Video – Jeff Coffin & the Mu’tet, ‘L’Esperance’

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Roanoke has been enjoying a run of great jazz shows in clubland of late. Last Saturday, it was the Jeff Sipe Trio at Martin’s. On Feb. 8, Jeff Coffin & the Mu’tet came to Growler’s.
Coincidentally, two of the Sipe trio — drummer Sipe himself and guitarist Mike Seal ( shown in the publicity photo) — were with Coffin when he brought the Mu’tet to the Coffee Pot in June 2011. That show was poorly attended, possibly in part because Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe was playing the same night at Awful’s Towers, which is now Growler’s.
This time around, Coffin came to Growler’s and had another ace drummer, Roy “Future Man” Wooten of Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, as Sipe and Seal were out with the trio. And instead of playing the Drumitar that he pioneered, Wooten played an actual drum set. And good lord, can he play it. Coffin has said that Wooten plays like a tai chi master, like water. He is correct.
Wooten plays an astounding solo on this number, “L’Esperance.” But the most amazing solo fireworks come from bassist Felix Pastorius, who co-wrote this number with Coffin. Pastorius, a son of jazz bass legend Jaco Pastorius, is an absolute freak of nature. The speed. The dexterity. The chops. The taste. It’s all there, without the personal demons that led his father to an early grave. Pastorius, whose regular gig these days is with Yellowjackets, shows here why he should be held in the same regard as his father.
He is no clone, but he is definitely carrying on the DNA. Watch and be amazed.



GEEZ TADD, Get over the sipe hype.
Look James West, or whatever your name is, I’m reporting about the past two times Jeff Coffin & the Mu’tet played Roanoke, and the differences between those two shows.
You must have something better to do. Surely.