo, and the band breaks down several times rhythmically and vocally, lending a precise and methodical feel to this piece. "Give the people, Give the people what, Give the people what, Give 'em what they want"! As we should expect, The Meal delivers what the people want.

10) The Bullet- by Greazy Meal

A sad, dark and super funky commentary on the rise of gun- related violence among our youth. Reliably one of Julius' best performances week in and week out, this tune takes you inside the mind of your everyday deadly-assed piece of lead. Outstanding lyrical poetry written by Spicy T, you can literally hear the bullets ricochet across the pavement from Kenny's hands rapidly thwacking the congo-bongos. Then Chastity Chastain rattles the "Tambourine" (shriek it like The Kid would) in the bridge between the verse and chorus ("Plant me in your garden"). I swear, from Papa's hip-hoppin solo till the song's end, it's musical/lyrical excellence. Pick up the band's album, Visualize World Greaze, so you can check out Tommy's deft descent down the damn keys post- "look at all them babies pushin' daisies", Straw's pedal-amped vox and tough and trippy warbles on the six string, Papa's back to back flute/sax solos, and Dave Anania's timing on the set, carrying this tune along "faster than a speeding bullet".

11) Funk #49- by The James Gang

A great bit of rock and roll funk, brought back to life by The Meal. This jam was once featured in that string of Miller Genuine Draft T.V commercials, in the mid- to late eighties. It rocks and it funks all at once, but I've never heard the band nail the backing lyrics, something they could do easily with a little concentration. Straw just starts of with a cry from his ax, then carries on with greasing and picking a perfect melody to compliment Jimmy's groovin' small- mouthed bass. Anania punches the drums with great fills, "rrrrrrra-tat, tat,tat", bashing the cymbals in 4/4. And then the song really gets going! The band breaks it down with every percussion instrument you can think of; rice shaker, "tambourine" (shriek the word like The Kid would), heavy cow bell, an extra drum set and anything else within arms- reach. The only thing missing is wild whooping and yelling, which the band could easily add, giving the breakdown a wild boy, jungle-type of savage abandon. The crowd loved the breakdown section, and everyone seemed to jump around and whoop it up. We were perfectly riled up, when the band took their setbreak at the end of the song. Just pray they play this tune, next time you see 'em. The set list I have from Sunday has a box beneath Funk #49 , which has some alternate songs Greazy Meal may have done had "the real feel deal" started earlier. Kid Charlemagne- by Steely Dan, a song that I'm a little fond of, Hair- by ????? (Kenny C couldn't expound on this one much), and the fabulous T. V. Medley which includes Good Times , Sanford &Son , and The Fat Albert Theme . Maybe next time . . . .

For brevity's sake, of which I've already abused thoroughly, I'll list the second half in shorter form, accenting certain tunes that caught me.

12)Unfaithful- by Greazy Meal,
13)"Beat"- a new song by the group Greazy Meal,
14)Highlife and
15)One Man's Dream- by Greazy Meal. The crowd gave great vocal response at the end, singing along "nah, nah, nah-na, na, na". Tommy's sinclaves are biting and foxy, creeping up and then the notes are gone before you can savor their evil. Hopes and dreams are a relatable message that make this song fantastic.
16)Away Delilah and
17)Urban Herbalist- by Greazy Meal.
18)"Ain't No Fun To Me"- by ???, maybe Sly, maybe Stevie. Who ever wrote it, Greazy does it! The song rocks, funks and grooves along "down the highway". The combination of musical styles is so complex, it makes ya "want to sit down, and think about it, whoa, whoa, whoa, yeah!". Again they capture such an infectious groove, that shit just "ain't gonna bother me" when I catch it. It's always a jump-around, crowd pleaser, and it makes for a great energetic piece if/when the show ever drags.
19)Suicide Carpet Ride ,
20)Vitamin U ,
21)Old Soul Cafe , and
22) I Can't Wait- are all by Greazy Meal. "Suicide" is a new, unreleased piece of soul, reminiscent of The Time or Sheila E (Therefore, Prince). "Vitamin", "Cafe", and "Wait" are all featured on the album Visualize World Greaze, and the latter two are feature works for Tommy Barbarella's funky keys. Some other time, I'll tell y'all just how phenomenal Old Soul Cafe is, just in case you didn't already know it.

23)Loose Booty- by Sly and the Family Stone, was an erotic, vibrotic, bionic, butt-shakin' booty freak, all together hype beyond The Word. Just like the song's lyrics instruct, you've got to "let it all hang . . . . OUT!", then you'll truly feel the vibe that Greazy Meal can create. It's a vibe we all have, it just manifests itself in different ways within each of us. But I'll tell you 'cause I been there, that you won't feel The Greazy Vibe, on Sunday nights at The Cabooze, unless you set yourself free. That being said, Spicy T explodes into an unbelievable rap, incorporating a solo from each member of the band. This past Sunday was whipped into such a frenzy by the first part of Loose Booty, that we chanted back to Spicy anything and everything that he called out to us. It was a great vibe that you've got to check out yourself. It was THE moment of the whole night, and Spicy really stole the show. It was so good, that 24)Funkytown - by Lipps Inc. , was seemed dull and anti climatic. The show was solid, but don't take my word for it . . . check it out for yourselves. You won't be disappointed (a guarantee I make, fearlessly). Till next week, may your soul be funky, your groove be Greazy, and "Yes, there's gas in the car".

Peace, much love and respect,

Kid Charlemagne