by Jim Hanas & Mark Jordan
Ever since they signed to Geffen a few years ago, Southern Culture on the Skids haven't made it this way much. Not long ago, however, they were pulling through Barristers all the time, tossin' fried chicken all over the place and badgering the inebriated locals into doing the limbo. Friday they move up to the the New Daisy in support of their follow-up to 1995's Dirt Track Date, titled, vividly enough, Plastic Seat Sweat.
Merging surf, rockabilly, and other white-trash-isms into one big plastic ball of kitsch, SCOTS' cartoony shtick would be lethal in the hands of lesser musicians. Fortunately, the trio plus one (they've lately added a keyboardist) can really play, so their trailer-glam gimmick comes off as a bonus rather than a cover-up, cinched by Rick Miller's raving guitar licks and a heaping helping of stage-business.
In other words, limbo will be enforced.
-- Jim Hanas
Even if you don't like jazz, even if you're the type of person who would just as soon lick a hot skillet as listen to a lengthy sax solo, you've heard Michael Brecker, who'll be at the New Daisy this Monday for a pair of shows. A saxophonist firmly in the John Coltrane mode with strong blues and funk chops, Brecker has been one of the most in-demand session musicians since the '70s, when he and his equally talented trumpet-playing brother hit New York and became the horn section for rock, jazz, and fusion artists alike. Brecker's work can be heard on recordings by James Taylor, Paul Simon, and Steely Dan as well as jazzier fare by Billy Cobham and Herbie Hancock.
In 1986, Brecker finally made his debut as a bandleader. His fifth record, last year's Tales From the Hudson, is a welcome return to acoustic jazz from a player known for his association with electrified funk and fusion. The record features an all-star band: guitarist Pat Metheny, drummer Jack DeJohnette, bassist Dave Holland, pianist Joey Caderazzo, percussionist Don Alias and piano legend McCoy Tyner. While these musicians won't be in the band Monday, Brecker will be joined by former Branford Marsalis and Tonight Show drummer Jeff "Tain" Watts.
-- Mark Jordan