Eddie Baccus Jr. & Straight to the Point

Jackson Street Music Program presents and 98.9 Smooth Jazz KWJZ welcomes JAZZ IN THE CITY’S Annual Celebration Of Seattle’s Jackson Street Music Community Celebrating the 2007 Jackson Street Music Community Honoree: Ms. Ernestine Anderson Starring Rachelle Ferrell and special Guests Pieces Of A Dream Benaroya Hall - February 9, 2007 Reviewed By Scott Nakatani -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Whenever I drive down Jackson Street where it passes underneath I-5 in Seattle, I remember how my father always used to point out where there used to be a tailor shop, once owned by my grandfather. It was here in the back room of this tailor shop where my father was born. Close to being in and around the same area where the historical Jackson Street Music district once stood in Seattle during the 1940’s and 1950’s. This district was a gathering place for Seattle’s African-American community, which helped inspire the likes of musical icons such as, Ray Charles, Jimi Hendrix, Quincy Jones, and this evening’s 2007 Jackson Street Honoree – Ms. Ernestine Anderson. The evening’s celebration started off with the infectious grooves of the musical talents of Pieces Of A Dream, who in turn were celebrating 30 years of performing together. Led out on stage by the original founding members: Curtis Harmon (drums) and James K. Lloyd (musical director, keyboards – stage left), they threw-down a tight 8 song 63 minute set of music. All dressed in various attire; the rest of the band consisted of David Dyson (bass), Gerard Gibbs (keyboards – stage right), and Eddie Baccus Jr. (saxophones, hand-held percussions) who’s independent solo CD is due to drop next month. In a well paced produced set, half of Pieces set was devoted to cuts off their current release “Pillow Talk” and the other half culling hits from their previous recordings. Besides producing, Pieces set lists and music; James has become quite the prolific producer, producing music for the likes of Walter Beasley, Jeff Kashiwa, Nestor Torres, and Wayman Tisdale just to name a few. With the songs “Knikki’s Smile”, “Night Vision”, “Mt Airy Groove”, and “Club Jazz”; deeming by the audiences enthusiastic response, they were all recognizable within the first three notes of each song. On the song “Knikki’s Smile”, Eddie had the crowd in a frenzy demonstrating his circular breathing technique and showmanship on his soprano saxophone. With Curtis laying down the base foundation on the 1982 song “Mt Airy Groove”, David Dyson took center stage for double-thumbing-numbing bass solo, ending in a rousing standing ovation. Not to be outdone, James showcased his keyboard mastery by doing his trademark around-the-world blindfolded keyboard playing on the song “Club Jazz”, which always brings the house down. In an unscripted part of the routine, when James had his blindfold taken off, his glasses also accidentally came flying off making him truly blind. Ever the professional, James kept on playing till the song was over, a priceless moment in the show. Their set ended with a rousing Jeff Lorber Fusion shades of a tune “House Arrest” and to a standing ovation. After a brief intermission, the proceedings then moved onto the Annual recognition of the Jackson Street Music Program Community honoree: Ms. Ernestine Anderson. Before she appeared on stage there was a short informative and captivating 8 minute video documentary on Ms. Anderson (complimented by a informative hand-out about her), focusing on her time spent in Seattle and the historical Jackson Street Music district. In the video she touched on such places as “The Rockin’ Chair” where she first met Nat King Cole, to reminiscing fondly about maybe only printing 25 copies of her first recording “Shifty Henry” put out on Black & White Records. The most poignant part of the video was when she talked about her time spent in Scandinavia. She replied, “It was in Sweden where I was accepted for me and not by the color of - Scott Nakatani