Sometimes great concerts have to be earned by everyone—from the members of the audience to the performers to the stage crew. Such was the case in New York City Sunday night at an outdoor tribute to Stax Records at Lincoln Center.
It rained, even poured at times. Crews pushed water off the stage during breaks, as performers marveled at the endurance of the tiny crowd shivering under a sea of umbrellas.
But the music was too good to be stopped. Stax Records of Memphis was a major factor in the creation of Southern soul music, as well as a conduit for gospel, funk, jazz and blues recordings in the 1960s.
As former Stax president Al Bell watched from the side of the stage, the Bar-Kays performed with James Alexander, 63, playing bass guitar. Alexander was the bassist for the band when, in 1967, four of the six band members were killed in the same plane crash that took the life of Otis Redding, the biggest Stax star.
Alexander was the only Bar-Kays member not aboard that flight as the plane, a Beechcraft owned by Redding, only held eight occupants (Redding, five of the Bar-Kays, the pilot and Redding's road manager); it was Alexander's turn in the rotation to board a commercial flight to the next destination. Alexander had the task of identifying the bodies of his bandmates, as well as that of Redding.
After the crash, Ben Cauley, the sole survivor among those who were aboard the plane, worked with Alexander to reform the band. Subsequent work included the soundtrack recording of the Academy Award-winning theme song from the 1971 feature film "Shaft," on which Alexander played bass guitar. As of today, Alexander continues on as the only original member in the still-active Bar-Kays.
A smoke after a soggy performance!
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Steve Cropper was guitarist for Stax’s house band, Booker T. & the MG's. He has backed artists such as Redding, Sam & Dave, Carla and Rufus Thomas and Johnnie Taylor, also acting as producer on many of these records. Cropper co-wrote "Knock On Wood" with Eddie Floyd, "In the Midnight Hour" with Wilson Pickett and "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" with Redding. He later gained fame as a member of the Blues Brothers band. Rolling Stone lists him 36th on their list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.
Cropper assembled an all-star group of musicians to perform a tribute to The 5 Royales. It’s called “Dedicated,” a title everyone in the rain found more than a little amusing. Singer Bettye LaVette was one of the singers to perform with Cropper at the Lincoln Center tribute.
Though the night was full of familiar soul music, two newer bands almost stole the show. Big Sam’s Funky Nation is an urban funk band from New Orleans that one writer said “is tight enough (and hot enough) to turn coal into a diamond.” He’s right!
The band is led by Big Sam Williams, former trombonist for the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, and one of the top horn players in New Orleans. Between his playing and dancing, Sam is a locomotion powerhouse. But in the pouring rain, even he had trouble getting many of the audience members to dance with him.
Eric Vogel, below, on drums:
Totally remaking the sound of Mississippi Delta blues is an amazing group called the North Mississippi Allstars Duo, made up of Luther and Cody Dickinson. They are the sons of acclaimed musician and legendary producer, Jim Dickinson.
Inspired by local heroes RL Burnside, Fred McDowell and Junior Kimbrough, the brothers began performing in 1996 and have already recorded several albums. Their sound is a modernization of the old blues, though they still play a group of homemade instruments like this guitar made from a coffee can (below).
At the end of their set, the duo played a version of “Amazing Grace” that was startlingly reminiscent of Jimi Hendrix’s classic “Star Spangled Banner.” In fact, I was so wet and cold at the moment that I instantly flashed back to July 4, 1970, when also just as wet and cold but much younger, I heard Hendrix play that song to fireworks at the Atlanta International Pop Festival.
The music was just as powerful, but the irony was overwhelming.