Leroy Powell : Rip This Joint

Leroy Powell brought his southern-fried self to Harvelle's Friday night. Leroy is a hell of a singer and played lead guitar alone and in tandem with Johnny Stachela creating a most Jagger/Richards-esque combo.

Bjorn Fleuren (bass) and Iahji Hampden (drums) are too of the most in-demand players in town; I seem to run into them all the time at jazz and funk gigs. They evidently never played before with Leroy, but to watch these guys git it raw provided an awesome night of real rock 'n' roll.

Nichelle Monroe : A Soul Funk Thing!

Nichelle Monroe came to Harvelle's as part of Ryan Cross' Soul Funk Tuesday night party. Ryan Cross knows that if you mix the funk and the soul just right, you get something that can be captured - but only for a few minutes at a time. I got about 45 minutes of Nichelle Monroe and she lit the place up like one of those movie premiere searchlights! 

Ryan Cross knows this too!

Like Rotary Connection, Nina Simone, Freda Payne and Dionne Warwick (when she was hanging out with Isaac Hayes) Nichelle took some wild psychedelic twists and jazzy turns and did the unexpected. She covered "Ohio" by Crosby Stills Nash and Young. She danced around in her bare feet with abandon! She was beautiful and captivating! She took her time. She sang towards my soul. She made me rejoice!

The right-on groove of Iajhi Hampden provided the backbeat for Ryan's bass and Dennis Hamm's keyboard precision. Soul Funk is every Tuesday night!