Blues Alley, 1073 Wisconsin Ave. NW Washington, DC 20007
When I was at the Mike Stern performance here in May, they mentioned this upcoming performance (although they mis-spelled Patrice's name as Patricia).
I sat right next to where I sat at the Mike Stern show.
Except for Patrice, Stan, Allison, and Kevin, all of the band was new.
I recognized a number of regulars from Patrice's prior shows.
Buzz, Patrice's manager, said hello, but I was eating so we couldn't really talk.
Stan said hello.
Patrice Bowie
Patrice Bowie (lead vocals), Allison (vocals, I've seen her sing many times with The Band), Kia Bennett (vocals, she looked familiar to me, per Buzz: soloist, and performed with Julie Dexter, Freestyle, Wendy Davinport), Najibah (vocals, per Buzz: soloist, sings with Agency Bands), Stan Cooper (guitar, performs with L!ssen iHD, Marcus Johnson Project), Walter Crosby (bass, Per Buzz: plays with Julie Dexter, The House Band at the fish market in Clinton), Taylor Pace (keyboards, per Buzz: plays with Mario and Mya), Claudia Rogers (keyboards including the Blues Alley house piano, per Buzz: she's played with Julie Dexter, and per her website, she was a member of Pleasure), Jason Holt (drummer, I saw him perform together with Stan in the Marcus Johnson Project, per Buzz: he has played with Mario and Mya), Kevin Prince (percussion, plays for Spur of the Moment)
8:05 PM - Early show
1) Patrice was not onstage when the band started, it was instrumental only at first, it had a light crank, then Patrice walked onstage / Patrice-led Close to Me / "Little Bit of This, Little Bit of That, tat tat tat"
Patrice talked about her album, it is entitled Unprecedented.
2) Patrice-led "Believe in love at first sight, true love" - it had a light crank
3) Patrice-led Alicia Keys' Diary
Patrice asked, "Are there any women in love? How'd you feel when you first met?"
4) Patrice-led Butterflies - it cranked
5) Alternating Patrice-led Say Yes - it cranked, a technicial was working on the monitors as they performed / Instrumental
6) Alternating Patrice-led "I really believe everything that you told me, You say that..." / Instrumental (soloing)
Patrice said, "We're just going to step it up a bit here."
7) Alternating Patrice-led Give It to Me - it cranked / Instrumental (soloing) / Outtro
8) Patrice-led Amazing - it cranked
9) Patrice-led Finga Lickin - it cranked / Stan guitar solo / Taylor keyboard solo / Kevin conga solo / Walter bass solo / Claudia keyboard solo / Stan guitar solo - quoted a Jimi Hendrix song / Jason drum solo / Outtro
The set was done at 9:15 PM.
I enjoyed the set, but wish she didn't do covers, her originals are better. I was hoping to talk to the band members, but they filed out immediately and besides, I was still waiting on my check.
I could have stayed for the second set, but it was too late for me on a weeknight.
Patrice's brother, Vernon "V", greeted me.
Buzz gave me a promo - before Patrice left the stage, she said the album was shipping.
I listened to the promo on the way home, it has: Butterflies, Say Yes, Give It To Me, Close to Me featuring Little Benny/Coolie High. I didn't like the first two tracks as much as I do live (which is often the case), but did really like the last 2, and the mp3 of Finga Lickin that Buzz sent me. I will pick up the album when it's out.
