South By South Orange Festival

Our friend Tomas Doncker is launching the South By South Orange Festival on the weekend of June 26th  at the Sopac Theater in South Orange New Jersey.The concert is being curated by bassist Mike Griot. As with all of Doncker's work this seeks to connect music to listeners on a deeper level than today's candy coated radio world. The mission statement of the South by South Orange Festival is to show how art, science and creativity collide to bring forth innovation.  and while Doncker's band will act as the house band the weekend will also feature appearances  by Living Colour drummer Will Calhoun, The Wailers front man Josh David and violinist Alan Grubner. Doncker will also be performing his "Big Apple Blues" album that he wrote in collaboration with Pulitzer Prize winner Yusef Komunyakaa.

From his Howlin Wolf album here is a taste of Doncker's take on the Willie Dixon song...yes, the Doors did not originally write the song. The Dixon penned tune was recorded by Wolf seven years before Jim Morrison and friends touched it. Doncker also released the gripping soul ballad "New Day" that was also recorded during his performance at the Iridium in New York City. This track is worth checking out as Doncker rips the solo a new one.



Doncker also released the gripping soul ballad "New Day" that was also recorded during his performance at the Iridium in New York City. This track is worth checking out as Doncker rips the solo a new one. While a much mellower groove that comes close to gospel, if you have like any of the other stuff I have covered from True Groove Global soul, then hearing how immaculate this comes across live is sure to blow you away.

Up From the Underground:The Tomas Doncker Band - "Power of the Trinity...A Slight Return"

O.k.  We are really going past the bounds of what we normally cover but there is more common ground than you might suspect,  if for no other reason than the fact this is a Bill Laswell project who not only helmed avant garde jazz metal outfit Painkiller but worked with  John Zorn and Swans and  it's not Dead Can Dance but if you are a fan of world music, then this release is worth checking out and frankly has me thinking that I quit smoking pot a decade too soon, as I would have gotten  a lot of play from this album back in my bong's glory days. There is a coat of psychedelics over their jazz-inflected funk. It takes you back to the glory days of Parliament Funkadelic.

From the start it's evident Tomas has surrounded himself with the cream of the crop, when it comes to the players he has on this thing. Bill Laswell's  wife Ethiopian singer Gigi, is featured on the opening track "Brooklyn2Ethiopia" appear on the album, along. The more rock tinged guitars are handled by Laswell protégé James Dellatacoma. The quasi-rasta spiritual overtones to the lyrical content is much more evolved, than your run of the mill funk outfit.

Laswell's bass playing  is prominent on "We Need Justice"  along with Trombonist Joe Bowie from the fusion act , Defunkt lends his talents to the track. There is a wider exploration and emersion of genres on this song, though none of the experimentation burdens the groove but enhances it along with the more etheric touches of female vocals that glide in over the second half of the song, brings texture that takes it beyond the urban funk and into other dimensions.

Laswell returns to provide the low end Curtis Mayfeild bump of "Peace ( Hold on). The song is flawless, the layers of backing vocals are as breathtaking as they are smooth. The soulful resonance of Doncker's voice is best displayed here and shines in the call and response section.

"Habesha Girl" takes on more of an electronic element. The vocals on this album don't bother with western pop conventions, yet are not devoid of hooks. Doncker's voice shines in the layered harmonies preceding the verses. The turn to dance hall, is a little jarring despite the fluid backdrop.

Afrika Bambaataa's right hand man Charlie Funk shows up on the track "Happy" that holds a 70's funk groove and is the album's most straight forward song, relying on the elegant guitar that slides in through the cracks in the bass line, to make it interesting.

Ethiopian singer Mahmoud Ahmed appears on the blues soaked "Abet Guarage" This song seems like more of a live jam and doesn't adorn itself with the multi layered back drops the others have. It's a celebratory closer that makes sense but compared to the other songs lacks some of the surprises. I think it is more of a showcase for Doncker's guitar playing which amid all of the varied genres touched on here is most at home playing the blues as he highlighted on the Howlin Wolf tribute he released this year.

It comes down to a matter of taste, and how expansive yours is if you will dig this album, it's air tight in both execution and intention. Doncker has perfectly achieved to make the album that was in his mind and got by with a little help from his friends.