In the same manner as the Crosby Collective’s debut at San Francisco’s Fillmore back in January, Spirit Guide conducted its premiere under the key-pressed guide of Jason Crosby. The gentle notes of “Clare D’Lune” cascaded through the settling house at Mill Valley’s Sweetwater Music Hall, building to a sequenced crash from the night’s percussive constant and duo’s other half, John Morgan Kimock.

[The project takes its name from Benji Hughes’ 2020 LP, Spirit Guide, released during the pandemic on streaming services as a nonstop run-through of titleless songs. Crosby’s previous exposure to the former’s 2008 studio album, A Love Extreme, introduced to him by Jackson Browne, also informed the concept. Crosby and Kimock’s kindred admiration for Hughes’ work developed on the road with Oteil & Friends, musing over 2020 companion albums A Lovers Extreme, Another Extreme while finding the essence of their own Spirit Guide.]

Like Spirit Guide’s presentation, there was no pause between the night’s initial offerings and the emergence of the pair’s second move unless a knowing look counts as a viable indicator. Crosby’s smile gave away his and Kimock’s entrance into “Jubalee,” a poppy combination of dream-soaked piano and drums that clocked in as the first nod toward Hughes’ originals.

Murmurs of surprise crept through the packed venue with a burgeoning realization that this show would not include mashups of rock classics. Instead, it would develop slowly, thoughtfully, and oscillate instrumental odysseys with quippy, morbid lines beckoning to Hughes and other greats amidst an expanding lineup of special guests. 

“Jubalee” went on to shock with enigmatic aptitude, an instrumental back-and-forth that could score a Drugstore Cowboy remake. Tonally, it presented a nefarious edge, conjuring never-leave-your-hat-on-the-bed energy [for Gus Van Sant heads], that crept in low notes and chords referencing Chopin’s Waltzes conveyed via Kimock’s rock temperament, 4/4 juxtapositioned with the Waltz’s 3/4 stamp. From the latter came sweet conjuring on the keys and Crosby’s plea, “Spirit guide, spirit guide, I really need you tonight to freak me out and kick me down the stairs. Spirit guide, please show me that you’re there.”

For those unfamiliar with Hughes’ lyrics, poetic absurdity might fit as a simplified review of the lines. Take a longer listen, and you’ll find that one could write a dissertation analyzing the beauty in cadence, limerence motif, and his heroic sense of humor; it’s smart music and one of the reasons Hughes is highly-regarded among his peers.

Chuckles from the crowd on the outro of “Spirit Guide,” “Is that you spilling my beer? Is that your way of showing me you’re here?” were met with the Charlie Brown stylings of Crosby/Kimock co-write, “JazzIsGorking.” A ponderous and swelling current of keys and click-clack of the kit split another drop into subtle piano-driven odes to Hughes and his ceaseless creations.

Dave Brubeck’s classic “Blue Rondo à la Turk” was an uptempo jazz exploration. Kimock demonstrated a masterclass in movement, anticipation, and the absurdity of time signatures, which garnered Crosby’s acknowledgment upon completion. The instrumental tête-a-tête featuring Crosby’s rapid taps on the latter petered out and laid the preliminary groundwork for Dave School’s entrance.

Schools gestured to his guest, reflecting praise back on his hosts. The mood softened with Schools’ arrival. Crosby called on Kimock, who added the first in many humorous moments throughout the night and referenced Hughes’ “Neighbor Down the Hall” by extending a “Happy Halloween” to the crowd.

Keys, bass, and kit fused during Crosby’s 2000 release Out of the Box [out of print], “Maybe Thursday.” The piano compositions inflated, a steady convergence of instrumentals that tonally got richer and richer as seconds ticked to minutes. The trio clicked into a groove and eventually rendered a solo from Schools, a riveting melodic rumble.

Turning the attention to Crosby, the latter added an interlude of mashed material from Michael Jackson and The Doors. A knowing look between Crosby and Schools’ seemed to suggest there’s more to come as far as mashups, [Schools will join the upcoming Crosby Collective shows in May and June] before a tried-and-true demonstration of improv: Pops, taps, and strums, an instrumental game of cat and mouse emerged, as the threesome chased each other’s last note.

Schools’ pre-show backstage commentary provided the perfect description for follow-up, “New House,” “Huge holes.” Doug Stringer joined Crosby, Kimock, and Schools for a take on Hughes’ co-write with Meshell N’degeocello, “Oysters,” a soft and subtle backbeat supporting the piano centerpiece and contrarian lyrics: “Somebody wishin’ on a shooting star/ Shootin’ stars stream across the sky/ You know it’s just a meteor, right?/ People throwing pennies in a wishing well/ Wishing well’s gonna run dry.” 

Upon finishing the song, “We’re paying homage to a good friend of ours, the great Benji Hughes. A lot of these songs, every other song, seems to be his,” Crosby said. Emphasizing, “He’s a big part of our spirit.”

Kimock clocked a humorous angle, suggesting a new business, Subwaymo. “So if you need a ride and you need a sandwich, you just go on your Subwaymo app, and you say, ‘I need to get to San Rafael, and I’d like to get a 6” sub,” Crosby quipped. Kimock kept building on the fictitious proposal, while Crosby created a musical tapestry for the ride-share concept.

Dropping the act, Kimock began, “We became such good friends in the span of the last year and a half and started this kinda fake band, or way of being, or guide, that was all based on our friendship and laughing and having a good time. And through the good and the bad, get some joy out of it through music.” Adding, “That’s what this is about. It’s about friendship and playing music.”

Kimock dedicated “Mother’s Song” to his mom, who was in the audience, before dipping into the 2016 single he originally released with his dad, Steve Kimock. In addition to a backing track, the foursome produced the meticulously layered composition: A rhythmic web of bass and drum met with the expressive chirp from the keys, an uptempo glide, and eventual percussive pop-off.

The concert’s second half found its footing on Phil Lesh’s “Unbroken Chain,” a send-out to Crosby’s late maestro preluded by a tale of the saw-whet owl. Crosby spoke about the nocturnal bird’s call, which was heard after the band ran through the cover during practices. An added layer of sustenance and a certified kismet capstone, considering “Lilac rain, unbroken chain, song of the saw-whet owl…”

From the onset of set two’s initial duo offering, Schools’ presence made it a trio, arriving and adding to an instrumental rendition of the Beatles’ “Dear Prudence,” which took on a jazzier flair than the original. The Beatles’ India era would find precedence later in the show, rendering a more profound spiritual connection forged in time.

Separating the aforementioned moments was [Harris and] Elliot Peck’s arrival on Hughes’ love-soaked “Let’s Not Ever Die.” A snapping start from the percussive section, followed by the longing harmonized coo from Crobsy and Peck, “Please don’t, don’t you dare stop talking/ Really I might just start thinking too much/ I’m not into hearing I can’t get to heaven/ Unless you know the golden helicopter’s gonna crash/ On the way up.”

Harris took charge next, ushering the others through his own “Shadowlight,” a heartstring-tugging interplay of Hawaiian-made metal handpan and Crosby’s ace addition on the violin. This provided emotive movements, bow over strings, that transformed the venue’s energy into that of a yoga retreat.

The poppy throughline of “Where Do Old Lovers Go” seemed a custom fit for Peck’s return. Crosby served as the lyrical constant, with Peck harmonizing and enriching Hughes’ brainchild. Shifting gears, co-opted punkier instrumentation, [a Crosby/ Kimock original] “Big Book,” and rap: “These pages discover/ My funky little brother.” Referring back to the Beatles’ time in India, Crosby walked over to the harmonium and pressed through “Within You Without You.”

The encore drummed up the final references to Hughes, beginning with a touching conjuring of a final movement off 2020’s Spirit Guide before a humorous turn on Hughes’ 2016 Songs in the Key of Animals cut, “Shark Attack.” The last song added an exclamation point to the night and a fitting ode to its creator. Following in the footsteps of bassists before him [Oteil Burbridge], Schools played the screamer in response to “Why should you buy a new bikini/ When you don’t need a bikini at all/ If you show up at Red Lobster lookin’ like a lobster/ They won’t charge you for anything at all/ Oo-oo-o / Work is out the summer/ Work is out the summer/ Work is out the summer/ I’ll be working out all summer… Shark attack!”