Addison Groove Project 2004-5-22 Webster Theater (Download)
As Thanksgiving came and I had some time off to sift through some more shows, my thoughts turned to Addison Groove Project, the Boston-based funk/jazz group which provided me with some amazing show nights and many hours of free and legal live sets due to their "taper friendly" policies.
Unfortunately, the association between Thanksgiving and the band is a sad one. AGP bassist John Hall succumbed to cancer on Thanksgiving night of 2004, a great musician and person who left the party too soon. John played through his illness as often as he could, and seeing the band during this period it was obvious that performing for his friends and fans provided him with a joyous diversion from a terrible disease.
This show was one played by John and the band during his illness. The venue is the Webster Theater in Hartford, CT, a fantastic little concrete box with uniquely and surprisingly warm acoustics. AGP opens up the set with some serious style, launching into the opening tracks of Mahavishnu Orchestra's "Visions of an Emerald Beyond". As anyone who has heard "Visions" knows, that's some pretty challenging material to warm up with. (if you haven't heard it, pick it up!)
After returning to some of their mainstays like "Crullers and Nyquil", they also pull off a respectable cover of Pink Floyd's "Have a Cigar", before playing their ode to renter's hell, "Small Apartment".
Addison Groove is sadly on extended hiatus and there are no shows planned for the forseeable future. Some members are involved in a new project, Skinjer.
The full set list:
Eternity's Breath Part I
Eternity's Breath Part II
Goodness Only Knows
Crullers And Nyquil
Wolfgang
The Ibim
Brown Sunlight
Cross The Tracks
Have A Cigar
Beantown
Beat Me Til I'm Blue
Sound quality is a B+, it receives the plus only because the recording captures the sonic essence of the Webster Theater rather well. Recorded and transferred by Dave Flaschner. Photo Credit.
Donations in memory of John Hall can be made to the Mockingbird Foundation
No comments:
Post a Comment