Video — Jeff Sipe Trio
Jeff Sipe Trio live on Saturday at Martin’s Downtown
Jeff Sipe Trio hit Martin’s Downtown on Saturday night, and the show was as expected — three monster musicians, including young bassist Taylor Lee, who blew many minds — playing high end jazz, rock, funk, Afro-Cuban, even country music with feel that kept people moving. Some even danced, which is not the norm at a show like this.
But Sipe grooves, making all kind of odd times and layered rhythms feel bouncy. With Lee and Knoxville-Tenn.-via-Harrisonburg guitar master Mike Seal floating killer melodies and leads, it was bounce-worthy, even as intense as the music was.
The trio kicked it off with the Jaco Pastorius/Weather Report classic, “Teen Town,” with Sipe and Lee nailing the iconic parts while adding flair of their own. Later, the band would play another Weather Report number, “Havona,” with special guest Jay Starling (The Transmitters, Keller Williams), a Charlottesville-based keyboardist and lap steel player. Starling added authentic steel licks and great intonation to a Chet Atkins-style country-grass number, and honking organ sounds to a cover of Ray Charles’ “Busted.”
Seal is an under-the-radar player who should be getting a lot more love. He showed great chops and taste during a 2011 show that he and Sipe played with Jeff Coffin’s Mu’tet. In last night’s mostly trio format, where he had more freedom to solo, he showed just what a player he can be. He plays with no pick, just fingers, yet with blazing speed uncommon to such a style.
Little about this show was common, from the covers — including a sweetly sad version of Hank Williams’ “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” — to the originals. Posted below is one of Lee’s originals, “Lightening.” Hear Seal and Lee just tear it up here, with the ego-free Sipe grooving hard behind them. Sipe soloed a lot last night, as he should, and it was always in the context of a groove the other players were setting up for him, with shout parts that he nailed in between his riffage. Here’s a link to one from early in the show. Note how he drops a stick at the top of it but keeps the solo grooving. He’s human!
February 18, 2013 - 6:00 AM
Overdose on sipe tadd? With all this press you would think he is the end all,be all of music.I didn’t see this much adulation on anybody else you’ve done an article on.What about the MISFITS?? They have influenced countless musicians.Are you going to give REV. HORTON HEAT this much press when he plays here in april? Probably not.How about a 3 part article on the roanoke music scene,original bands{no cover bands},stand out musicians….etc?? I’m sure you will dismiss my post as sour grapes,envy,whatever. And no I wasn’t at this show….no need to be.From the vid he’s still doing the same thing he was doing 10 years ago.Nothing new to see here.Here’s where you rush to sipes defense and try to make me sound like an angry,bitter outcast,in 3…2…1….
Hi folks. This is Mari, one of the technical folks over here testing. 1. 2. 3. Testing.
Thanks.
Hi James
Thanks for your honesty.
Good luck to you sir!
I don’t consider it overkill to post a video and short review of a show like this-especially after a write up beforehand and the poor attendance the Mutet got at the Coffee Pot the last time Sipe rolled though town. The way instrumental music is received in Roanoke (and beyond) is something I care about as a lot of people don’t like it the way I do. As for James’ attitude about Sipe —I like what I hear from his playing. Maybe James can post some links that show us the way he thinks it should be done.
Sipe wins.
I attended the show at Martin’s, and what a great night of music. The Jeff Sipe Trio was right on target, as usual………..and so was the local opening band URTH. Sipe and his band are fantastic musicians. I do think it was obvious that one of the main reasons people were dancing at the Sipe show was because URTH’s high energy tunes had the room up and dancing already. A mention of our local excellent musicians (URTH) would have been nice.
Hi Bradley, I didn’t mean to *not* mention Urth, a band about which I have written (and you can find video of the band on this blog, too). Sorry about that. Glad they’re back at it, and I’m advancing their Sycamore Deli show in our upcoming Thursday editions of Top Tickets and The Burgs’ version of Top Tickets.