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Video Still Gallery | Setlist | Band Members | Poster Art Even after a long night of jamming at the Green Mill, New Orleans-based Astral Project still had plenty of energy to kick it late night with Silver Wrapper at the Boulevard Café. As the band set up for the 1 AM show, Silver Wrapper got the groove going early with James Brown tunes in the background. By the time the music started, the crowd was ready to get down. Creeping in with keyboard crescendos, Astral Project started the evening out right with, "What It Was," an original by guitarist Steve Masakowski. Steve put out high energy guitar riffs right off the bat, getting plenty of help from David Torkanowsky on keys. The tempo was quick and filled with funky pitch bends. A nice sax solo by band leader Tony Dagradi led to high pitched keys into a jazzy/bluesy keyboard solo. Improvisational jams left the crowd reeling as Astral Project finished with a tight and powerful outro. Bringing some of the New Orleans funk feel that Astral Project knows well, the next tune was the only cover of the evening: "Bemsha Swing," by Thelonius Monk. A horn laden roller coaster of jazzy scales, this bubbling and building tune led to serious crowd response. Astral Project used the audience's uninhibited yells and grooving to kick the intensity up a notch. Switching from the New Orleans jazz/funk to a calypso/flamenco feel, David on keys led the group into "Wetland," another one of Steve Masakowski's tunes, possibly from his new solo project, "For Joe." Lending some powerful sax, Tony Dagradi pushed in blues direction while the calypso feel maintained on keys. A big ending left the crowd screaming and drummer, John Vidacovich, saying, "The night is young." Smooth flowing funky drums and sax introduced, "Sidewalk Strut," another Steve tune. "It was a Steve set, I guess," laughed bassist James Singleton. This song combined a slinky Chi-town blues feel with the Cajun backbeat of New Orleans jazz. Heavy guitar blended with phat B3 notes to create a sometimes mellow and sometimes crazy funky array of sounds. In true New Orleans style, this tune experimented with all kinds of sounds and songs...from teasers of Stevie Wonder's "Superstition" to John Vidacovich's vocal bluesy accompaniments of, "New Orleans, baby." Adding a little Bob Dylan's "Rainy Day Women" and a tribute to afrobeat king, Hugh Masekheli, this jam let the audience let loose. After a short break, Steve's song, "Big Shot" started out the second set with jazzy riffs and sustains and organ backing up. Steve's guitar solo created a steady beat for the band to explode into with some incredible improvised funk. Tony fluctuated all over the scales on sax and let the crowd shake it. A frenzied buildup of keys faded into the blues and a big thank you to the crowd for their energy. Starting off with a steel drum sound from the keyboards, "Bongo Joe," an original by bassist James Singleton, gave the night a little bit of reggae. Taking its name and feel from a Houston artist that used to frequent New Orleans, this tune is a tribute to the steel drum, piano, and political raps that Bongo Joe would use to entertain. Starting off reggae and Caribbean-like while letting the crowd dance on its downbeats, James added momentum with heavy jazz sounds from his upright bass. Like a train chugging up and up and up a hill, the band rose to amazing guitar and then sax solos, eventually reverting back to the steel drum keyboard sound for the outro. Astral Project ended the evening shortly before 3 AM with the title track to their new CD, "Voodoo Bop." "Voodoo Bop" took Album of the Year at the 2000 Big Easy Awards that recognize the best New Orleans music and theater. Choosing this song as a closer gave the crowd everything from jazz to funk to a salsa-type sound. Improvisation and experimentation led to heavy hitting keys in an abrupt finish. "New Orleans bands tend to play the room...There was a vibe at the Boulevard Café that night, and we jumped on it." —James Singleton, bassist for Astral Project
"Silver Wrapper treated us so well. We can't wait to do it again."
—James Singleton, Astral Project
Setlist Band Members |