Simply Brilliant Evening with Legacy Orchestra Collective and Row Jomah
All photographs by kind permission of James Geiger Photography.
This is all Sean Maloney’s fault.
Maloney, whose stage name is Legacy, had the opening set with a stripped-down version of his Orchestra Collective before Row Jomah took the stage Saturday, September 29th, at Dunedin Brewery. I keep imagining that I’ll go to a show that won’t compel me to write a glowing review of it.
Dream on.
Legacy and friends — Kenny Harvey (Holy Miss Moley) on bass and Yral ‘datdudeondrums’ Morris (Come Back Alice, The Difference) — played an absolutely jaw-dropping set that jammed the dance floor with funk “so high you can’t get over it, so low you can’t get under it.”
Legacy’s mix of originals with numerous covers teased and intertwined throughout never fails to put smiles on faces where he plays. This set kicked off with funky “Avenue,” with a rockin’ “Midnight Rider” sandwiched inside. Harvey and Morris were locked and loaded, giving Legacy’s acoustic guitar and vocals plenty of waves to surf on.
“Feet” was equally killer before they launched into “Inner City Blues,” which featured a badass jam and some brilliant lead guitar from Legacy. I’ve seen him perform at least three dozen times, but his guitar truly sparkled all night long. “Shhh” was still more badass funk, then they took their collective foot off the gas — briefly — for a ballad: “Sun is Shining.”
Next up was one of Legacy’s classic medleys inside “Elephants” (also beloved as “Ridiculous Elephant”): “Elephants > Fame > Lemon Song > Why Don’t We Do It in the Road > Thank You (Fallettinme Be Mice Elf Agin) > Elephants.” And yes, it was just that ridiculously wonderful. Guitarist Mel Walsh from Row Jomah helped send this set to the ionosphere.
Legacy mentioned that he liked animals and that they would now play “Monkeys.” It too was a wild medley: “Monkeys > Jurassic Park Theme > West L.A. Fadeaway > Monkeys.” Dylan Chee-A-Tow (Row Jomah) took over the kit for Morris, while Austin Llewellyn (also Row Jomah) grabbed the bass(!!). And Joe Roma also came up to sing “#41” with Legacy. During the song, Llewellyn handed the bass to Harvey and played keyboards, and then Harvey handed the bass to Jason Berlin! The jam was fabulous.
A word about Mel Walsh and Austin Llewellyn. These gents are tremendous players who stretch out as much as possible in the Row Jomah format of extremely well-constructed songs. Walsh in particular has a bit more jam freedom in Between Bluffs, his other band. But this set in particular truly unleashed both of them. Absolutely the best, most free playing I’ve heard from either of them. Totally WOW.
Harvey, back on bass, knocked us out with some spacebass before Legacy started singing “Smooth Operator,” which jammed its way into “Afterthought.” “Walkin’” closed the set, which at this point may or may not have been the Row Jomah boys with Legacy.
Sean Maloney also bears responsibility for the fact that this might have been the best Row Jomah set I’ve ever heard, and I’ve heard plenty. that is true in part because everybody was already stretched out, warmed up. On opener “Fade Away,” Walsh and Llewellyn were already lit up and blasting. The set featured songs from all of the bands recordings plus some new music.
Walsh really lit up “Windowpanes,” and then it was time for the “Joe broke a string” song. The quartet played a great instrumental tune penned by Walsh titled “Creations.” Roma returned, and a great long intro led into “Shudder.” They jumped off the setlist briefly for a rocking “Sledgehammer” that got everybody moving. Llewellyn and Walsh both starred on “Back and Forth.” Meanwhile, Chee-A-Tow was rock-solid on the drum kit the entire set.
A word about Harvey. He is one of a triumvirate of bass players who have blossomed exponentially in the past few years (along with Trevor McDannel, Future Vintage, and Taylor Gilchrist, Ajeva and Come Back Alice). We’ve seen Harvey absorb the Holey Miss Moley songbook along with Grateful Dead material, Come Back Alice’s catalog, and now the Row Jomah experience, and he has been up to every task. On top of all that, he is also an accomplished sound engineer.
Harvey’s space bass blasted “Fire and Ice” into orbit after a great electric piano intro from Llewellyn, who also added some great Latin chops during his solo. Then the distinctive intro to “Psycho Killer” emerged, with a reminder that Row Jomah and friends are presenting their “Stop Making Sense: A Tribute to The Talking Heads” this Saturday (October 13th) at Crowbar in Ybor City.
Jason Berlin, a former Row Jomah member, took over bass duties for “Funk.” And it was time once again for “String Change Jam” with a really jazzy tune that led to an even jazzier one (“New Jazz Tune,” although it may or may not have another name). Llewellyn gave us some really spacey electric piano! Finally, we reached “Outhouse,” a great catch-all tune Roma composed for the Cat People! album.
Never heard a better performance from Row Jomah, although I predict they will change my mind next time out.
And remember: blame Sean Maloney for everything! He’s at fault.
[LOC: Avenue > Midnight Rider > Avenue, Feet, Inner City Blues, Shhh, Sun is Shining, Water, Elephants > Fame > Lemon Song > Why Don’t We Do It in the Road > Thank You (Fallettinme Be Mice Elf Agin) > Elephants, Monkeys > Jurassic Park Theme > West L.A. Fadeaway > Monkeys, #41, Smooth Operator > Afterthought, Walkin’]
[RJ: Fade Away, Rain Down, Couldn’t I Be with You, Windowpanes, Creations, Shudder, Sledgehammer, Back and Forth, Fire and Ice > Psycho Killer, Funk, String Change Jam, New Jazz Tune, Back and Forth, Better Days, Outhouse]
