Joe Marcinek Band & Clearwater Jazz Holiday: 2nd annual Evening in New Orleans

Joe Marcinek Band & Clearwater Jazz Holiday: 2nd annual Evening in New Orleans

[Photos are courtesy of Clearwater Jazz Holiday’s brilliant photojournalist Sheree Johnson!]

More than a decade ago, I wrote this article: “Who the heck is Joe Marcinek, and why is he playing at the Dunedin Brewery?” Suffice to say I have learned the answer after more than three dozen shows featuring Marcinek, the man who travels the country compiling amazing bands of great players to do one, two, or perhaps a short run of shows together before he moves on the the next project.

For this run of four Florida dates, Marcinek invited Tony Hall of Dumpstaphunk (bass), John Papa Gros (Hammond B3, Korg Kronos), and Donald Magee (drums) to join him. The opening night was June 10 at the Central Park Performing Arts Center in Largo, the second annual Evening in New Orleans for Marcinek in conjunction with Clearwater Jazz Holiday – Expanding the Experience with coordination by music maven Jessica Majeski of Zoll Majeski Wealth Management & Insurance Solutions.

To enhance the New Orleans vibe, Marcinek added two other players: Joe Cosas, a remarkable multi-instrumentalist, here playing trombone, synths, and keyboards (Nord Stage), and Butch Thomas on tenor saxophone. To open the show, as they did last year, were St. Petersburg stalwarts The Family Funk. Due to the early 6 p.m. start time, I was one of quite a few who missed their set.

Between sets, CJH CEO Steve Weinberger invited on stage more than a dozen musicians who will be performing at this year’s event at Coachman Park on the Side Stages. Weinberger explained that the headliners would be announced the following day.

Given that this is a Scott Hopkins review, of course we are going to talk about sound quality. I have heard excellent shows in CPPAC; I have heard poor ones. Sadly, this was the latter. With a crowd receptive to New Orleans funk, there was no need to crank the volume way up, especially bass and drums. When that sound drowns out the vocals, guitar, and keyboards, you’ve lost the plot. The balance did improve marginally, but they can — and have — done much better in the past.

The show opened with “Yes!” from the 2021 album JMB4 which also featured Tony Hall. They followed up with the smokin’ “Fever Dream,” another fine Marcinek composition. Then they rolled into The Big Easy with the Professor Longhair masterpiece “Big Chief.” Gros moved to electric piano for this one and sang it as well, with Hall joining in. Cosas on trombone and Thomas on tenor really kicked this into the NOLA groove.

Marcinek and Co. kept it right there on the Crescent City vibe with Dr. John’s funk-dripped “I Been Hoodood,” Gros on clavinet and vocals, the horns everywhere, and Marcinek abusing his wah-wah pedal. Marcinek and Hall had an extended funk-off at some point. What next? The Allen Toussaint classic “Night People”!

Marcinek reached back for his tune “Furry Teddy Bear,” a superb jazz-funk track. Cosas stepped out on trombone and synths, then Gros on B3 and Thomas on tenor. Drummer Magee had an enthusiastic performance all evening. Tony Hall will sing “Down by the River” (Neil Young) any chance he gets (we missed his reminiscence of listening as a youth, though!). Everybody was popping, but this was Hall’s tune, and we are here for it.

A Marcinek show just wouldn’t be a Marcinek show without his signature song “George Washington” from his solo debut Slink. Everyone got in their licks, but it was still Hall’s moment(s) as he tore it up on bass. Just when we thought he might be done, he announced “I GOT SOME MORE!” and jammed down on the space bass.

It seemed only fitting to head back to NOLA for The Meters’ most heartfelt “It Ain’t No Use,” Gros handling the vocal here with Hall on beautiful backup. Gros was on electric piano, appropriately, and the horns again reminded us why this show needed horns. Finished? You know better! The MC got us fired up for an encore, and the sextet delivered in style with another Hall favorite, The Allman Brothers Band’s “Dreams.” Marcinek offered excellent slide guitar to help polish off a superb night of music.

Thanks to the band, Marcinek for putting it together, Clearwater Jazz Holiday, and Jessica Majeski for a wonderful evening!

[JMB: Yes!, Fever Dream, Big Chief, I Been Hoodood, Night People, Furry Teddy Bear, Down By The River, George Washington, It Ain’t No Use]