Improvisations on Reality

A hot night to kick off September, and a great concert to wrap up summer – it’s definitely one of those stories that New York is made of. After a brief workout, that was yesterday night and, thanks to Ken, Bill and Sam, it was the final Spirit Cruise of the season: Jonathan Butler.

Yes, for real this time. :)

Jonathan Butler’s history fascinates me, always. He was born in Cape Town, South Africa, survived apartheid, and through all of it kept his faith and wanted nothing more than to share his music with the world. He is very spiritual, and his music shows it.

What I like about it is always that Jonathan’s music is always uplifting. Believe me, I’m no fan of Gospel – which has nothing to do with my atheism; I generally find Gospel music a bit overwhelming for my tastes – but something about JB simply pulls at the ear and the mind. Don’t get me wrong: JB can turn up the funk on that guitar like a master, but I will always associate him with his gentler material, especially considering that the first time I sampled his music live was in Montego Bay, Jamaica.

And what better way to open the show than with Sarah, Sarah, with Jodie Butler, his youngest daughter, on the vocals.

“Before I play the next song,” said Jonathan after he finished, “I think I want that suit!”

I had to chuckle a little once I saw what he meant. In the audience was a gent who wore a bright red, genuine Zoot suit, and I realized that Jonathan was trying his best not to crack up on stage. I have to hand it to him for being a pro; he more than held his own, but it still brought a grin to my face.

That and I don’t recall seeing a Zoot outside of a certain time period. I can, however, think of the one guitarist in the world who could pull off a Zoot suit successfully (yes, Nick Colionne, I’m looking at you!!).

But I digress from this guitarist.

One of the songs that had me smiling was Color Green. A lovely uplift that made me look at Jonathan and the Gospel style a little differently. This was a different brand altogether: very much his in his steady faith, and very much his in the subtlety of it. The Gospel influence was there, but it was light and tangible as such, allowing each listener in the audience to sample it for themselves, and appreciate it in their own way.

Another – and this is off the new record, So Strong – was You Gotta Believe In Something. A strong and pervasive message, translated into a lovely melodic groove, I heard it the first time in Atlantic City at the Dave Koz show. This was a different setting altogether, though. The Spirit ship is much more intimate than the Harrah’s Concert Venue, and made me appreciate the sound a lot more. Jonathan’s voice sounded much richer in this setting, and Jodie’s light, lush accents touched up the overall effect to perfection.

With New York City’s nighttime skyline outside, I had to remind myself: this is the last sailing of the season. The real last sailing of the season. And man, this is a hell of a music season, 2010, I have to admit!

With very, very special thanks to Rosa, Bill & Sam of Marquee, Ken of SJS, and JB Brooks, whose photos you see much more frequently than my own art :)

K.G.