Funkmeister Maceo Parker
Plays Marathon Concert at UCSB Campbell Hall
Maceo Parker made it clear early on in his set at UCSB, on a sleepy Sunday night in early April, that he plays funk music not jazz. In a witty banter with the audience, he jokingly said “I love jazz, especially when I am reading a book or washing a car”. Then to accentuate his point the feisty Saxophone player launched into a soft jazz duet with his brilliant piano player Will Boulware, which he interrupted with the quip “We don't do that. We do this”. The he led his group in to James Brown's classic, “Make iT Funky”. The phenomenal band included Parker and Boulware, as well as a who's who of funk music mavens, including Rodney Skeet Curtis, (bass player of Parliament Funkadelic fame), Bruno Speight on guitar, Markus Parker (Maceo's Nephew), on drums, Ron Tooley (James Browns trumpet player), Denis Rollins (Considered to be one of the best UK trombone players), and vocalist Martha High (Also from the James Brown Band). Maceo Parker, himself had a long association with the James Brown band, playing in the group during some of their most productive years. He also played with the other grandmaster of funk music, George Clinton, in his former band Parliament Funkadelic.
Parker led his red hot group of musicians through nearly three hours of blazing funk music, in two long sets. The salacious singer shined brightest when playing his saxophone. At one point he did a solo performance going out into the audience and blowing notes up and down the aisles, to mesmerized fans in their seats. But all of the bands illustrious musicians also had a chance to showcase their talents with dynamic solos.
Parker had fans dancing in the aisles early on in the first set, uncharacteristic of the normally regimented UCSB Campbell Hall. The Funkmesiter won over the crowd with his charm and wit , in humorous story telling throughout the evening, offering a witty history of Funk Music from start to finish. At one point, Parker put on some sun glasses and mimicked Ray Charles, while singing “You Don't Know Me”.
By the time Parker and the band launched into a frenzied finale, featuring a medley of songs including “Pass The Peas”, “Soul Power”, and “Get Up Sex Machine”, nearly everyone in the audience was fanatically dancing about the venue. Maceo Parker has single handedly kept funk alive for a whole new generation.
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