Papa Grows Funk | Doin' It by the Bay Area
by Daniel Weiss • Jambase.com • July 10, 2001
The Bay Area, a region prone to earthquakes,
braces for seismic activity yet again, as New Orleans' hottest funk unit,
Papa Grows Funk touches down Wednesday for four performances in and around
the Bay Area (Wed. 7/11, Thurs. 7/12, Sat. 7/14 at John Lee Hooker’s
Boom Boom Room in San Francisco; Fri. 7/13 at the Powerhouse Brewing
Company in Sebastapol).
There's been much ado about something since the band's now legendary post-Meters
reunion show at the Paradise Lounge last November.
Believe the hype.
Barely a year old, PGF cut its teeth on New Orleans' club circuit playing
weekly Monday night gigs at the Old Point Bar and Maple Leaf, and the groove
is quickly spreading nation-wide. This, of course, is no surprise, given
the band's marquis musicianship. Featuring the wailing B3 organ and surly
vocals of founder John Gros, the ensemble also stars powerhouse drummer
Russell Batiste, Jr., Gros' band mate in George Porter, Jr.’s band
Runnin' Pardners. The Wild Magnolias' June Yamagishi provides ultra-funky
rhythm and lead guitar, and Smilin' Myron bassist Marc Pero keeps the low
end tight and nasty. Original Galactic sax man Jason Mingledorff adds the
finishing touches to the all-star line-up, dubbed the “God-Child
of the Meters” in one national review.
In 2001, the band has been on the move. February saw PGF hit the road,
performing break out shows in Philly, Baltimore and New York, a mini-tour
that proved the band road ready and a serious draw at the door. Returning
to New Orleans, the band quickly checked into the studio for spring sessions
which resulted in the critically acclaimed Doin' It, their independent
full length debut, recorded and mixed in five days at New Orleans’ Ultrasonic
Studios. The CD showcases PGF's seamless ability to fuse elements of rock,
jazz and blues to the funk idiom, all the while paying homage to the great
New Orleans funk tradition.
Next the band launched into a few of the tunes off their new album. It
was during these original songs that the strength of the band as a whole
became apparent. While many styles of music rely on the individual abilities
of each band member - funk music depends on the collective interplay between
band members. All the instruments fit together to create one collective
sound - while still leaving enough space in the music to hear each instrument
playing off the other sounds on the stage.
During this year's New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, PGF virtually
owned the town, with electrifying club performances overshadowed only by
CD sales. Doin' It ranked in the top ten of CD sales in New Orleans retail
outlets During Jazz Fest, this without a record company support or distribution
deal, no CD presence at the fairgrounds, and no festival appearance.
Riding the momentum, PGF lit up the east coast a second time in late spring,
flooring audiences in DC, Baltimore, Philly, and New York, where two sold
out performances at Tribeca Blues Café featured guest appearances
by John Mooney, Melvin Sparks, and original Meters guitarist Leo Nocentelli.
With legions of fans, brisk CD sales, and an ass-whipping live set, Papa
Grows Funk is on the verge of something much larger. So if you're on the
left coast this week, come out and smell the funk.
It will be wafting.