Photos by Kelly Hueseman
The Scene: Church was in session Sunday night as Maceo Parker and his band of Funk-fueled musicians took Denverites on a journey to the early days of Funk. The huge room at Cervantes‘ was pretty empty when I first arrived, leaving me wondering why people were opting to stay in rather than see a legend like Maceo take the stage in such a small club. Halfway through the night though, fans of the Funk had come out of the woodwork and the saxophone was preaching to the congregation.
Analog Son: Denver-based Analog Son has been frequenting clubs around the region for almost two years, and every time I see them they sound better than ever. Formed by guitarist Jordan Linit and bassist Josh Fairman, both also founding members of local band Kinetix, Analog Son is all about pure Funk. Complete with horns, strong female vocals from Devon Parker, as well as drums and percussion, this is a band to watch as it continues to book gigs supporting major acts including the legendary Maceo Parker. We heard a wide range of music, but what stood out were the new tunes from Analog Son’s upcoming album release, strongly supported by rolling bass grooves and danceable Funk riffs that oozed mid-70s era Funk.
Maceo Parker: After appearing briefly in a long red robe before retreating backstage for a few moments of anticipation, the one and only Maceo Parker greeted a full room of fans who chanted his name and inspired some fancy footwork out of the global Funk icon. Enjoying a booming solo career since the ‘90s, Maceo may best be remembered as the original saxophone player in James Brown’s band in the ‘60s. Throughout his longstanding career, Maceo has worked with George Clinton & Parliament-Funkadelic, Bootsy Collins, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Dave Matthews Band, and Prince…to name a few. He is truly a living legend, and his entire band, outfitted in three-piece suits, slick sunglasses, and classy dresses oozed professionalism and schooled many young musicians in the room on what it looks like to be one of the best in the business.
In addition to unmatched stage presence, Maceo’s saxophone playing was flawless and raged on songs such as “Make it Funky” from the James Brown era, which got the room smelling like Denver within no time. Equally impressive was Maceo’s band – backup singers with serious chops taking on songs including Ben E. King’s “Stand By Me,” plus chillingly deep bass playing and the most perfect trombone playing I’ve ever heard live. These are seasoned musicians with Funk boiling in their blood. Every member of Maceo’s band oozed experience, making it easy for us all to let loose and get funky on a Sunday night.
Energy: B+
Musicianship: A+
Sound: A
Stage Presence: A
Set/Light Show: A-
Overall: A-
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