On July 31, 2013, I went to go see Hiatus Kaiyote at the Bootleg Theater. Following the gig, and due to a year long set of fate-induced circumstances, I was lucky enough to hang out with the band for a bit before they had to run to the airport for travel. The lead singer, Nai Palm, was hanging outside with KCRW DJ, Jeremy Sole, and another singer, doing some freestyle, vocal jamming. Afterwards, Nai introduced me to the gentleman with, “This Moses. He’s amazing. You NEED to check his stuff out.”
I did, and I was immediately hooked. It was a distinctive vocal style which blends equal parts jazz and soul. The recordings makes adept use of loopers, creating a sound that led me to tell him, when I saw him afterwards at Laura Mvula’s show at the El Rey Theatre on 9/17/13 that he sounded like a modern day Bobby McFerrin. I don’t dole out high praise like that often, but I thought it was deserved. How pleased was I when I heard that he would be one of the opening act for Hiatus Kaiyote’s gig at the Skirball?
Armed with just a couple microphones, a looper and a guitar, he performed a remarkable set. His vocal arrangements were simple but lush. His melodies were smooth but firm. What I enjoyed most about his live performance was watching him use his looper to create the music right before us. Having sung in vocal groups in high school and college, I’ll have to admit … I was totally geeking out.
I follow his fan page on Facebook to keep track of when his next performances are (and you should too to find links of some high quality videos and recordings of his current work) as his live act is definitely something that I would pay to see again. In fact, as fate would have it, I’ve recently learned that he will opening for one of my last concerts of the year: Thundercat at the Echo on December 5th, 2013. I suppose, it was just meant to be.
Unfortunately, the Flickr slideshow below is not currently available on mobile devices. If you are on a mobile device, please click THIS LINK to get redirected to the set of photos.
Lee Fields at The Beach Ball Festival 9/21/13 [ig: @methodman13]
If you’re a fan of soul or funk music, you’ve probably heard Maceo Parker play … even if you don’t have any of his solo albums. After all, his sax play is also over James Brown most famous recordings. “Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag”, “I Got You (I Feel Good”), “Sex Machine”, “Cold Sweat” … yup … that saxophone solo? That sound that’s a building block of funk music? That’s Maceo. That’s his sound.
What’s that you say? You’re not a James Brown fan? What about Parliament-Funkadelic, Keith Richards, Red Hot Chili Peppers, De La Soul, Prince, Deee-Lite or Living Colour? Well, he’s played on their records too. Point? The man is an integral part of music history. Perhaps, one of the most prolific sidemen in the history of music. But let’s not get it twisted. His solo albums are pretty damn good too. I was excited to have the opportunity to watch this saxophone legend play up close at the Beach Ball Festival. I was ready to get funky and to shake my groove thing.
Maceo and his band brought their musicality and funk to the stage. Maceo not only played like the legend he is known to be, but he also brought a level of showmanship that could only come with years of seasoning. His set seemed to cover the entire the breadth of his career (as a solo artist and sideman), touching on a few James Brown classics and even incorporating a tribute to one his greatest influences, Ray Charles, during which Maceo donned a pair of sunglasses. He gave time to each of his players to allow them to shine on their instruments, proving that each was capable of holding their own, but at the end of the day, as the sun set into the Pacific, it was Maceo who shined the most.
Maceo Parker performing at The Beach Ball Festival 9/21/13 [ig: @methodman13]Maceo Parker performing at The Beach Ball Festival 9/21/13 [ig: @methodman13]Maceo Parker and his band performing at The Beach Ball Festival 9/21/13 [ig: @methodman13]Maceo Parker performing at The Beach Ball Festival 9/21/13 [ig: @methodman13]Maceo Parker performing at The Beach Ball Festival 9/21/13 [ig: @methodman13]Maceo Parker performing at The Beach Ball Festival 9/21/13 [ig: @methodman13]
I remember the day I first heard Laura Mvula sing (January 18th, 2013) because I was so amazed by what I heard that I immediately posted a blog entry about it. I kept an eye (and ear) on her music and would post additional blog entries about some of her other songs (“That’s Alright” and “Jump Right Out”) because I was enthralled with her sound and excited about her debut album “Sing To The Moon”.
Laura Mvula’s music cannot be easily classified, as it is a sound that frankly defies stylistic categorization. As allmusic.com proffers, Laura’s music is “rooted in decades-old forms of gospel, jazz, R&B, and, most deeply, orchestral pop . Almost all of the material is as serious and as refined as it is majestic, with vocal showcases and hushed-belted-hushed-belted dynamics galore.” I agree with the assessment, and would even boil it down simply as classy and sophisticated, orchestral neo-soul music. Some seriously good, grown folk sounds for those who appreciate musicality and message in their music.
I was ecstatic when I found out that Laura was scheduled to perform April 16, 2013 at the Bootleg Theater, and I immediately snapped up tickets. As fate would have it, however, I was asked to speak at my Alma Mater that same week, and to my dismay, I had to give my tickets up. As a small consolation, I received my copy of Laura’s debut on vinyl (a UK export that has an amazing recording of Stevie Wonder’s “Something Out of The Blue”) and for the next few months listened to it whenever I needed to set my mind and soul at ease.
I received a notice (thank you social media!) that Laura was to do another round of touring in the United States with a stop in Los Angeles September 17th, and I agains purchased tickets to her show. This time, though, I made sure I had no conflicting appointments.
Laura’s show was simply amazing. Me and my friends were able to get up to the very front of the venue for the performance, and as fate would have it, Laura’s keyboard was basically in front of us, and thus we were privileged to have Laura performing no more than 5 yards from us for a majority of the show. I could see her every breath and read the emotions on her face with every lyric. It was a beautiful experience. A moving experience. During the most tender part of the concert, when Laura sang “Diamonds” and “Father, Father” back to back, you could feel the audience release a collective sigh following the last note of “Father, Father”. I did not have to look around to know that there were some in the audience tearing up because … truth be told … I was busy dabbing the corners of my eye as well.
My anticipation for new music from her is at an all time high. My commitment to see her perform live again has been verified. An amazing concert by an amazing artist. Her performance at the El Rey has a spot in my top 10 concert performances of the year. Nuff’ said.
Setlist:
Like The Morning Dew
Let Me Fall (not in the album)
Flying Without You
She
Is There Anybody Out There?/ One Love (Bob Marley& The Wailers cover)
Sing to the Moon
Diamonds
Father, Father
Green Garden
That’s Alright
Make Me Lovely (Encore)
Laura Mvula at the El Rey Theatre 9/17/13Laura Mvula at the El Rey Theatre 9/17/13Laura Mvula at the El Rey Theatre 9/17/13Laura Mvula at the El Rey Theatre 9/17/13Laura Mvula at the El Rey Theatre 9/17/13
The first time I heard of Trombone Shorty, he was a recurring character on the HBO Series “Treme”. At first I thought he was fictional character, but as I did more research on the music played in the show, I discovered that he was, in fact, a highly acclaimed trumpet and trombone player who grew up a child prodigy from a musical family. I can truly say that a television show helped me delve into New Orleans R&B, Funk, Soul and Jazz. I watched many videos of him perform (like the one immediately below) and I knew that talent like that needed to be seen live. When I heard he was to have a free concert on the Santa Monica Pier, I “penciled” it into my calendar.
I love horn sections. Earth Wind and Fire, Blood Sweat and Tears, Chicago. They each had amazing horn sections that gave their hit songs an extra something. Every so often, I’ll hear a popular, modern album that utilizes a great horn section, and I think that there’ll be a resurgence or renaissance of that type and style of music, but it hasn’t happened yet.
Dustbowl Revival did a great job warming the crowd up, and when Trombone Shorty took the stage the audience was adequately lubricated for some funky, jazzy goodness and with the first note, the dancing began.
Trombone Shorty and his backing band, Orleans Avenue, wowed the audience with their musical prowess. While his singing was good, it was his work on the trumpet and trombone that truly mesmerized the audience. The highlights of his set, for me at least, was when he showcased his impressive circulatory breathing, holding notes for what seemed to be forever. A partial video clip is in the highlights I posted below, and they are partial because I had to stop filming as I had to watch him hold that note with my own eyes instead of the through the lens of the camera. It was amazing.
He played to the audience’s local leanings by covering snippets of popular Los Angeles hip hop standards by Snoop and Dre and added his own flare to classic jazz standards (snippets of each are included in the video montage below).
Watching Trombone Shorty perform made me long for another trip back to New Orleans. When that trip happens, I’ll make sure it coincides with a Trombone Shorty performance at a New Orleans club.
I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again, if you haven’t been taking advantage of the free summer concerts available in your neck of the woods, you’re probably missing out. On August 17, 2013, I had the chance to see Poncho Sanchez and his Latin Jazz Band, play a one and half hour concert at Burton W. Chace Park in Marina del Rey, and it was glorious. I would have gladly paid money to see Poncho Sanchez perform, but I’m not complaining one bit that I got to see this living, jazz legend play for free.
The line to park my car was long, and after waiting almost 20 minutes to park, I almost had to pull out from the front of the line to get change as the parking lot attendant wasn’t willing to break the cash I had. Thankfully, a kind gentleman behind me spotted me $5 (parking was $10) so that I didn’t have to wait in line again. Thank you, sir. I hope you contact me so that I can return the favor.
The best seats in the house. Obviously, not for me … lol. If you can’t read the text, click on the picture to enlarge the picture.
With my new friends, I walked to concert area. With the stage situated at the edge of the jetty overlooking the great Marina Del Rey harbor views, latin jazz fans got there early to lay their blankets out to stake their territory. With the weather as pleasant as weather could be on a summer eve next to the water, it was a wonderfully sublime atmosphere for an evening of mind-blowing entertainment.
On his website, Poncho Sanchez has stated the following:
Latin jazz is the world’s greatest music,” says Sanchez. “It has the melodic and harmonic sophistication of jazz and American standards, and the flavor and energy of Latin American music. What I’m most proud of is that this music – while it may sound exotic at times – is from America. It was born in New York City, when Chano Pozo met Dizzy Gillespie for the first time in the mid-1940s. They created something that didn’t exist before in this country. I’m very proud to take this music all over the world all the time.”
And with that in mind, Poncho had a set that payed tribute to a number of the great jazz legends before him, performing his renditions of classic jazz standards and dedicating songs to those who came before him. He performed a song as a tribute to Willie Bobo. He performed a “Night In Tunisia” as a tribute to Dizzy Gillespie. He dedicated a song to John Coltrane who, to the excitement of the crowd, he indicated would be subject of his forthcoming album. Amazing music. Amazing sound. A jazz legend and his band playing music till the sun set in the ocean.
The later the concert went, the more and more people got up from their picnic dinners to dance. It was hard to not bump into people trying to dance to the rhythm, some more successfully than others … lol, but the energy was there. Poncho encouraged the crowd to get up and dance, and more people followed suit. I felt the beat in my feet too, and I only wish that I had someone to dance with. Maybe next time.
On May 9, 2010, Lena Mary Calhoun Horne, professionally known as Lena Horne, passed away. A talented actress, engaged social activist, and sublime vocalist, Lena Horne was one of the first female jazz vocalists that I fell in love with.
I got introduced to Jazz music in middle school at the same time I delved into musical theater. There was a musical called “Show Boat” (a heavy musical that dealt with integration and interracial romance) that I was researching at the local library, and I remember finding a version of my favorite song from the musical on a jazz sampler. The song was “Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man” and it was performed by Lena Horne. There is a lot of history and trivia out there, and rather than write it all out here, I suggest you click on this IMBD link to read more.
Heaven. Her voice was expressed so much emotion and expression that my heart melted, and she’s been a constant staple of my jazz collection and playlist rotation ever since.
Today, I remember a voice that I fell in love with. With her passing back in 2010, a little bit of my heart broke. A classic beauty, sublime talent and divine individual doesn’t come around that often. I’m just glad a bit of her soul is still with us in recordings and video. Below are some of my favorite Lena Horne performances.
My interest in Laura Mvula had already been stirring and I’ve posted short blog entries about her songs “Jump Right Out” and “She”, but she just release a new video for her latest single “That’s Alright” and it’s blowing me away. It heavy on rhythms and chants and really comes out punching. Definitely contrasting to her more delicate fair that I’ve grown accustomed to. With her rich alto tone, and jazz/soul/gospel sensibilities, she sings out rebelling against an unknown antagonist, proclaiming her autonomy and self worth and chastising him/her with a chorus of “Who made you the center of the universe”.
Her first major label album, “Sing to the Moon”, was released March 4, 2013 abroad, but the CD, LP and digital downloads don’t seem to be available yet in the U.S. RCA needs to get on the stat. And if it’s never going to be released in the states, I may very well have to spend the extra cash to purchase imports…
For your listening pleasure, Laura Mvula’s “That’s Alright”:
(Verse)
I will never be what you want and that’s alright,
Cause my skin ain’t light and my body ain’t tight.
And that’s alright.
But if I might, I must stand and fight.
I will never be what you want and that’s alright,
I play my own damn tune, I shine like the moon.
And very soon, I’ll soon fly over you.
And what you gonna do when I fly over you?
(Chorus)
Tell me who made you the center of the universe?
Who made you the center of the universe?
Who made you the center of the universe?
Who made you the center of the universe?
(Verse)
And every morning when I wake up I pray for you
And then I pray for me that soon you’ll see
How love can be, our love will set you free.
And what it’s gonna be, I see the beauty in your eyes.
(Chorus)
Tell me who made you the center of the universe?
Who made you the center of the universe?
Who made you the center of the universe?
Who made you the center of the universe?
(Verse)
I will never be what you want and that’s alright,
Cause my skin ain’t light and my body ain’t tight.
I will never be what you want and that’s alright,
Cause my skin ain’t light and that’s alright.
(Chorus)
Tell me who made you the center of the universe?
Who made you the center of the universe?
Who made you the center of the universe?
Who made you the center of the universe?
I had purchased a ticket to see a show at The Roxy on December 29th, 2012 that was titled “Bizarre Ride Live” at the suggestion of a friend. He told me that it was a performance of The Pharcyde’s “Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde” by two of the original members (Phatlip and Slim Kid 3) and others.
Earlier in the day, on a whim, I decided to check out a record shop that I hadn’t been too before in West Los Angeles called Touch Vinyl. As I was flipping through the racks, I stumbled across a limited edition, colored vinyl set of the album that I had intended to see performed live later in the evening.
It seemed that fate was calling, so without hesitating, I decided to purchase the LPs.
Feeling that fate was on my side, I decided to bring the new purchase with me to the show. As chance would have it, I happened to have a silver permanent marker in my bag.
The show was great, and I was able to relive some of my youth. The album had come out while I was in high school and, at the time, I could recite almost every lyric from the album. I still think that the sequencing of tracks 7-13 is near perfection. To this day, I can listen through that section of the album without having to skip anything.
The show had ended and I while I was talking to Mellow Man Ace (who performed with his son Cazal Organism as The ZZYZZX earlier in the evening), I saw both Slim Kid 3 and Fat Lip step out. I was able to cajole them for their autographs, and there you have it. Some music treasure.
Sometimes you can’t find soul. Soul finds you. Apparently it found a group of talented musicians in Australia.
Last weekend I went to see Jose James at the Del Monte Speakeasy. I bought tickets for that show online on the venue’s website a few months ago. I noticed that there was a name I was unfamiliar with playing the following weekend. The venue site said they were from Australia (foreign bands always interest me, because it always seems that the best music these days comes from abroad, and it’s not often you can catch them playing in the United States) and there was something unusual about the spelling of the second word of the name of the band, so I decided to click through the links landing on their official website. Went straight to their band camp link, and listened to their latest project titled ““Tawk Tomahawk”. Impressed with what I heard, I decided to buy tickets that day, mostly because I liked the music, but also because tickets, at the time, were only $10 each. [If you want to read about their show that “blew my mind” click here]
I didn’t purchase the digital download of the album (I like to own LPs and CD, so I figured I’d wait), but I did download a free remix album and a live performance. I figured I should have something to listen too later, so I could know what to expect for the show.
A few weeks went by. I went to the Jose James concert (which was amazing, by the way) earlier in the week, and now, on this Sunday, March 17th, 2013 while others are sipping beer dyed with green coloring on a warm, breezy southern California day, I’m at my desk working. I remember I have the extra tickets, and post on Facebook to see if any of my friends are interested. Having only listened to the band’s latest album a couple of times, and their “remix” album as couple times, I described it as “Bjork with a jazz/funk/soul slant.” I’d like to take that back. They’re WAY more soulful than Bjork could be.
I hadn’t yet listened to the live download titled “Live at RRR FM”, so after posting on Facebook, I pressed start on my iTunes. It’s a 40+ minute live recording, and it’s already on it’s third replay … today.
Really, I’m just floored by what I’m hearing. I knew their recorded music was quality stuff. After doing a little internet snooping, I find out that Erykah Badu loves the band. ?uestlove of The Roots Tweeted about them. But their live recording … what I had been listening to for most of today, is really impressive. So much soul. So much talent. The lead vocalist’s, Nai Palm, voice reminds me (sincerely) of Amy Winehouse. The songwriting is filled with so much life. I think all of the jazz elements in the music breathes the life into it.
Spent a handful of distracted minutes to finding some quality live video links to share. I’m so looking forward to see them play next weekend.
This song is stunning.
Okay … now back to work. At least I have something to look forward to for next weekend.
Updated: 03/18/13: I found Nai Palm covering Stevie Wonder’s “My Cherie Amour”? If you didn’t already know, I named my blog after one of Stevie’s albums. I’m a huge Stevie fan. Nai gets SO many brownie points in my book. Can’t wait until the weekend.
Earlier this year, a friend of mine posted a video clip on Facebook of a performance by a singer named Jose James. I liked what I heard, and started googling him and his music. When I stumbled upon his amazing cover of Freestyle Fellowship’s “Park Bench People”, I nearly lost my mind. I mean, I grew up with “Innercity Griots”, and I have always preached how that that album is in my top 10 list of best and most influential hip-hop albums of all time. What made that album so groundbreaking was how it pushed the limits of hip-hop (at the time), thematically and musically, especially using live jazz instrumentation, courtesy of members from The Underground Railroad (I even got to meet Onaje Murray– who kills it on Freestyle Fellowship’s version of “Park Bench People” in high school once, but that’s another story). Needless to say, I was feeling what Jose James was doing with his music and the fact that he picked one of my favorite hip-hop songs to cover earned him some mad respect.
While I was watching some of the video clips on Youtube, I noticed that Youtube had a tiny little caption in the video description that showed where he would be performing in Los Angeles next. I clicked through the link trying to see how much the tickets were, but apparently the show had sold out. Apparently, it was a KCRW promoted concert, and to my dismay, they had just featured Jose the day before, and tickets for the show sold out immediately. Slightly disheartened, I simply “liked” Jose’s Facebook page for updates on when he’d be in town in the future.
Facebook. Some people can’t stand it. I can’t live without it. About a week after trying to get tickets, I get a notice on FB that a second show had been added. I logged on and purchased tickets. FYI, the ticket for this second show also sold out. Thank you, Facebook.
It had been a tough couple weeks leading up to the show. Work had been overwhelming, and it seemed that everybody I was working with was heading to South By Southwest to work on various projects. I’ve never been to SXSW, so I was a bit envious. But since everyone was in Austin, TX for the music festival, I got a little reprieve from phone calls and emails to enjoy myself for the evening.
When I got to the venue, I picked up my wristband and got stamped at the door. The performance venue was downstairs in a dark basement with low a ceiling. My guest and I roamed the venue looking for a good place to stand, and we ended up basically where we started off, by the entrance, close to the stage right. The show was scheduled to start at 10pm, but the bouncer at the top of the stairs told me that he started around 11 the night before.
The later it got, the smaller our little space got. People kept filing in, and the temperature of the room started rising. You could feel it. Note to self: bring a small handheld fan for the next show I attend there. The air-conditioning was on (so says the venue), but you couldn’t tell.
A blurry shot of Jose and Takuya.
Close to 11:00pm, the band the took the stage. One by one, the band members took the stage. Kris Bowers (keyboards), Solomon Dorsey (bass), Takuya Kuroda (trumpet) and Richard Spaven (drums). Each member introduced themselves to the audience through solos, and after a good 10 minutes of jazz instrumentals, Jose joined them on stage to sing “It’s All Over Your Body”, the first track of off his latest album . That song is about 5 and a half minutes long, but they jammed out for at least 10 minutes. It seemed to me that the audience truly understood the musicality of the gentlemen on stage. Each of them was truly skilled at their respective craft.
The room was getting hotter and hotter, and if you came in wearing a jacket or a sweater, you weren’t wearing it anymore. You could feel the the body heat coming off of the person standing next to you. You would think that the temperature would be unbearable, but no. Girls were shouting out Jose’s name with each line he sang, and bodies were swaying to the rhythm. If anything, people were sneakily pushing their way towards the stage, immersing themselves in the sweltering heat. The music was that good. No one wanted too leave their spot (at least where I was standing).
Another blurry shot of Takuya.
Jose has preached his musical root as being set in Jazz. He’s a tremendous “classic” jazz vocalist, as his duet album with Jef Neve, titled “For All We Know”, clearly showcases, but his talent and stylings are so much more that traditional jazz. Like Freestyle Fellowship, he takes a genre and stretches its boundaries.
People have compared vocals to D’Angelo and Bill Withers. People say that he evokes the 70’s soul of Gil Scott Heron. As cliched as it sounds, he’s Jose James. His performance showed me that he is his own style … meaning, if you heard his voice on the radio, you’d probably be able to tell that it’s him and not some other singer.
I usually try to take video clips of a handful of songs of the concert I go to, but after the show I realized that I had only taken clips of three songs. It was the kind of show where you didn’t want to watch it from the tiny screen of a cell phone. I was no more than 15 feet from the stage. I was going to soak it all in with my own eyes. Luckily, the three videos that I did take were of some of the highlight I took away from the show.
I had seen Robert Glasper earlier this year, and it just so happened that the music of “Vanguard”, one of my favorite songs off the album, was written by him. Jose wrote the lyrics. Great song.
Jose covered Bill Wither’s “Ain’t No Sunshine”. A great song. A great voice.
It was 1am when Jose closed his set with “Do You Feel”, and people started to leave. It’s almost understandable. Almost. After all, it was a Wednesday, and people have 9-5 jobs. The show was already over 2 hours. I, technically, have a 9-5 job. BUT he hadn’t played “Park Bench People” yet.
After a bit of cajoling from the faithful who moved forward to take up the space from those who couldn’t hang, Jose came on stage and started to sing a cappella a Marvin Gaye medley of “What’s Going On” and “Mercy Mercy Me”. What he did with the medley blew my mind. The voice is an instrument, but what he did with his instrument left me amazed. He became the human record player, scatting lines making it sound like a DJ was spinning records.
“What’s Going On” and “Mercy Mercy Me”, with their strong social commentary, segued brilliantly into “Park Bench People”, a song about the ravages of homelessness. He continued the scat passages of “Park Bench People” like he did with the medley and made those songs … for lack of more poetic words … his bitch. He took a song that I already loved, and left me amazed with his performance. Close to 1:30am, Jose and the band wrapped it up.
I was able to tell Jose before I left that I was amazed by his set, and that there was nothing I appreciated more in the world than good music, but upon retrospect the concert itself was a one of a kind experience. To experience that kind of musicianship, in that venue, with the heat, and skin, and vibe, excitement, and movement … Before I left him and his band alone, I was able to get Jose and Takuya autograph my 12” single of “Park Bench People”.
They say that listening to good music is like having sex. On March 13, 2013, in the crowded, sweltering basement of the Del Monte Speakeasy in Venice Beach, I left a concert drenched in my own sweat (and probably the sweat of others), my feet and legs aching from the physical exertion of standing for over two hours. I was physically and emotionally spent, but absolutely in awe of the performance that I was lucky enough to catch. When I got to my car, I sat there smoking a cigarette just to relax for a moment.
![Lee Fields at The Beach Ball Festival 9/21/13 [ig: @methodman13]](https://musicofmymind14.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/dsc05191.jpg?w=1075)
![Lee Fields at The Beach Ball Festival 9/21/13 [ig: @methodman13]](https://musicofmymind14.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/dsc05175.jpg?w=1075)
![Lee Fields performing at The Beach Ball Festival 9/21/13 [ig: @methodman13]](https://musicofmymind14.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/dsc05162.jpg?w=1075)
![Maceo Parker and his band performing at The Beach Ball Festival 9/21/13 [ig: @methodman13]](https://musicofmymind14.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/dsc05144.jpg?w=1075)
![Maceo Parker performing at The Beach Ball Festival 9/21/13 [ig: @methodman13]](https://musicofmymind14.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/dsc05143.jpg?w=1075)
![Maceo Parker performing at The Beach Ball Festival 9/21/13 [ig: @methodman13]](https://musicofmymind14.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/dsc05195.jpg?w=1075)
![Maceo Parker performing at The Beach Ball Festival 9/21/13 [ig: @methodman13]](https://musicofmymind14.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/dsc05188.jpg?w=1075)
I was able to tell Jose before I left that I was amazed by his set, and that there was nothing I appreciated more in the world than good music, but upon retrospect the concert itself was a one of a kind experience. To experience that kind of musicianship, in that venue, with the heat, and skin, and vibe, excitement, and movement … Before I left him and his band alone, I was able to get Jose and Takuya autograph my 12” single of “Park Bench People”. 
#DKLPHOTOS 