Several musicians collaborated last night at the Ropeadope New Music Seminar, held at the Mercury Lounge in New York City. The night concluded with an all-star jam that featured guitarists Warren Haynes (Govt Mule, Allman Brothers) and Vernon Reid (Living Colour), bassist Mike Gordon (Phish), drummer Deantoni Parks (Kudu), saxophonist Skerik (Critters Buggin, Les Claypools Frog Brigade) and DJ Logic (Project Logic). The set consisted of jazz-funk improvisation that eventually became Watermelon Man, with Casey Benjamin (Project Logic) joining on saxophone. Reid and Gordon then departed, making way for bassist Stefan Lessard (Dave Matthews Band), who had performed with Govt Mule earlier in the evening at a taping of Last Call with Carson Daly (air date is October 8). Drummer Stanton Moore (Galactic) also emerged along with trombonist Bryan Smith (Deep Banana Blackout) for an extended funk jam that segued into Cissy Strut. Midway through the song, Lessard handed his bass off to Charlie Hunter and saxophonists Sam Kininger (Soulive) and Jessica Lurie (Living Daylights) took the stage. Hunter spontaneously began playing the bass line to AC/DCs Back in Black and the rest of the musicians followed him into a humorous, horn-driven instrumental version, which closed the show.
Hunter also performed with the Campbell Brothers and Sex Mob earlier in the evening.
Incidentally, Gordon, Haynes and Logic collaborated at Wetlands Preserve on 9/10/01, a show that is nominated for a Jammy in the category of Live Performance of the Year. The 2002 Jammys presented by TDK take place tonight at Roseland Ballroom in New York City. The event is sold out.