DEADHEADS MUSIC CALENDAR

ROBERT WALTER'S 20TH CONGRESS, "MONEY SHOT"

Life is all about taking chances. If you stick to what is "known" or "safe," you may possibly survive a little longer then the next guy. But you'll likely have a lot fewer experiences to relate and possess far less breadth in your being. The same can be said of music as well. While the purist viewpoint states that musical genres should follow traditional structures, and the statistical logic of music industry proves that simple beats, bare midriffs, and catchy lyrics sell a lot of records, they fail to recognize the value of moving beyond these norms. Fortunately, true artists know few boundaries. And the increasingly sophisticated listener has grown accustomed to sounds that redefine the borders of a particular genre. The jazz realm has long been a playground for new ideas, not to mention acting as a primary springboard for improvisation. While hard-line jazz aficionados tend to advocate the more chaotic, and often less melodic forms of jazz, adventurous music-heads are more likely to get spun around by the more varietal elements. Among the most exciting, and certainly the most danceable, are those fringe sounds that move beyond the chordal progressions of bop to weave in wilder strands of funk, soul, and rock.

That said, the opportunity to witness a group of professional musicians reconstructing the musical pyramid would be reason enough to jump in the car and drive to a club. Double the action, and the allure becomes inescapable. So how can one resist a twice-dipped bill that includes the San Diego-based ROBERT WALTER'S 20TH CONGRESS and Seattle's LIVING DAYLIGHTS? While not as well known to audiences here in the East, these two West Coast acts are easily amongst the brightest young stars skirting the edges of jazz and funk.

Best known for his five-year tenure as the keyboardist for The Greyboy Allstars, Robert Walter is an inspirational performer and composer whose spirited works convey the infectious energy of 1970's boogaloo without sounding dated or cliche. The vehicle for his compositions is ROBERT WALTER'S 20TH CONGRESS, a decidedly bi-partisan ensemble that convenes regularly to promote his funky genius. Fortified on the road by the talents of Cochemea Gastelum (saxes/flute), Chris Stillwell (bass), George Sluppick (drums), and Chuck Prada (percussion), Walter moves swiftly from Hammond organ to Wurlitzer to piano, cutting grooves so deep that audiences can't escape without wiggling freely.

While the live road show strives to incinerate audiences with their Shaft-inspired bad-ass boogie, the studio crew that comprises the 20TH CONGRESS on Walter's brand new Fog City release Money Shot takes a somewhat leaner but no less meaner approach. More organ heavy than his first solo release (1997's Spirit of the 70s), Money Shot takes the acid-soaked retro-funk concept to lofty new heights. With Galactic's Stanton Moore banging the cans, and David Carano whipping up bass biscuits, the session bounces smoothly from the slinky spyboy shuffle of "White Russ" all the way through to the heavy metal funk of the hidden track cover of Judas Priest's "You Got Another Thing Comin'" In between, the landscape changes rapidly. "The Yodel" and "Shemp Time" are two swift-moving vehicles that showcase the magical interplay between Walter and his band, augmented on both tracks by former Greyboy guitarist Elgin Park. The title track has roots in old school jazz, but the lessons here are entirely new and considerably more durable on the dance floor. And a pumped up rendition of Dr John's "(Everybody Wanna Get Rich) Rite Away" is chock full of voodoo, but more of the type you'd encounter in the clubs of the French Quarter than you'd ever find out on the Bayou.