I heard about this band Ghost Note a few years ago. They are a percussion bass jazz/funk/hip-hop band from Dallas with several rotating members. The founding members are the drummer Robert “Sput” Searight and percussionist Nate Werth, two members of Snarky Puppy.
I checked out a couple of their albums and liked what I heard. When I saw they were going to be performing at Sony Hall on Monday December 30th, I jumped at the chance to check them out live. The venue is directly across the street from Ain’t Too Proud, so I really didn’t have to go very far.
I realized that it was a post-Phish concert, and the band would be paying tribute to Prince. THAT made things even more interesting. I didn’t know any of the special guests they invited to perform with the band, but I really didn’t care. I wanted to see some great musicians playing Prince music. I was sure it would be good.
I was a little skeptical at first because it was loose and seemed like they weren’t well rehearsed. I don’t mind that either, but they kicked it into high gear when Robert announced, “We are going to play the A sides, but we’re playing some B, C and D sides too!” I was like, “awwwww yeah!”
After one or two songs, that were certified pop hits (I can’t remember what they were), I heard a fast Princely groove that Robert started with the bass player Mono Neon. Before I go into the rest of the story of the gig, let me tell you a little tale about Nr. Neon. Several years ago, I played a gig in 2009 over in Liverpool for David Guest.
He used to put on events featuring classic soul acts. I was part fo the backing band for Denise Williams and The Stylistics. I was invited by a great guitar player, Michael Aarons to play in the band with the musical director Joey Melotti. Russell Thompkins, Jr was the original lead singer of the Stylistics, and he still sounded great.
I was told by Michael, that the original bass player for the gig couldn’t make it overseas, but he was sending a musical prodigy to take his place. He told Michael that the 19 year old kid from Memphis was somewhat shy and introverted, but the word on the street was that he was an incredible bass player.
It was all true. Duane was somewhat awkward and non-social but….THAT DUDE COULD PLAY!! I could tell from the first note that he was something special. A few years later, I hear this same kid is uploading crazy music videos and making a name for himself online. The rest of the word discovered him as Mono Neon and I recently found out he was the last bass player to work with Prince before he passed away.
Some folks are just light years ahead of the rest of humanity. Mono Neon is one of those people.
He’s a special musician.
Back to the groove…
The rest of the band joined in with Robert and Mono Neon and I realized they were beginning the Prince song “All The Critics Love U In New York” from the 1999 album. I would never think of a band playing that tune. I was hooked from that point on. I knew that the band understood the deep album cuts and weren’t afraid to perform some of those cuts, although I feel that song went waaaaay over the heads of the Phish folk. They might love Prince like most humans do, but I don’t think they knew that 6 minute gem. I think it was the second to last track on side 4 of the double album, right? I bet most of the kids at that show weren’t even born in 1982. It’s all good because they were dancing along and having a good time.
Check out this version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPbNQfTTX54
They killed “Let’s Work” and I caught “Musicology” and “Sexy Dancer” too. They seemed to not know the words to Sexy Dancer, but again, I’ll give them a pass because the groove was so deep. Robert left the kit and another member laid down the groove for that one.
I wish I could have sat in on this gig. I’d love to play drums for an event like this. Maybe if I win the lottery, I’ll hire a bunch of my friends, pay them well, and put on an event like this. I’d actually love to have an Earth Wind & Fire tribute band. My ideal music gig? An original band that is a combination of Led Zeppelin and Earth Wind & Fire. I don’t know what that would sound like in the end but I love the various grooves of both bands, the songs of EWF and the heaviness of Zeppelin. Maybe one day.
Check out the footage I took above. I didn’t want to keep my phone up to record the show because I was enjoying the band so much. I took as much as I could get to share. I’m not the kind of person to sit there and miss what’s right in front of me. I need to be present.
These are some bad motherfuc&ers though. They can really play!
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Clayton Craddock is and independent thinker, father of two beautiful children in New York City and is the drummer of the hit broadway musical Aint Too Proud.
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