threw that down like a funky ol' filet in the deep fat fryer. Things got serious on "Gun Street Girl," and a little greasier on "'Till the Money Runs Out."Ī particularly delightful surprise was the inclusion of "Fish in the Jailhouse," a rollicking Waits obscurity about fish bones and jailbreaks that's never been released on a legitimate recording. "Clap Hands" featured a tangy blend of Hammond's harmonica and Myers' accordion, anchored by Taylor's solid bottom. It had all the twisted cohesion of a Waits show without the man himself. The set spanned much of Waits' career, from 1980's"Heartattack and Vine" through '99's "Mule Variations." There are really no "greatest hits" of Tom Waits that demanded inclusion so anything was fair game, and Hammond mixed up the song list nicely. He played electric most of the night, amply flanked by Carillo's subtle guitar interplay and Meyers' rich carnival-like flourishes on organ and accordion. Hammond's traditionally smooth approach took on a considerable edge on some songs. Taylor channeled the heartbeat of Waits through his slippery and in-the-groove upright bass, while Hodges kept a tight hand on the throttle. In an eerie sort of way, it felt like Waits' shambling spirit was lurking about somewhere in the Cedar Cultural Center when Hammond brought his Wicked Grin band on stage. Hammond masterfully pulls it off with this hand-picked group of ace musicians. Hammond played on Waits' last release, Mule Variations, and Waits contributed a song to Hammond's last effort. The marriage of Hammond and Waits isn't entirely without precedent. Besides supplying all but one of the songs, Waits produced Hammond's latest, Wicked Grin, which features longtime Waits bassist Larry Taylor, Waits alumnus Stephen Hodges on drums, veteran Texas Tornado Augie Meyers on organ and accordion and Frank Carillo on guitar. John Hammond is your tour guide, along with his crack Wicked Grin band, currently on the road in support of Hammond's new all-Waits CD. Step right up into the world of Tom Waits-a world inhabited by sideshow freaks, sailors on shore leave, hookers from Minneapolis and other denizens, dervishes and desperados of Waits' fertile imagination. Photography copyright © 2001 by Tom Asp (black and white) and Steve Felling (color), all rights reserved. John Hammond and Wicked Grin - Paul Geremia Live Review
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