Jazz breaking news: PB Underground funk it up
Friday, March 30, 2012
Supporting Tower of Power at a sold out Koko last night and ahead of their Pizza Express Jazz Club show in Soho tomorrow, the PB Underground demonstrated that, to use the words of James Blood Ulmer, while “jazz is the teacher”, you've got to admit that “funk is the preacher.
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Camden had come out in force for Tower of Power with sold out notices on the door, and by the beginning of the PBU's 8pm slot you would have needed sharp elbows to have got anywhere near the front such was the early turn-out on a warm night that felt like New York in late-May.
Made up of some of the leading names of the London funk and soul studio session scene Incognito drummer Pete Ray Biggin is the driving force of the band while front man Daniel Pearce on congas does the likeable vocals and audience banter when band singers Brendan Reilly and Patrick Alan, on impressive form sounding a bit like “Sweet Pea” Atkinson, were not on for their numbers. With hard dancing slick backing vocalists Holly Petrie and Kirsten Joy Child chipping in successfully, and great funk bass from Ben Epstein the band excelled with an up-for-it horn section. It was good to hear erstwhile Guy Barker sideman trombonist Alistair White contributing greatly to the sound from the horns but they were all on fire.
Overall this was a slick amalgam of funk and jazz riffing, loose enough to attract people who appreciate improvised music, and funky enough to satisfy a heritage funk audience. Biggin more than lived up to his cult drummer reputation. Not so sure, though, about him switching to bass guitar for a number as momentum was lost temporarily. But this gig showed that street funk has a life force all of its own and is completely compatible with a jazz sensibility. The horn section might not have had the dance moves that TOP’s hornmen had when they came on but these funksters didn’t come to dance although they ceratinly know how to strut.
– Stephen Graham