Minneapolis 17 January 2013 (show 2)

 These Dakota Jazz Club recordings are proving to be an interesting diversion. They are not easily categorized with his other main shows, nor do they seem to fit with the after-show mentality. They are something of an ugly duckling, not easily categorized, and I can understand why Prince simply called them an open rehearsal. The previous three shows, although very good, have failed to ignite any true excitement within me. The band is serviceable and plays well without pushing me into any real emotion. Today I take a listen to the fourth show, a late show in the ‘Jam’ section. It is shorter than last week, and looking at the tracks I see a couple of things that I would like to hear. There are also some similarities, so please bear with me if I cover some of the same territory as last week. 

17th January 2013 (show 2)  Dakota Jazz Club Minneapolis 

One thing about these Dakota shows is that they all have a very interesting opening. This time we have the horn section playing the “Days Of Wild” riff, and it’s every bit as interesting as you might imagine. I enjoy the brightness of it, and the bass line that is next heard is truly awesome. It’s very well recorded and has a deep pop and groove to it that I can almost feel the vibrations of. The song is a different variation, being instrumental throughout, with Prince speaking to the audience instead of singing. The horns battle it out with the synth and bass, both have their moments and are nicely in front of the sound. 

I am surprised to see four minutes have already passed as the band slide into “Ain’t Nobody.” That heavy groove stays with us as the ladies sing, and the ante is upped as Marcus plays a sax solo that is skittery and quick. I realize that the song hasn’t really changed at all, and they are just jamming on “Days Of Wild.” 

 

As with the first show, the drummer gets plenty of love and an early solo. It’s not spectacular, instead, it’s low-key and keeps with the low-end feel of the song. Prince asks the crowd what they think as the groove of “Days Of Wild” returns. The trumpet solo is a throwback to the first evening's show, and he gets plenty of time to do his thing here in this song. I do like the jam, but for me, something is missing, again I think it’s lacking in a dirty funk feel. At times they sound like they are impersonating a funk band rather than being a proper funk band themselves. Prince does sing a couple of verses but even the main refrain lacks conviction. Usually, I find myself chanting along at home, however this time I am not. 

The band sticks with the groove as they twist “Wild And Loose” out of it. Seeing this on the set list had me raising my eyebrows, it turns out to be different from how I expected. It’s great to hear Prince singing the lyrics, even if the music isn’t true to the original. I give it a solid thumbs up for novelty value. 

The “Days Of Wild” groove goes on for days (as Prince would say) and I get a lot of enjoyment out of hearing the band jam it and throwing various songs into the mix. The horns are right at the center of the whole song, so it’s only fitting that it’s those horns that carry the last few minutes. I am not normally a horn guy, so it’s high praise from me here when I say how much I liked them. The sax solo that finishes the song goes in a completely different way, and I like that it’s not tied into all that has come before it. 

Something very different and interesting next as the band performs a one-off titled “Chapter & Verse.” It was created on the spot as a one-off, and it does have a feeling of everything being layered on top as we go. The walking bass has a classic feel to it and is a good base for the other sounds laid over the top of it- which I guess is the whole purpose of a bass. It’s a smooth easy groove and is easy on the ear without ever being challenging. Prince’s lyrics are left field and do raise a smile here and there. Prince unleashes the guitar later in the song, the first time it’s heard this evening, and that gets my pulse racing. The horn solo after also keeps the flow going and as Prince calls ‘blow’ I am well and truly hooked. 

Things slow, and the long jams end as Liv, Shelby, and Elisa guide us through a soft rendition of Lost & Found. It is delicate sounding and the music is very soft, almost as an afterthought as the three ladies do what they do best. It’s a nice breather, and I can feel myself relaxing as they sing. It sounds short after the previous songs, but its inclusion is timely. 

Prince is back on the mic next as “Nothing Compares 2 U” begins. As always Shelby J accompanies him wonderfully, and the only downside to the performance is I have heard them sing together like this so many times that he doesn’t have that special feel anymore. As the song heats up I do begin to feel it more, and the song still holds its own after all these years. The sax solo by Marcus increases the drama of it and is a fine addition. 

 

I enjoyed hearing “Act Of God” at the earlier show, and here I find it equally good. For the next few songs, this show closely follows the early show with the same sequence. “Act Of God” sounds great with the horns in full effect early on, and then gets better and better as Prince sings. I prefer this version to the earlier show, there is more Prince, and the band sounds a lot tighter. Prince even gives a couple of gravelly howls, something I always like for its animalistic feel. 

“What Have You Done For Me Lately” works well over the groove, unfortunately as with the previous show I find it does nothing for me. The bits that I do like are the piano that comes in and out, it’s free sounding and marks it as something different. 

There is no let-up as “Northside” is sung. The groove doesn’t change in the slightest, Prince and the band just spit the lyrics over the same groove. It’s only half a minute, and then the groove does change into what comes next. 

It is “(Theme Song From) Which Way Is Up” that follows, exactly as in the early show. I like it, but with having heard the early show the element of surprises and excitement is gone. There is not enough in the song itself for me to grab onto and it passes by quickly. Even having “Dancing Machine” thrown into the mix doesn’t generate any response from me. (Am I too jaded?) 

The “Partyman” horn riff begins, and I hope for something substantial. It is fun sounding, I can hear the audience cheer in places which reminds me that this is a live show. The song is short, and a great crowd pleaser. “It's Alright” slots easily into the mix, and Prince keeps up the lead line as the song plays. It plays round and round for some time with the horn refrain and the chorus, before Prince breaks it into a bass groove. The band gets very loose by now, and I become much more interested as Prince calls changes and the band plays to his commands. As the song pulls back we get some more horns playing around on “When The Saints Go Marching In,” and they play in this style for the rest of the song, much to my great enjoyment. I think Prince sums it best when he says “It ain’t always what you want, but sometimes it’s what you need” a point emphasized when he finishes playing the Beverly Hillbillies riff. 

 

We end the show with the classic funk of “Controversy.” It gets a long intro which I enjoy immensely. What lets it down is the recording seems to suffer at this point and Prince doesn’t sound as strong and full as earlier. There are some very tasty guitar licks mid-song, quick funky sounding runs that work for me. The guitar is highlighted as the band pulls back, and Prince plays that scratch guitar that I have loved since day one. It’s a great way to finish the show, and even though some parts I have found uneven, all is forgiven in these final minutes. 

As with the other shows so far, this one is enjoyable despite being uneven. I like the songs, and the band plays well, my problem is that the band doesn’t play like a Prince band. That hard funk sound is lacking, even though I know he has some very talented musicians in there. I know the outcome, this band won’t go much further with him, and this show and sound is a stopgap measure. When this show got funky it was great, there just wasn’t enough of those moments for me. Another one to file under “Interesting, but not great”