Blues Alley, 1073 Wisconsin Ave. NW Washington, DC 20007
I got an email about the Second Annual Duke Ellington Jazz Festival. I remember the first all too well, I got terribly sunburned. I saw that the Mike Stern Band with Dennis Chambers and Richard Bona (all of whom I am a fan of) was to perform at Blues Alley October 3rd and 4th. When I went online to get a ticket, I saw Les McCann was playing at Blues Alley - I'm an even bigger fan of him than them. I decided to get a ticket for the early show on his last day at Blues Alley: tonight.
The hostess sat me down at a table four seats down from Les. He's a very funny guy. He wore a shiny shirt and explained his band gave it to him, he's "N*ggeracci." He said that Switzerland and Sweden aren't in Europe because they aren't in the EU.
Les McCann & the Javon Jackson Band
Early Set - started around 8:20
Javon Jackson (Sax) introduced the band:
The drummer, out of Denver, CO, Rudy Royston.
The guitarist, out of Cambridge, MA (much applause), David Gilmore. Javon responded to the applause by saying, "Long live, Harvard!"
The bassist (electric bass guitar), out of Chicago, "Long live Al Capone", Kenny Davis.
1) Easy Does It - Javon introduced it by saying, "I wrote it", lots of nice solos
Les was helped up and walked over to the keyboard. The Blues Alley employee who helped him up also served as a clap leader, which I thought was cheesy.
2) ? - at the end Les yelled, "Ah ah", then he said, "Hello, hello", "Okay, okay" -->
3) Javon played Frere Jacques then the Jeopardy Theme on his Sax
4) ? - Javon's Sax lines were familiar, Les scatted over the song
Les said, "There's a celebrity in the house, Paul Anthony". Les mentioned they used to play tennis together.
Les asked how many people in the audience lived in DC, a number of people raised their hands, and Les said, "Only three".
Les asked how many people in the audience were over 30, virtually everyone raised their hands (I was probably the youngest person in the audience), and Les said, "Two."
5) Les announced this as Eddie Harris' Cold Duck Time - the audience clapped to the tune, David played a nice guitar solo, Les scatted over the tune
Les said, "We also have another name that we call it 'Da na'"
6) Les-led With These Hands (Benny Davis/Abner Silver) - it started out with just Les singing and playing the keyboard for a bit before the band joined in
7) Les-led Compared to What (Gene McDaniels) - it cranked, Javon said, "Kenny Davis, do not try to do what he does at home, it won't work."
Javon said, "At the keyboard, he is also our vocalist, our leader, our spiritual advisor, our financial consultant: the money is in escrow, a legend, but still doing things. Les McCann. He is also celebrating his birthday this week (His 71st birthday was September 23rd.)"
8) Les-led Compared to What (Gene McDaniels) (reprise)
Even though they announced that we could stay for the second set with no extra cover, I didn't stay because I had to go to work on Monday. I did get Les to autograph my copy of his 2-CD Rhino anthology.
The food was good, but very expensive.
