Some of the the Legendary R&B Revue cast, from left, Deanna Bogart (in Steelers cap), Tom Poole, Keith Crossan, Magic Dick, Tommy Castro, Scot Sutherland. (Jim White photos)
BlueNotes has seen a few live shows in his time, but it's not hard to say that one of the most exciting he's ever seen was the Legendary Rhythm & Blues Revue at the fully packed Rex Theater Friday night.
The Revue wrapped the Tommy Castro Band, Magic Dick, Ronnie Baker Brooks and Deanna Bogart into an evening of great music.
Ronnie Baker Brooks.
The variety of musicians, short sets for each, interplay with each other and interaction with the audience, pushed musical excitement levels higher than humans should expect. Higher than a "Reefer Madness" audience should expect, even.
The fact that the musicians seemed to be having at least as much fun as the audience also helped a lot.
Castro's band opened with Bogart on keyboards, and she filled that role all night with passionate skill. And not to minimize her considerable skills, but it's her considerable passion that helped take the music and the evening to exotic levels for a wildly appreciative crowd..
Castro's sassy horn men, trumpeter Tom Poole and saxman Keith Crossan added another dimension, and Crossan kicked out with his red boots on an instrumental solo from his new album, then a short time later joined Bogart for a honking saxophone duet/cage match that ended with both on their knees, blasting away, and the winner was certainly everybody in the room.
Deanna Bogart lends a saxy presence with Tommy Castro.
Bogart romped through her own set, where the hands quickly became faster than the eye, but not the great music.
Next was Magic Dick (Salwitz), who might more accurately be known as Manic Dick, a wild man on the harp, who looked more like a refugee from the '60s (which he might well be), and who lit up his chunk of the night with what could easily be called Extreme Harp.
Ronnie Baker Brooks, introduced as the Crown Prince of Chicago Blues, lived up to his billing in a fiery set that threatened to set off the sprinkler system.
He wandered into the audience, asked for a beer bottle from the crowd, and proceeded to use it as a slide for a few guitar fireworks. (I won't mention the brand of this so-called "beer," but from a BeerNotes perspective, it was the best use of that beer all night.)
Magic Dick.
At intermission, before Pittsburgh bluesguy Jimmy Adler joined the final jam, the stars came out to visit the table set up by the Blues Society of Western Pa., to chat, sign albums, and generally show that they are real people, too.
I know, I know, I should have a set list, or some song titles, or something a little more specific about the music. But as unlikely as it sounds sometimes, BlueNotes is only human, and his enthusiasm for the music keeps his notebook in his pocket.
Just take my word for it -- the songs almost didn't matter. The musical fire, the passion, the artists' connection with the crowd -- that's what made the night special.
As usual, I'll be happy to share any photos or thoughts from any of you about the show.
First Published: January 28, 2008, 5:00 a.m.
