Marc’s Musings: The Spirit of Donny Is Strong in Young Hall – Nigel @ Rockwood
Nigel Hall Band @ Rockwood Music Hall, February 17
Nigel Hall moved down from Maine a year ago, and he has been very active in the New York music scene since coming to the Big Apple. As a member of the Royal Family Records musical collective that Eric Krasno spearheads, I like to think of him as Robin to Krasno’s Batman. Then again, Hall is no mere sidekick. This guy is a star on his own. And as of this week, he is now the new keyboard player in the Warren Haynes Band [version 2.0].
[All photos by Marc Millman]
So maybe it would be better to think of this growing posse of super freaks as the X-Men: Krasno as Cyclops (silent but deadly), Adam Deitch as Wolverine (crazy deadly assassin), Chris Loftlin as The Beast (a big monster with a bigger smile and heart), Nikki Glaspie as Storm (a woman to be reckoned with). And when you throw in the rest of the Lettuce/Soulive/Chapter 2 posse you have enough characters for summer blockbuster sequels to carry us into the next decade.
Since the first day of this year, I have seen Nigel sing and/or play keyboards with: George Porter, Bill Kreutzmann & Steve Kimock, Chapter 2, Lettuce with Maceo Parker and the Funky Meters. And that’s just gigs off the top of my head. But for the month of February, he has taken up a weekly residency at Rockwood Music Hall to showcase the Nigel Hall Band [actually Chapter 2 in a slight variation including two female backing vocalists]. His one-hour sets at 8PM are attracting rabid fans of classic funk and soul. But it is the soul side that is really being shown off in this intimate setting.
- Marc’s Nigel Hall @ Rockwood Videos: Baby, I Do Love You, Too Sweet Going Down, Leave Me Alone, Everybody Wants to Rule The World, Never Gonna Let You Go, I (Who Have Nothing)
Sitting at the club’s grand piano, Hall leads the band, whose lineup does vary slightly week to week, through some classic soul covers, one or two originals composed by or with co-conspirators like Eric Krasno [he either plays bass in this band or guitar depending on who else shows up] and some great re-interpretations of classic rock/pop. This week’s version of the band included Chris Loftlin (bass), Adam Deitch (drums) & Krasno (guitar & backing vocals) with Mel Flannery & Tania Jones (backing vocals).
READ ON for more of Marc’s Musings on Nigel Hall…
