Live
The Filthy Six: Brooklyn Bowl, London 31/03/014
In the late 1960's, electric boogaloos, grooves and backbeats were all the rage at Blue Note records. Due to no small part played by Lee Morgan's soul jazz classic "The Sidewinder" (1963). A tune that caused ripples as bebop artists turned over to the dark-side by putting their funky strut on and thus partially renewing interest in consolidating the African American aesthetic, some believed to be increasingly marginalised in the music. They took on and rivalled with the best grooves of the Meters, James Brown, or Sly Stone even.
The Filthy Six, a London sextet use this particular outré in jazz history as their benchmark and the first number, a groovetastic version of "Get Carter" is given the Blue Note treatment good and proper! Many bands have covered this including Jah Wobble but TFS add their special ingredient - a great horn arrangement! It makes a hell of a difference as to all intents and purposes, in its original form, it's a fairly basic tune, so some imagination is required to pep it up. John Blease, perhaps The Filthy Six's secret weapon, understands and implements hard swinging funky grooves that give the music a solid authentic sound - not too heavy but not too light either, in the pocket but in between the cracks too!
Guitarist Nigel Price perched on his stool like a lounge singer in the Perry Como style, rattles off a soulful solo encompassing his fierce technique and unique feel. A favourite in musician circles admired for his facile, hip lines and unerring sense of swing - a fantastic and engrossing player who cut his soul jazz teeth with The James Taylor Qt. "Get Carter" set the mood sweetly…….
"Blind Man Boogaloo" had "The Beat Goes On" feel to it and was the
perfect vehicle for trumpeter Nick Etwell to take flight. In every situation, he projects the persona of trumpeter-as-gladiator, an image of strength, force and self-assurance and some mighty fine playing too boot! Tenor player Frank Walden is no slouch either, his slow building solo had a beginning middle and an end a lean muscular sound from a lean muscular kinda guy!
By this time the band had not only warmed up their crowd (with their bristling first set full of struts and slinky boogaloos daddio) but also the bowling crowd on the other side of this vast hall. Hen parties were rushing over to do selfees with the band, it reminded me of the bar in ITV's' Benidorm! The Brooklyn Bowl part of chain that spreads from NYC to Nevada and beyond is a pretty decent place to play, the sound was very good out front despite its cavernous surroundings.
Watch out, it will become a major venue and despite it being in the O2 complex it's pretty easy to get to, and the last tube back to the West End runs at 00.19 Monday to Saturday. Etwell has plenty of bands and Dj's lined up for the following Monday nights including The Hackney Colliery Band, The Soothsayers,The London Horns, The Coalminers and others to fuel the flames and keep the funk alive in the capital - so get down there and support it!
PHOTOS: ARCHIBALD LEACH
Words Emrys Baird
