REVIEW: Big Bad Voodoo Daddy is energy personified in NJ concert
WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. — Big Bad Voodoo Daddy swung into Monmouth University’s Pollak Theatre Sunday night, Nov. 6, for a spirited two-hour concert featuring classic jazz standards and swing favorites, plus a few unreleased songs.
The crowd, made up of a couple hundred audience members, came just short of jumping and jiving in the aisles. Of course, much of their enthusiasm was due in part to bandleader Scotty Morris egging them on to enjoy the night and get the hands clapping.
The band, often referred to as BBVD, featured all seven original members, plus extra musicians on the trumpet and trombone. They wound their way through a two-act set that included favorites like “Mr. Pinstripe Suit” and Cab Calloway’s “Minnie the Moocher” and “Reefer Man.” Of the new numbers, “Five, 10, 15 Times” and “Hey Now” proved the most memorable.
The band, which is nearing its 20th anniversary, is the personification of precision. They understand each other as musicians, and their on-stage comfort with each other is almost unparalleled. There wasn’t a missed beat or overly self-indulgent solo once throughout the night. They are a tried-and-true band, and that’s tough to say for a lot of acts touring the country now.
Morris provided smooth vocals in his trademark late-1920s-early-1930s style. He be-bopped around the stage, showing seemingly endless amounts of energy to enjoy songs that are almost a century old. His guitar playing was adept and his stage presence was formidable.
Matching his skills was Glen ‘The Kid’ Marhevka on the trumpet, blowing with such ferocity that his instrument wailed like a banshee. His carefully crafted playing was a highlight of the night.
Equally impressive was drummer Kurt Sodergren’s pounding and Joshua Levy’s skillful playing of the piano. All the blanks were filled in by the top-notch horn section and Dirk Shumaker’s time-traveling mastery of the bass.
The second set of the night saw the guys speed through some of their classic tunes, including Louis Prima’s “I Wanna Be Like You,” “You and Me and the Bottle Makes Three Tonight (Baby),” “Zig Zaggity Woop Woop” and “Mambo Swing.”
Throughout the concert, Morris stuck mostly to the singing, although he added a few stories along the way. His best anecdote was likening Dixieland to “buying ice cream” and New Orleans jazz to “bumming a cigarette.”
The Voodoo Daddies finished the night with a two-song encore, including “Why Me?” from a forthcoming album that will be their ninth studio effort, and the perfect closer, “So Long-Farewell-Goodbye” (with a little “Sweet Home Alabama” thrown in for good measure).
With a band that has played the Super Bowl, made the television circuit time and time again and been prominently featured in a memorable film (“Swingers”), it was an extra pleasure to experience their smoothly infectious tunes in such an intimate setting. Big Bad Voodoo Daddy doesn’t sit back on its laurels and spin your grandmother’s type of swing music. They challenge each other and find hidden inspiration in tunes that have become well-known ditties throughout the years. Their mastery cuts across several styles, from swing to jazz to American big-band fare. They are wonderfully difficult to classify, and that adds immeasurably to their appeal.
Unbelievably (and thankfully), all original members of BBVD are still touring together, a rare feat in a tough business. After catching their show at Monmouth University, one hopes the band sticks together for another 20 years. Their musical footprint is important: These guys are essential torch-bearers for a style and genre that should never be relegated to the history books.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com-
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