The Legendary Meters feat. JB Horns
Maceo Parker, Fred Wesley & Pee Wee Ellis
Live at the Moonwalker, 1&2 (1991 &1993)
Soundboard recordings @ 192-256
{Out of Print}
Available for around $150
"This tour was the result of the incarceration of James Brown and the earlier breakup of the Meters. As a result this version of The Meters was sans Art or Zigaboo; they were replaced by David Torkanowsky (Astral Project) on organ and David Russell Batiste (Funky Meters) on drums. The JB's were doing a lot of touring under several different names but I've never heard the story as to who thought of this outrageously funky combination. I always said that a horn section might have put the Meters over the top and here's some proof. The pairing is epic, the New Orleans funk rhythm section playing on the back side of the beat and the JB Horns on the front side, making for a wonderful dynamic tension that serves to magnify the funk. The program mixes tunes from both groups books and it appears they were all already familiar with each others' material.
The second volume of this funky madness kicks off with one of my favorite Meters tunes "Change Reform" at the head of a five Meters song run. In the old days "Change - Reform" and "Middle of the Road" were usually the extended jam pieces in every Meters show. They do a killer "Cold Sweat" which blends into the Lee Dorsey hit "Ride Your Pony" followed by a slightly over long version of Leo's "Be My Lady". The night finishes with two Maceo tunes, the extended jam on "Southwick" being a real highlight." ~KingCakeCrypt@blogspot.com ”
note: Disc 1 is a bit under amped and the other is quite a bit louder. That's the way they came. If wished, drop both discs onto free MP3GAIN and execute 'Album Gain'.
Funky Good Time: (@192)
101 - Intro 2:19
102 - Funky Good Time {Brown} 6:23
103 - Pass the Peas {Bobbitt, Brown, Starks} 6:50
104 - Jungle Man {Modeliste, Neville} 5:38
105 - Africa: Guitar Intro/Main Song {Neville, Nocentelli, Porter} 13:36
106 - Let's Get It On {Gaye, Townsend} 9:23
107 - Changing the Tape Jokes 1:51
108 - People Say {Modeliste, Neville} 13:59
109 - Fire on the Bayou {Modeliste, Neville, Neville} 9:41
110 - Childen's World {Meters} 6:33
Second Helping: (@256)
201 - Change Reform {Meters} 7:25
202 - Hey Pocky A-Way {Modeliste, Neville, Nocentelli, Porter} 7:38
203 - Funky Miracle {Modeliste, Neville, Nocentelli, Porter} 6:31
204 - Cissy Strut {Modeliste, Neville, Nocentelli, Porter} 6:55
205 - Soul Island {Modeliste, Neville, Nocentelli, Porter} 5:24
206 - Cold Sweat/Ride Your Pony {Brown, Ellis, Neville} 6:11
207 - Be My Lady {Meters} 9:54
208 - Ham {Meters} 5:15
209 - Southwick {Meters} 11:27
The Meters:
Guitar: Leo Nocentelli
Bass: George Porter Jr.
Keyboards: David Torkanowsky
Drums: David Russell Batiste Jr.
The JB Horns:
Alto Sax: Maceo Parker
Trombone: Fred Wesley
Tenor Sax: Pee Wee Ellis
Thanks to Vieuxfut at the RockinBlues room on DC++
pass - fbsvw