Marc Lacatell

Early Elton @ Rockwood Music Hall – January 14, 2011

What is Early Elton and why should anyone care? Early Elton is what I like to refer to as organic Rock & Roll. If you love The Band, Stax & Atlantic Soul, The Counting Crows, Exile on Main Street-era Stones, Rod circa Gasoline Alley & Every Picture Tells A Story and even Ronnie Wood’s beautiful Mystify Me from I’ve Got My Own Album To Do, then you get what I mean.

[All photos by Marc Millman]

But more importantly if you loved singing along to Tiny Dancer in Almost Famous but were just as overcome with emotion when Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters was played during the scene where Jann Wenner makes a cameo in a NYC taxi, then this band is for you. Sure you like Bennie and the Jets. Who can deny its infectiousness? But wouldn’t you rather hear Grey Seal? And let’s be real, wouldn’t you rather listen to just about any track from 1970’s self-titled debut through 1972’s Honky Chateau?

Playlist of 10 Early Elton Clips From 1/14

Early Elton is the ultimate homage to Sir Elton. This is not a tribute band anymore than the Fab Faux are. (In fact, both bands share a key member in drummer/singer Rich Pagano.) They are “a Piano Driven Power Trio-Performing the music from the Elton John, Dee Murray & Nigel Olsson Trio tours of ’70–’72” according to their Facebook page. And this is spot on. If you can imagine those lucky enough to have been at A&R Studios on 11/17/70, then you can understand what it was like to share this night with passionate music lovers.

READ ON for more from Marc on Early Elton in NYC…

Our new friend Marc Millman joins us once again to finish recapping a special night in New York City. Last Tuesday night, Marc caught Gregg Allman’s album release party at the Bowery Ballroom before heading down to Brooklyn Bowl for the Soul to Soul II benefit. Here’s his take and photos on the second half of the benefit that according to Jambands.com raised over $20,000 for the victims of last year’s earthquake in Haiti…

As I reported last week, Tuesday night was one of those times that you can put aside all the bad things about this dirty old city we live in and relish in the fact that we can go see great music just about anytime and anywhere…and sometimes even more than once in the same night.

[All photos by Marc Millman]

Following an opening set by Brooklyn-based rockers The London Souls, Lettuce welcomed the Night Tripper himself, Dr. John, out for a few songs. We arrived  at Brooklyn Bowl right as Lettuce’s first set ended. Timing is everything, so there was no hesitation in grabbing a booth by the bar and ordering up some of the amazing food prepared by my favorite restaurant in all of NYC, Blue Ribbon. And just as we finished up our late night feast, which featured the amazing fried chicken and the best appetizer on this planet, egg shooters, Lettuce came back out. So somewhere around the stroke of midnight, we were treated to a two-hour set that featured the legendary sax player / band leader / James Brown & P-funk sideman Mr. Maceo Parker.

• Soul to Soul II Videos: Maceo Jam #1 Pt. 1, Maceo Jam #1 Pt. 2, Shake Everything You’ve Got, Hey Pocky Way, Pass The Peas and Sam Huff’s Flying Rage Machine

Lettuce kicked off the set with some of their own funk-heavy material. Around the second or third song, Maceo set things off with some old James Brown jams. And then ?uestlove of The Roots joined in for a few on the second kit before ceding his seat to Nikki Glaspie (Lettuce/Beyonce). Both drummers were laying down some serious funk beats that in combination with Adam Deitch’s work really moved the crowd.

READ ON for more from Marc on Soul to Soul II…

Gregg Allman Band @ Bowery Ballroom, January 18

Please welcome photographer Marc Millman to the Hidden Track family. Marc was a busy man on Tuesday, when he attended Gregg Allman’s show at the Bowery Ballroom and then headed down to Brooklyn Bowl for the Soul to Soul II benefit. Here’s his take and shots from the Gregg show. He’ll be back with some thoughts and photos from Soul to Soul II next week…

Tuesday night was one of those nights when you could just tell good things were going to happen. Monday had been bitterly cold. And Tuesday it was pissing rain SIDEWAYS all day.

[All photos by Marc Millman]

But when Ron Delsner walked onto the stage of the Bowery Ballroom at 9:10PM, you just knew things were going to be special. Ron told the audience of how he first made Gregg’s acquaintance thought the notorious booking agent Jon Podell. And then, the Midnight Rider and his six-piece band took the stage.

From the opening strains of Don’t Keep Me Wonderin’ off of the Allman’s second album, Idlewild South, through the final strains of a very different sounding Statesboro Blues 16 songs later, Gregg put on a show to please just about everyone in the crowd. The notable exception was a lack of material representing the Laid Back album (including any version of Midnight Rider). But on a night when the legendary performer was celebrating the release of his new T-Bone Burnett produced solo album, Low Country Blues, the choices and arrangements were great. And when you add in a crack band featuring Bruce Katz on keys, Jay Collins on Sax and Scott Sharrard on guitar. What more could you ask for?

• Marc’s Incredible Videos From Gregg @ the Bowery: Don’t Keep Me Wonderin’, I’m No Angel, Just Like A Woman, Dreams, Dreams Pt. 2, Whipping Post, Melissa

Well then, I am glad you asked! How about Gregg’s old friend from South Florida, Floyd Miles on vocals & percussion, a tight rhythm section of Steve Potts on drums and Jerry Jemmott on bass…and some guy on guitar as a special guest. Seems he goes by the name WARREN HAYNES!

READ ON for more from Marc on the Gregg show…