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Written by Martha Alguera Wednesday, 21 October 2009 06:51
Show Reviews
NEW ORLEANS | This past Monday night I got to enjoy another great New Orleans music show at the Sandpiper Lounge in Central City. The Sandpiper has been in existence for more than 50 years and is a time-tested New Orleans staple, so much so that several scenes from Jamie Foxx's "Ray" were filmed there on Louisiana Avenue.
This bar has never had a steady live music act (according to bar owner Benny Simmons) until last year when Billy Iuso and the Restless Natives began playing there. Billy was looking for a home base bar for his band and has found it at the Sandpiper. Now the band plays at the Sandpiper every other month, to a filled room every time.
The idea to play there occurred to Iuso because he would pass the bar on his way home from other gigs. Prompted by his desire to play there, Iuso spoke to the owner and pitched the idea of recording a live CD there.
Not being completely sure how a local funk/jam all white band would be received by its mostly African American patrons, both making and accepting the offer was an act of faith by Iuso and Simmons.
The collaboration that has grown over the last year and has turned out to be very successful. The band recorded its live CD at the Sandpiper in October 2008 to a room full of people.The band marks their first anniversary of playing there this week. The regular bar patrons now look forward to the next "Billy and the Boys" show. It is apparent from their welcoming and friendly dispositions that music can bring us all together regardless of color or creed.
It's like the Bob Marley song, "One Love, one heart, lets get together and feel alright." I think this is one of the reasons I love the Sandpiper. Here I am a witness to a peaceful union between black and white all for the love of some good tunes.
The Restless Natives show on Oct. 12 turned out to be a great time and included many surprise guests. The first set included some the band's standards like "Crankin it Off" and "Call my Job" and was finished off with guest keyboardist Tom Worrell. It proved to be a good warm up and energy builder for the monster jam that took place during the second set.
Towards the end of the first set, I began to notice a procession of musicians filling the small room at the Sandpiper Lounge. The musical guest included Tom Worrell, as mentioned earlier, Tom Fitzpatrick (tenor Sax), Jon Gross (Sousaphone), Chris Jones (percussion) and Jaime Galloway (harmonica). All of these guys are members of various other bands around town and I knew I was in for a treat with all these musicians in the building. Even more exciting was when I saw their instruments in tow.
The second set was very energetic and the seven (sometimes eight) piece band funked it up to the max. They played some of the bands' original material such as "When Can I Come Home" and "Two Deep in the Shallows," which included a few impressive guitar solos from Iuso. The percussion beats of Chris Jones of 101 Runners and the mighty sousaphone of Jon Gross seemed to fit right in the groove with the rest of the band. Halfway through the set, a very funky Stevie Wonder-like song started emerging from keyboard player Michael Burkart's Nord and everyone was up on their feet dancing on a MONDAY!
The song immediately after this was an impromptu jazz number led by the keys, featuring Tom Fitzpatrick on sax and anchored by the sousaphone. Although this was a deviation from the band's normal funk/jam/rock vibe, it was a good segue into Professor Longhair's ever-so-popular "Big Chief." I believe one of the challenges of any good band is keeping the audience hooked through the musical highs and lows of a show. Piquing their interest in the fast, funky songs is just as important as capturing their emotions through a slower jam. Billy Iuso and the Restless Natives carry their songs all the way through.
Another one of the highlights at the Sandpiper is that Simmons, the bar's owner, loves playing harmonica with the band. Its always an anticipated piece of the night. Simmons will challenge or playfully taunt whoever is playing the harmonica on a particular night (usually Burkart). Tonight it was Jaime Galloway of N.O. funk band Juice who received the challenge. The fact that Simmons is not a very skilled player does not lessen the moment because he has so much fun doing it. He transforms into a child as he blows into that harmonica and "get his groove on" and its is truly a pleasure to watch.
The band follows Simmons' performance with a Sandpiper favorite: "Moving On Up," The Jefferson's TV show theme song sung by bassist Thomas McDonald. He changes the lyrics to reflect the acquisition of his Musician's Village home in the Ninth Ward. "We be moving on up/to the East Side/In a deluxe apartment in the Upper NINE/We moving on up/Moving on up/We finally got a piece of the pie!" This tune seems to typically be played towards the end of the Natives' show and I believe this is to end on a high energy, positive note.
For now this will have to suffice until the next show at the Sandpiper, but don't look for any other bands playing here.
"This is Billy's house" says Simmons. "I've never seen so many white faces in here before. It's great."
The Restless Natives are the only band that currently plays there and it seems it will be that way for a long time as the band has claimed the bar as their home base. The next time you can find the band here is on Nov. 23, the Monday before Thanksgiving. If you're feeling like a little Turkey and Coke, a kick-ass R&B jukebox or if you like the sounds of Billy Iuso and the Restless Natives, just show up that night and you're guaranteed a good time.
"I have my own particular sorrows, loves, delights and you have yours. But sorrow, gladness, yearning, hope, love belong to all of us, in all times and in all places. Music is the only means whereby we feel these emotions in thier universality"--H.A. Overstreet.
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