THE OLD SPICE BOYS Three man vaudeville skiffle machine take on Prince and Miles
Taking the barest of instruments. ukulele. snare drum and single string tea chest bass. this trio COHJUTG up the best in vaudewlle style grooves. It might be raw but Azo Bell, Tim Ree/es (ex-Munng Jerry and T-Rexi and Billy Milroy fill tracks With a mix of humour and accomplished mUSiCianship.
This is the European premiere for the Aussie trio and they'll be showcasmg their own material such as soon to be vaudeVille ClaSSlCS ‘l'm not an Alcoholic (I Just Enjoy a Dnnk)‘ or ‘l Wanna get Stoned (and Pick my Nose)‘. Not forgetting their own unique interpretations of the likes of Prince. Miles DaVis or Ian Dury. This IS anything but serious. but yOLi'll still be amazed at the mu3ic they can coax out of their baSic mu5ical contraptions. (Henry Northmore)
I The Spiege/ Garden, 66 7 8940. 7—23 Aug, 6pm, £70 (£8).
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sg'u‘osts: vocalist Freddy King and-the .. :3 A.
f . Aug - 8.45pm till 11 .30pm. (£9, colic. £2.50);
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THE CAT EMPIRE
Aussie funk engineers go global
Purveyors of an inimitable, vaudevillian Latino-ska-funk hoedown, The Cat Empire, like many an Antipodean outfit, are well versed in turning a party out. The charismatic Melbourne outfit originally set out as a trio but are now an empire indeed, their touring company stretching beyond a sextet of core musicians to an accompanying brass section, dubbed The Empire Hornbags, and a trio of dancers. Promoting their latest album, the Havana recorded Two Shoes, the Cats touch down in Edinburgh in the midst of a seemingly endless, high-impact, globetrotting tour schedule that has already taken in Singapore, the US, Canada and Northern Europe, with Japan following the UK leg.
‘3'” showman, George Clinton. He sees his own music as ‘2% jazz and 98% ' funk’, and aims to ensure that his audience feel like they are part of the
show. ‘Funk is a feeling,’ he insisted, ‘and I don’t know if you can learn it, I
think maybe you’ve gotta be born with it. What I like to do, and what I tell
« «r I A young musicians, is this: if it feels good, do it.’ (Kenny Mathieson)
44 THE LIST FESTIVAL MAGAZINE 3-1.0 Aug 2006
MACEO PARKER
Funk is a feeling
Their improvisational, wholly chaotic and fun loving shows espouse a positive message filtered through their own brand of happy-hippy hip hop, gypsy jazz, Latino reggae and funk rock, a recipe that garners a similarly enthusiastic response, not least at their formative 16 night-run at the Festival in 2002. This year The Empire will be striking back with only two fun-filled gigs, ably aided and abetted by fellow Aussie funksters, the 605 and 703 vintage inspired Ross Irwin Soul Special. 80 if their tour dates are testament to musicianship and shear tenacious energy, do fun and frolics come guaranteed? Well, any band that boasts not only the statutory T-shirts and hoodies in their merchandise but a Frisbee, basketball, playing cards and cute ladies undies can surely be considered a safe bet. (Mark Edmundson)
I George Square Theatre. 66.3 87-10. (i-I'A.;_<}. ’ 7pm .‘~' ’2‘
Maceo Parker made his name in the white-hot glare of The JB’s, the legendary backing band of soul giant James Brown. The band’s driving rhythm section and big, fat horn sound ignited the touchpaper on - " Brown’s frenetically funky soul sound for years, and the singer’s much- " repeated exhortation ‘Maceo, blow your horn!’ was firmly enshrined in the on-off 26-year history of the saxophonist’s association with the Godfather of Soul.
That experience gave him what he called ‘the best seat in the house’ as the singer strutted his stuff and drove audiences into a frenzy. It’s a lesson he learned well, and refined in a spell with another master
I Queen's Hall. 467 5200. 4 Aug. 70. 30pm. £75.