Roosevelt Collier: The Outlet He Needed — 07.25.25
“I needed this for me,” Roosevelt Collier confided last night (July 25) at Dunedin Brewery after his band’s stunning set and before the all-star jam that would ensue.
Collier was referencing the Dunedin show and the next two nights at Judson’s Live in Orlando, the fabulous new club part of Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts (July 26 & 27). Over the past year, Collier has toured the entire nation with superstar Jelly Roll, including 20+ stadium dates with Jelly Roll and Post Malone. And he has fit in some dates with Trouble No More, the superb Allman Brothers tribute band.
But he wasn’t playing his own music. This was a chance to do precisely that. For these three shows, Collier called on the usual suspects, three players who were at one time together in the outstanding group The Groove Orient. Since then, Hammond B3 master Tommy Shugart has moved to Denver. Harry Ong on bass flew in from New York. Aaron “Bucky” Buckingham, who is a member of another fine ABB tribute group, Steeln’ Peaches, was just in Boca Raton to join Collier for two shows with Trouble No More.
They four had not played together in two years. Rehearsal? Nope. Collier handed them a potential setlist, at which point the trio decided they needed to do some quick remembering (and YouTubing). That in itself was unusual, because often a Collier set would begin with a few superb, loose jams. This time Collier was laser-focused – on playing his music.
There isn’t a soul who will tell you this wasn’t his most impressive Collier set in years (I’ve heard more than three dozen – CAN CONFIRM). It was absolutely stunning as the four moved in lockstep through two amazing hours of sacred steel music, including four tracks from Collier’s 2018 album Exit 16 and a set of magical covers.
The show began with Harry and Bucky setting the tone for the evening (and, yes, Collier always calls them just Harry and Bucky.) Then Collier dove in on pedal steel guitar, and it was ON! A cover of Rebirth Brass Band’s “AP Touro” was a finechoice for opener, and it raged as Tommy bedazzled everyone with clavinet! Next up was some deep, dark funk, with Tommy danced on the B3 (well, not like Andy Frasco does) before Collier made his steel sing. (And that Hammond B3 and Leslie cabinet are permanent fixtures at Dunedin Brewery, courtesy of Harvey Majeski.)
“Sun Up Sun Down” is a heavy funk tune from Exit 16, Tommy again on B3. Harry and Bucky pushed the pace faster and faster as they hit a groove like ones Collier used to play with The Lee Boys, before he turned Bucky loose. Bucky promptly exploded with a torrent of drums. Collier, a truly funny showman, stopped the proceedings, addressing Bucky: “Take it easy! (Laughter everywhere) I mean, the show just started, brother!” Bucky jumped back in before the group rejoined him.
Immediately the quartet shot into a rocker from Exit 16, “Happy Feet.” Partway through that, they segued into another song from the album, “Make It Alright.” Collier, a big Michael Jackson fan, added a heavy dose of “Black or White” during the jam. And then that suddenly went all gospel with Collier’s heart-wrenching version of Sam Cooke’s “A Change is Gonna Come,” with deep low-end B3 underneath. WOW!
The original setlist suggested “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed,” but instead they blistered “Hot ’Lanta,” the ABB gem, with Collier ripping the guitar, Tommy on B3, Harry and Bucky driving the groove. Tommy and Harry both had big, superb solos on “Exit 16” before Collier brought the band back down for a soulful swoop through Hendrix’s “Little Wing.”
Then it was back to MJ for a long romp through “Off the Wall.” The dance floor had been jammed all night long, now truly undulating. The moment that was done, Collier and band began a long intro that true fans recognized as the opening to “War Pigs” as a tribute to the late Ozzy Osbourne. They blew this UP! Harry was magic, and Collier never sounded better on a metal tune like this.
Collier announced that they would take a quick break and return for an all-star jam. The night opened with Adam and the Testifiers (review below), and all for of those players joined in, with Vinny Svoboda taking over for Harry. The jam began with a drum interlude from Bucky before Tommy dove into the electric piano vibe. Adam grabbed a tambourine and joined in. Vinny soloed, followed by Guitar X with a massive slide attack. Matt Hillman took a quick spin on harmonica as Danny Tenbusch joined Tommy on keyboards. Guitarist Danny Chicaro also took a turn. Most of the time Collier was just joyous appreciating his creation!
[RC: AP Touro > Sun Up Sun Down, Happy Feet > Make It Alright > A Change is Gonna Come, Hot ’Lanta, Exit 16, Little Wing, Off the Wall, War Pigs; E: Main on Ends]
Adam Chendley fronts the soul explosion that is Adam and the Testifiers. You can look far and wide but will likely never find a young man so deeply steeped in old-school funk and R&B. He handles vocals from his drum kit, and one look at the massive setlist gives you and indication of his love and respect for the music. Guitarist Danny Chicaro and keyboard player Danny Tenbusch join him from Atlanta. For this show, local bass beast Vinny Svoboda completed the band.
The entire set was captivating, but the best demonstration of his mastery was stuffing “Kalimba” (Earth Wind & Fire) inside a fine Parliament jam: “Testify (I Wanna).” It is a non-stop party when Adam and crew hit the stage.
[A&tT: Chapter One*, Anthem*, Funky Drummer (James Brown), Voices Inside (Everything is Everything) (Donny Hathaway), Ball N Chain*, Loose Booty (Funkadelic), Swing Down Sweet Chariot (Parliament), Blue Dream*, Testify (I Wanna) > Kalimba > Testify (I Wanna) (The Parliaments/Earth Wind & Fire), Back to the World (Curtis Mayfield), Take Some Time*]
* originals
