WASHINGTON, DC — Imagine five hundred senior citizens jumping, screaming, singing and dancing in the aisles at the Birchmere Music Hall in suburban Washingon, DC.
Well, it really happened, Wednesday night, August 27 – during a rare live appearance by one of the top funk acts from the 1970s — Larry Graham and Graham Central Station (GCS).
Hundreds of former Afro wearing folks, now sporting silver-gray hairs, receding hairlines, bald heads and fluffy-round physiques didn’t let father time’s physical effects prohibit them from partying like it was 1975.
On the other hand, amazingly, Graham looks just as slim and trim as he did 40 years ago and he sings and plays his bass guitar as if he’s still 30-something. At age 68, Graham obviously defies father time’s impact.
Unlike so many crooners like Frankie Beverly, Dionne Warwick, Al Green and even Eddie Levert, Graham’s vocal presence remains nearly unchanged, a rich falsetto, soulful baritone and varying ranges unmatched by most singers.
When asked how he’s managed to maintain his original sound, the devout Jehovah’s Witness simply pointed his index finger to the sky and said, “I give God all the credit.”
His recent performance was a spiritual revival, including tambourines – as the group delved into a perfect blend of GCS hits, R&B classics with a healthy dose of Sly & The Family Stone classic covers.
As one fellow commented in the audience, Graham is a living legend — a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member who played the legendary Woodstock (Bethel, N.Y.) festival with Sly’s band exactly 45 years ago in August 1969.
Although he’s aware of his historical legendary status. Graham remains very humble and it clearly shows both on-stage during his three-hour performance and during his 90-minute-long, post-performance meet-and-greet with his many adoring fans in the venue’s lobby.
Gone are original members like Hershall “Happiness” Kennedy, David “Dynamite” Vega, Robert “Butch” Sam, Willie “Wild” Sparks, Gaylord Birch, Patryce “Chocolate” Banks and drummer Manuel “Manny” Kellough, the latter member appeared onstage Wednesday night to a rousing applause, after he performed his “mock Chinese dialect” made famous during his drum solo on “The Jam.” Kellough now lives in the local DC region.
GCS’ current lineup are a fresh quintet of young musicians and singers who pridefully carry on the GCS tradition in utmost fashion. Notably, lead singer Ashling “Biscuit” Cole brought down the proverbial house with her fiery brand of vocalese reminiscent of “Chocolate,” and Biscuit’s other idols, Tina Marie and Chaka Khan.
Guitarist Wilton Rabb was also a treat and delivered a diverse style similar to Rufus co-founder Tony Maiden with a touch of Ernie Isley.
Others in the band, including drummer Brian “Rio” Brazil, named James Brown, Santana and Miles Davis as influences. In fact, when the band swung into a version of JB’s “Cold Sweat,” Graham pulled up his white-suited pant legs and started doing the famous James Brown shimmy-shoe, mashed potato dance moves – the crowd screamed with approval.
Keyboardist Jimmy “Joy” McKinney then offered a slice of traditional jazz during a brief taste of the Benny Golson-penned, “Killer Joe,” while keyboardist David “City” Council led a timely tribute to the late George Duke with a funknasty version of “Reach For It.”
Graham, ever-cool bandleader, then delivered an unprecedented stunt by publicly inviting “all interested musicians” to the stage to perform on his band members’ instruments. Graham even allowed a fellow to play his four-string, white Moon brand bass guitar. Another fellow sang the Sly hit, “If You Want Me To Stay,” while two guys played Rabb’s guitar and another one played Council’s keyboards.
No one, however dared to try and remove the polyrhythmic drummer Brian Brazil from his stool. He’s just that supremely gifted with old school funk pocket and new-skool polyrhythms.
Graham’s playlist included some of his original hits like “We’ve Been Waiting (for so long),” “Ain’t No Fun To Me,” “I Can’t Stand The Rain,” “Hair,” “The Jam” and “Release Yourself.” After announcing that he and his wife Tina Graham will celebrate 40 years of marriage in February, Graham delved into a couple of easy ballad hits from his solo days following the GCS breakup; 1981’s “Just Be My Lady,” and the forever current, all-time wedding classic, “One In a Million You” from 1980.
He then performed a couple songs that he considers his favorite tunes to cover, “Going In Circles” by Friends of Distinction and “Higher Ground” by Stevie Wonder. A new tune from his latest “album” is called “Shoulda, Coulda, Woulda.” The latest tune enjoyed a respectful reception from the audience – but it was clear the fans on this hot summer evening wanted nothing but oldies but goodies.
Notably, Graham is the uncle of Young Money (Lil Wayne) rapper, Aubrey “Drake” Graham, who’s also the nephew of Memphis guitarist/composer Mabon “Teenie” Hodges, of Al Green, HI Records fame.
Hodges, 68, died in June reportedly of emphysema.
At about the third-quarter mark in the show, Graham jumped back into his Sly phase, with classics like “Everyday People” and “Hot Fun in the Summertime.” Interestingly, it was a treat watching the man work the four-string bass, the legendary artist who’s credited with influencing the last 40 years of bass players worldwide with his originally-patented “Larry Graham slappin–thumpin-pluckin bass licks;” a pattern he developed while playing gospel with his mother (Dell Graham), who played keyboard and organ in church during Graham’s Oakland, California developmental years.
Graham remains very proud of his Bay Area, Oakland-San Francisco origins. In fact, his entire band are Bay area natives and according to Graham, “they were raised on GCS music” and already knew his tunes before they auditioned for the GCS gig. Graham, however, now lives in Minneapolis where he and his musical “brother,” Prince Rogers Nelson, still record and perform on special projects, he told the crowd. Fittingly the final song of three encores was the Prince classic, “1999.”
Following the show, Graham reflected on an April 1976 concert at Slippery Rock University (Pa.) where he recalled “playing inside the college’s gym. I remember sound bouncing everywhere, but we had a great time,” he laughed.
The Birchmere is an excellent venue to witness such a legendary band like GCS, who proved that they can still lay claim as “The Baddest Funk Band from East to West.”
For more information about the GCS tour, access the www.larrygraham.com website.
For sure, if Mr. Graham is touring anywhere near your town, you should really consider a road trip to witness this one in a million, legendary performer and musician. GCS still continues to host a ‘Warner Brothers Party’ — a party that just won’t stop.
Next up at the Birchmere Music Hall, more Bay Area greasy funk in the form of Tower of Power, Thursday, Sept. 25. For details, access https://www.birchmere.com.
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