There are few musicians in the world these days, who can truly deserve the title “living legend”, fortunately for us MACEO PARKER is one. He has been making us dance for almost fifty years, and shows no sign of quitting any time soon. Last year his album ‘Roots & Grooves’ won a Jammie, for Best Jazz Album of 2009.
Maceo joined James Brown’s band back in 1964, playing alto, tenor and baritone saxophone and would play with the ‘Godfather of Soul’, on and off, for the next twenty-five years. Together they forged a whole new genre of music we now know as ‘funk’… so many of J.B.s greatest recordings are punctuated with the cry “Maceo! We want you to blow!” prior to a mindblowing sax solo from the master. Maceo has also headed up his own bands: The King’s Men and The Macks. In 1975 (along with another James Brown sideman Fred Wesley), he joined the most spectacular funk band of all time, George Clinton’s Parliament / Funkadelic, who took the music to whole other level, with outrageous costumes and enormous stage props of flying saucers.
Maceo’s solo career really took off in the 90’s, with his band averaging between 100 / 150 shows a year ever since. He has been a member of Prince’s New Power Generation, and plays on many of his greatest hits, he has also guested on albums with artists as diverse as De La Soul and Jane’s Addiction. In 2007, he supported Prince during his record breaking, 21 night residency at London’s O2 Arena.
On this tour, Maceo Parker will be playing with his “greatest little funk orchestra on earth”, re-visiting his own back catalogue and paying tribute to the great Ray Charles, whose songs made up his last award-winning ‘Roots & Grooves’ album. So be prepared to dance up a storm, even within the hallowed halls of the Palau de la Musica, you won’t be able to resist. As he says it’s “2% jazz and 98% funky stuff.”
Roger C (Miniguide Barcelona, April 2010)
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