San Francisco Chronicle (Sunday)
Rare chance to see acid jazz supergroup
Best bets from Datebook’s arts and entertainment critics and contributors
Cozy up on one of the homey couches at Back Room Berkeley and check out some live music from a group composed of Bay Area native sons, and longtime musical collaborators Will Bernard, Todd Sickafoose, Scott Amendola and John Schott — aka Damn Skippy — as they perform together for one night in the intimate venue’s listening room.
Three of the musicians in this quartet were members of well known local jazz fusion band T.J. Kirk. The group, with a name picked due to the influence of and focus on repertoire from musicians Thelonius Monk, James
Brown and Rahsaan Roland Kirk, achieved the height of its popularity during the acid jazz scene of the mid-1990s.
Individually, these cats boast impressive resumes that include Sickafoose’s duo work with Ani DiFranco and his involvement creating music for the Broadway musical “Hadestown.” In addition, guitarist Will Bernard’s professional beginnings in Peter Apfelbaum’s acclaimed Heiroglyphics Ensemble and Don Cherry’s MultiKulti group led up to his work with T.J. Kirk and an illustrious string of collaborations with artists like Stanton Moore and Tom Waits. Guitarist Schott (who has worked with the Paul Dresher Ensemble and local jazz clarinetist Ben Goldberg) and drummer Scott Amendola (who’s played with guitarist Charlie Hunter, Nels Cline and Madeleine Peyroux) round out the all-star ensemble.
Together, this local supergroup is sure to offer an evening program with an ease, intuitive grace and seriously deep grooves that come from years of camaraderie. The venue does not sell refreshments, but does allow attendees to bring their own drinks and snacks.
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