Zenzi torch The Moon Tower at Dunedin Brewery: 05.09.26

Zenzi torch The Moon Tower at Dunedin Brewery: 05.09.26

Before the Whippersnap Music & Arts Festival in February, we heard that a new collaborative project called Zenzi would be playing. At the time, we wrote:

Not sure we’ve ever had a Bay Area supercollective before, but we certainly do now. Shane Lavigne will have to expound later on the origins of the band: From MiniM, Brendan Havens, guitar, vocals; and Shane Lavigne, percussion; Mike Nivens (Ajeva), guitar; Miguel Lantigua (Antelope, Tropico Blvd), bass; Kelsey Sharp (Tamayo), keyboards, vocals; Kat Hines, vocals; Mac Schmitz (Voodoo Visionary), drums; and the three members of The Sooza Horns: Adrienne Widener, trumpet; Brian Burwell, trombone; and Ryan Gamberino, tenor & baritone saxophones.

Their first show was wonderful, a rocked-out yacht rock-type show with songs from the ’60s and ’70s for the most part, ones everybody could sing along with. It was so much fun. Since then, we’ve been waiting for the second appearance of Zenzi.

It happened May 9 in The Moon Tower at Dunedin Brewery, a sold-out performance that once again painted huge smiles in all the faces in the place.Chris Fama was the sound engineer, trying to tame nine wild beasts on stage, and Sean Dobbins of Conscious Sound System & Lighting was tossing the lights and lasers in dizzying patterns. Bravo to both gents!

Everything this band done is horn-driven, given the inclusion of The Sooza Horns, three superb players from the six-person Sooza Brass Band from Gainesville. Vocals were handled by Brendan Havens, Kelsey Sharp, and Kat Hines.

They opened with “Cissy Strut” to get everybody in the groove (all relevant sources are included in the setlist below). Widener, Burwell, and Havens lit this one up. From there, Hines torched “The Letter” with great backing from Sharp. Sharp on electric piano, Gamberino, collective horns, Lantigua bass during an a cappella section, and percussion explosion from Schmitz and Lavigne were all incolved. Favorite “Move On Up” was Sharp’s feature. It is impossible to overstate the vocal power that she and Hines possess.

“Spanish Moon” was a vehicle for Havens on guitar and vocals, and Lantigua owned this one with that unmistakable bass line. It was Hines’ turn to rock Michael Jackson before Sharp owned “Them Changes” with the horns sounding great and looking sharp in their shades. Hines’ turn again featured “Piece of My Heart” before Havens tagged in with “Let’s Dance” and more great keyboard work from Sharp.

Everything was on the one as Sharp handled “Sledgehammer.” Then Zenzi offered up their first original tune, a fine jam accurately called “Spaghettification.” Hines finished up set one with an energetic “What is Hip?”

WHEW! Everybody needed a break!

Perhaps my favorite occurred when they opened set 2 with “Papa Was a Rolling Stone.” The gorgeous long intro demanded two things: dazzling keyboard work and wonderful trumpet: Sharp and Widener delivered in spades. Havens offered appropriately trippy guitar, Burwell soloed, and Gamberino’s baritone underneath was excellent.

“Iron Pegasus” was a great instrumental with everybody cooking. Hines took lead on “Don’t Be Afraid to Try” with fine backing from Sharp and Havens. The horns romped through “Getaway,” Hines backing Sharp on vocals. Havens sang “Let’s Go Back,” followed by “Musicology” with Hines singing, Havens on big guitar, and Burwell again on trombone.

Hines and Sharp paired up on “Witchoo,” which drifted into the great, punchy instrumental “Into the Fog.” Hines got the last word on “Rock Steady” with Havens again out front on guitar.

But, of course, that wasn’t the last word. The crowd should have made more noise, but Zenzi treated us to an encore anyway. Hines truly torched “Magic Man,” then turned around and rocked out on “25 or 6 to 4.”

EVERYBODY WAS A STAR. This set was dependent upon all the moving parts: the rhythm section with Lantigua, Schmitz, and Lavigne, the magical horns, Havens’ killer guitar work and vocals, the exceptional keyboard offerings of Sharp, and the stunning brilliance of Hines and Sharp on vocals.

Your next opportunity to catch them is June 12 at Crowbar as we honor the indomitable Tom DeGeorge and the culture he has built there. The show is The Last Jam with Displace, Sauce Pocket, and Zenzi. That one is going to run late!

[ONE: Cissy Strut (The Meters), The Letter (The Boxtops, Mad Dogs & Englishmen), Move On Up (Curtis Mayfield), Spanish Moon (Little Feat), Blame it On the Boogie (Michael Jackson), Them Changes (Buddy Miles, Thundercat), Piece of My Heart (Big Brother & the Holding company with Janis Joplin, Erma Franklin version), Let’s Dance (David Bowie with Stevie Ray Vaughn), Sledgehammer (Peter Gabriel), Spaghettification (Zenzi), What is Hip (Tower of Power); TWO: Papa Was a Rolling Stone (The Temptations), Iron Pegasus (Five Alarm Funk), Don’t Be Afraid to Try (Lettuce), Getaway (Earth, Wind & Fire), Let’s Go Back (The New Mastersounds) > Musicology (Prince), Witchoo (Durand Jones & The Indications) > Into the Fog (The Budos Band), Rock Steady (Aretha Franklin); E: Magic Man (Heart), 25 or 6 to 4 (Chicago)]