Papa Grows Funk, Big Sam's Funky Nation, Devin Phillips at Roseland, Aug. 2, 2008

Ladies and gentlemen, new LC photographer/contributor Keith Casper:

You could feel the hot spicy New Orleans soul settle itself right down into the Roseland Grill this Saturday Night. Steeped deep and sent direct from the town that brought us the JazzFest and the Meters, these bands popped out some hard-driving, funky rhythms. When the room started moving, you could feel a storm deep from the Bayou crash the floors.

Straight from the JazzFest circuit, Portland saw heavyweight sax man Devin Phillips in cahoots with his back-in-the-day high school friends' outfits Big Sam's Funky Nation and Papa Grows Funk.

This chop-laden trio did not fail on its mission to dish up solid grooves and move the crowd in its wake. Laying down the heavy rhythms, they let the big easy live and breathe right here in Stumptown. As the room shook and rattled with plenty of big round basslines, hefty Hammonds and horny horns, a packed dance floor and enthusiastic crowd rode those hot, hot grooves right up until the second the music stopped percolating.

Photos (the man with the horn is Big Sam):




Links:
Papa Grows FunkSpace
Big Sam's Funky NationSpace
Devin PhillipSpace