Musical families

We're back in Houston and again off to Red Cat Jazz cafe for another gig.  This time a male singer, Spud Howard, fronting the house band.  But it led me to query definitions: Soul, R&B, neoSoul and related jazz and funk.  I know jazz well enough but the others merge into a mush of similarity in my thoughts, being similar and related.  My readings suggest a matter of historical development, relationships and influences (including from jazz), varied instrumentation and lyrical styles all grouped under the broad umbrella of R&B (from an AI overview but clearly taken from Wikipedia and probably some other sources).  Listening to a string of tracks from Spotify playlists just confirmed the similarities and justified the confusion.  Whatever, this night was the male voice of Spud Howard in place of Jenni P and her female voice.  I expected a difference and there was plenty despite the same back-line band.  Perhaps I'd judge Jenni as neoSoul and Spud as Soul or perhaps R&B, for what it matters.  There was energy of drive and funk here, and immense expression, with or without accompaniment.  Arms adrift and feet moving across stage.  Occasionally songs that I knew and plenty more known by the audience who sang along.  Busy, bent notes, screams, dense improv and touches of spoken words, dirt and emotions raw and evident.  Immensity and intensity that expresses but also invites, so many of the audience, as usual virtually all women, were up and dancing along, then perhaps a slow, staccato reverb on a pensive ballad then the snap and excitement resumes.  This was a show of obvious energy and rabid invitation.  Again pretty much a medley for an hour or so.  Just a stunner.  A second week at Red Cat and a second week of stunning R&B-somewhere music.  I smiled widely, whooped frequently and loved them both and I was not alone.

Spud Howard (vocals) performed at Red Cat Jazz Club, Houston TX, with the host band comprising Pierre Grijaliva (bass), Ronald Dorsey (drums) and Jorvan Butler (keys).

Red Cat

People talk of Houston jazz as sparse.  Certainly there are plenty of venues that claim to host jazz, but mostly just weekly or so.  I found a local club that had closed and thankfully reopened near where we were staying and it was a lovely place, if the music on the Friday night was more R&B than bop but I dug it immensely.  Not a huge turnout, but comfy and nicely presented and fairly loud.  The trio of players seem to be a regular host band with changing front liner singers.  This night, Jenni P singing firmly, strong voiced, long range with that determined gospel sensibility that seems the essence of this style.  Not something I know of like this in Canberra or even Australia with this authenticity, although it's maybe around.  Just one set, like a concert, perhaps 90 mins, mostly without breaks, songs merging one into another as a virtual medley.  Just a few Christmas songs broken away from the pack - Have yourself a very merry Christmas was a lovely thing - and one jazz number, Summertime, done as a very slow, deep ballad.  But otherwise that alive trio with pentatonics and syncopations, simple chord structures, huge dynamics through lines and dividing sections, some synth solos (I love bendy synth solos) dirtying piano presence and coloured extensions, solid unrelenting drums, playful and powerful bass, mostly fingerstyle but occasional slap.  I looked for Jenni P on Spotify unsuccessfully but a couple we sat with said they'd booked her for their wedding. The beer was good, the music great, the cover charge modest although I'm still learning this US tipping business.  Whatever, a wonderful night out for some jazz-cum-R&B-cum-neoSoul.  Loved it.

Jennifer Powell (vocals) appeared as Jenni P at Red Cat Jazz Club, Houston TX, with the host band comprising Pierre Grijaliva (bass), Ronald Dorsey (drums) and Jorvan Butler (keys).