Las Vegas 31 December 2006 (am)

 I finally got around to watching Don Cheadle’s “Miles Ahead” film on the weekend and while it may not be everyone’s cup of tea I found I enjoyed it a lot. The show I listen to this week neatly dovetails into this, as it opens with a lengthy “Tutu.” “Tutu” may be only five minutes on Miles Davis’s album, yet here the band does it more than justice with a seventeen-minute version that has plenty of time to breathe. The 3121 album saw Prince take a six-month residency in Las Vegas rather than touring the world, which is disappointing from my perspective as I loved 3121 and would have liked to see it reach a wider concert audience. To my ears, it was stronger and fuller than Musicology and could have gone even further than it did with a full tour riding on the back of the momentum created by Musicology. The Vegas shows do however offer a variety of listening experiences and this show from early morning 31 December is interesting not only for the “Tutu” that starts things off but also an outstanding instrumental of “Te Amo Corazón.” With these two pieces in place, the show is looking very appealing indeed, and although I am no great fan of Eye records I do appreciate having this release to listen to. 

31 December (am) 2006. 3121 Jazz Cuisine at Rio Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas 

As I mentioned above the show does begin with the lengthy “Tutu,” and although there is some audience chat early on it does settle down to an excellent-sounding audience recording. Beginning with the Mike Phillips Jazz Trio, the opening minutes feature some easy piano playing and a bass. There are the slightest crackles as the bass plays, but it’s nothing worth worrying about as later other players are added to the mix, and the bass sound slides to the background. As the horns play any thoughts of the quality of recording slip from my mind as they begin to weave their magic. From a slow start, the horns build up in intensity as does the song with the steady pace of the bass and drums locked in while the horns swirl and eddy in an excited flight. The second half of the song is given over to some clean guitar playing, and it's every bit as good as the horns that come before it. Then to top it all off the piano comes back with a final flourish before a final downswing ends the song.  All in all, an excellent start to the show and the recording. 

  

Shelby comes to the microphone to belt out Aretha Franklin’s “I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Loved You).” With the band swelling and rolling beneath her, Shelby rides the wave and brings it home with a soulful rendition that does the song justice. I am listening to these shows first and foremost for Prince, so cover versions sung by his backing singers aren’t normally something I gravitate towards. However, I do find I enjoy this immensely, as I do the next song, and for the next few minutes, I don’t mind at all that I can’t hear Prince. 

“I Never Loved A Man” was good, the following cover of Mother Finest’s “Love Changes” is even better with Shelby playing her part well with the bonus of a couple of very Prince-sounding solos in the song. The band has covered a lot of ground since the opening “Tutu,” and here they are rocking out with Shelby’s voice leading from the front. Prince’s solos are noteworthy and a highlight of the song, he is sounding strong and in complete control as he plays his solos, they aren’t fast but they are very bold. 

 

Maceo is to the front for his excellent “Shake Everything You’ve Got” which does indeed have me shaking everything I got. I ignore the audience chatter that is audible mid-song and instead wallow in the sound of Maceo’s horn and the fat sound of Greg Boyer’s trombone. There is a richness to the sound, and again I can’t stress enough how good this all sounds for an audience recording, despite what I have just said about the audience chat. Some clean guitar and drums play off each other in a mesmerizing few minutes which lures me into a false sense of security before the band all come in with a renewed enthusiasm that carries the guitar solo and the song through the next few minutes before we quieten to keyboards and the eventual conclusion. 

Only two Prince songs are played at the show, the first being an instrumental “Te Amo Corazón.” It starts seductively and low with Prince playing a very melodic guitar. The opening minutes of Prince's guitar set the stage for what will follow, with the horns picking up where he left off with some playing in a similar vein. The band takes their turns to shine in the song, and Renato Neto is well and truly in his element with a piano solo that carries the mood and feel of the song. The song is a delight to listen to, and before I know it has passed by as light as a breeze on a summer's day. 

 

Shelby returns, as does the cover versions, as the steady rumble of “Crazy” begins. It's enjoyable enough, it’s hard to dislike this song, and the band does a fine rendition of it. Shelby does her thing, but it’s the guitar solo of Prince that has my ears pricking up, it's guttural and primeval which adds some bite to the song. The rest of the song is as you might expect, although you can still hear Prince’s guitar chugging underneath threatening to bust out at any moment, which makes it all the more disappointing when he sticks with only one brief moment before the song ends. 

Some proper Prince funk makes a welcome return with “Get On The Boat,” and Maceo sets things off in fine style with a burst on his horn. Along with Greg Boyer, it’s the sound of the horn section that nails down the song early on, while the band does their funky best in the background. This is a fantastic way to end the show, and the band is at its best throughout, mostly led by the horn assault, although Prince adds some guitar flavor late in the song. Like everything at this show, it’s over before I know it, and I am left with a smile on my face as the recording ends. 

 

This recording is short – barely 70 minutes (although it is part of a massive Eye Records six-CD set), yet it is one of the most enjoyable shows I have heard for a while. There is plenty of funk and jazz in the mix, and the band plays to their strengths with a short sharp show. Some may quibble about the lack of Prince songs played, but that is irrelevant with a performance as polished as this, and things are even better when we take into consideration the quality of the audience recording. 3121 is a great album, and while this recording only has a couple of songs from that album, it is a nice document of the era.