The drive to Fall River was the occasional nostalgic trip to my home town of
long ago. By pure happenstance, we landed at the Water Street Café in Battleship Cove. The staff was inviting, the wine was just right, and the food was great and more than reasonably priced. So, we were fat and happy...Right? Wrong! The universe had not yet finished providing as we finished dinner at 9:00pm. It was a quick decision to visit the old sod that night, but when the music started...I was really home again. Planet Groove was winding up next door in "The Room".
Quality musicians are a combination of quiet confidence, elegant simplicity, and a reserve of monster "chops", that being their technical ability. The deep cowbell driven groove started, and you knew that God was in heaven, all was well with the world, and everybody was your brother at that point in time. Vocals fell into the pocket like a spicy sauce falls onto a rack of BBQ ribs. Striking was the comfortable, relaxed relationship that each band member had with his instrument. No wasted energy here. All beef!
For any fan of Latinesque sounds, the repertoire was a grand slam. Creative fusion-inspired originals; humid, sweat fired Buena Vista Social Club sounds; and a Santana medley that was not just another wedding crowd pleaser. But never, ever, never, never have I heard a better arrangement of War's Spill the Wine. All was played cleaner than clean. A high octane sound system also helped, kudos go to the sound guy.
Wanna smile? Wanna dance, move, feel good and have fun?
Then you gotta check out Planet Groove.
|
Joe Janas now lives in Dedham, MA, and is an accomplished drummer with his group, East Street Jazz Quartet, www.eaststreetjazz.com |
|
Visit Water Street Cafe in Fall River, MA
for Great Food and Live Entertainment every weekend.
508-672-8748 www.waterstreetcafe.com |
|
