Jaimo's Jasssz Band and The Jamie McLean: Gramercy

Jaimo's Jasssz Band and The Jamie McLean band brought a good crowd to the Gramercy Ballroom starting the show around 7:30pm and going past 11pm. Just a few weeks earlier The Jamie McLean Band recorded a live CD and DVD at the Gibson Guitar Studios in NYC with Taylor Hicks (American Idol) and Jason Crosby (Robert Randolph) sitting in on two tracks. Back again in NYC McClean started out the night with little more than an introduction, inviting the crowd to come to the front of the room and “make it a party” he commented on the familiar faces in the audience and got strait to the music. The band features Jamie McLean on Guitar and vocals, Ben Mars on bass and Brian Griffin on drums. Jason Crosby sat in for the entirety of the set on keyboards and violin. Mars and McClean were high energy and all smiles while drummer Brian Griffin stayed Intently focused on the other two members, locking in a tight power trio.

The set mainly featured songs off the band's most recent album Sunday Morning (featuring John Popper from Blues Traveler and Nigel Hall of Lettuce). Starting off with the bluesy tune “Holy Water” that included a dissonant guitar solo which had McClean trading licks back and forth with Mars. The song set a tone for the night of classic 1-4-5 blues progressions with humble and at times self effacing lyrics. A highlight of the night was Reggie Pittman, Jaimo's trumpet player sitting in on a cover of Otis Redding's Mr Pitiful. Jamie McClean left The Dirty Dozen Brass Band to pursue his own sound and he certainly proved it at the Gramercy

Jaimoe is celebrating the release of his new CD "Renaissance Man," he was introduced onstage as “the original Allman Brother,” with these sort of connections he has put together a stellar group of musicians featuring Jaimoe on drums, blues hall of famer Junior Mack on vocals/guitar and Dave Stoltz (of PBR) on bass. “Rainy Night in Georgia,” featured Junior Mack's deep baritone voice, “Leaving Trunk” showcased the bands blues chops, Junior Mack broke out his best slide work playing signature Duane Allman licks on his cherry red Gibson SG.

For “Dilemma” the band stepped aside to give Jaimo the spotlight for a 5 minute drum solo. The band then stepped back onstage with the rumbling of the bass leading back into the song. The band closed the set with The Allman Brothers’ “Ain’t Wastin’ Time No More,” with a “Jessica” tease toward the end. They closed the set with Albert Collins’ “Black Cat Bone.”


Jamie McLean Band | NYC | 1.27.12
Holy Water
Cinderella
Sing It
Box of Memories
Country Living
Open Up
Crazy About You
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Mr. Pitiful w. Jaimoe's trumpet player
Summertime on Mainstreet
I Been Low