Mem Shannon – Live. A Night At Tipitina’s (Northernblues Music).
A gushing introduction brings Mem and the band to the stage at Tipitina’s in New Orleans and they open their first live album with Payin’ My Dues. This is funk personified and is a strong & vibrant pounding opener. It’s a surprise that it has taken him so long to bring out this live album considering he does almost 200 gigs a year. Smell Something has bass & drums producing a sound base as the funk continues. No Religion is a throbbing blues that allows Shannon to display his full range on guitar and the band conjure up a storm. The follow up, Who Are They gets us back to the funk and is very strong technically. All I Have is slow and soulful but gives the sax soloists, Tim Green, Joe Cabral and Jason Mingledorff, a chance to shine. Perhaps it is a little too slushy for this hard hearted reviewer.
I Won’t Back Down is the Tom Petty song and I’m disappointed in this as I love the song. Mem’s treatment is not a success despite his strong guitar work. No Such Thing has him back to what he does best – funking up the blues. Keyboard player glides across the keys. Forget About Me is slow soul and heartfelt. His deep voice booms this out. Voodoo is the first of two epic tracks to finish off with, this being just under 12 minutes long. This is a funk-fest with an outstanding rhythm section in Josh Milligan on drums and Angelo Nocentelli on bass. It’s a great version of the Neville Brothers song and the full band is on top form. Phunkville is from his last album and he goes out with a bang on this grinding blues-based funk.
http://www.memshannon.com/
http://www.northernblues.com/
David Blue.
A gushing introduction brings Mem and the band to the stage at Tipitina’s in New Orleans and they open their first live album with Payin’ My Dues. This is funk personified and is a strong & vibrant pounding opener. It’s a surprise that it has taken him so long to bring out this live album considering he does almost 200 gigs a year. Smell Something has bass & drums producing a sound base as the funk continues. No Religion is a throbbing blues that allows Shannon to display his full range on guitar and the band conjure up a storm. The follow up, Who Are They gets us back to the funk and is very strong technically. All I Have is slow and soulful but gives the sax soloists, Tim Green, Joe Cabral and Jason Mingledorff, a chance to shine. Perhaps it is a little too slushy for this hard hearted reviewer.
I Won’t Back Down is the Tom Petty song and I’m disappointed in this as I love the song. Mem’s treatment is not a success despite his strong guitar work. No Such Thing has him back to what he does best – funking up the blues. Keyboard player glides across the keys. Forget About Me is slow soul and heartfelt. His deep voice booms this out. Voodoo is the first of two epic tracks to finish off with, this being just under 12 minutes long. This is a funk-fest with an outstanding rhythm section in Josh Milligan on drums and Angelo Nocentelli on bass. It’s a great version of the Neville Brothers song and the full band is on top form. Phunkville is from his last album and he goes out with a bang on this grinding blues-based funk.
http://www.memshannon.com/
http://www.northernblues.com/
David Blue.
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