Very now and then, a local band will give you the full concert experience in a small, intimate venue, pulling out all the stops for their audience, and leaving everyone thunderstruck. This was the case recently with the Matt O’Ree Band, as they transformed the Knights of Columbus hall in Fair Haven this past December 20 into a true blues club for their Christmas show, with a sound and lighting system that had to be seen to be believed.
Many local music fans are familiar with the supremely talented Matt O’Ree and his band, with Eric Safka on keyboards, Scott Bennert on bass, and John Hummel on drums. The group promised an epic show, and they did not disappoint, with some great blues/rock selections, and fantastic performances by several guest artists.
Matt O’Ree is as authentic as they come; his meticulous work on the fretboard immediately brings recollections of the late Stevie Ray Vaughn, with a hint of Jimi Hendrix and even B.B. King on certain songs. One of the many joys of listening to O’Ree is realizing how he has managed to take elements from his early influences and combine them into his own style, at the highest level. Several years ago, O’Ree was the champion of Guitar Center’s “Guitarmageddon” as “King of The Blues” guitar player, triumphing over 4,000 other entrants across the nation. Treasuring this personal achievement, O’Ree continued his efforts with his group, releasing three studio albums (“88 Miles,” “Chalk It Up,” “Shelf Life”) and one live CD (recorded in Denver, Colorado) over the years. The first studio release in eight years should be available this spring, and will hopefully catapult the band to the next level.
The experience and chemistry of the current band lineup is evident onstage. Eric Safka is a true entertainer; a shy quiet keyboardist for the first half of a show, Safka’s work onstage soon progresses into a crowd-pleasing controlled bedlam, his 350-pound Hammond B3 organ leaning to and fro under his strength, all while never missing a note. The late, great organist Jon Lord of Deep Purple fame is certainly smiling down from above. Bassist Scott Bennert is perfect in his role, focused and rock solid in front of his massive Ampeg amplifier. Bennert is an intense musician, his pained expressions revealing both his love of the music, and the emotions from his soul making their way out via his talented fingers. Drummer John Hummel provides a perfect groove and perfect timing to every song. Hummel is one of the steadiest players ever to sit behind a kit, delivering just what the song needs, without any frills or over-the-top fills that some drummers often squeeze in. Tributes to Hummel’s talent are the many requests he gets from others for studio session work, and the comments that can be overheard from other musicians at any gig he works. Additional work with Debra Devi in north Jersey keeps him a busy man.
The Christmas show was as spectacular as advertised, with the band sounding better than ever, and the Knights of Columbus staff attentive to ever y need. Special guests in the house this night included young guitar sensation Kyle Ward of Rumson, with his fellow Berklee College of Music attendees guitarist Tristan Garrity and vocalist Allison LaRochelle in fine form. The legendary Jeff Levine sat in on keyboards; his list of accomplishments is long, and includes work with Bo Diddley, Joe Cocker, Hall & Oates, Smokey Robinson, Whitney Houston and Bonnie Raitt. Another Jersey legend, former Prophet lead guitarist Ken Dubman, sat in on guitar for a couple of songs; Dubman looks and sounds as good as he ever did when headlining the big area clubs back in the 1980s. Colts Neck resident Alan Manzo jumped up on lead vocals for a killer rendition of The Doors classic “Break On Through,” and the amazing vocals of Eryn Shewell held everyone’s attention while onstage, especially during her rendition of “Stormy Monday,” not a selection you will hear every day from this group. The professionalism of all artists involved was exemplary, especially with so many visitors and so many songs performed; nary a bad note was heard all night long, and the crowd of 125 or so sounded like a crowd of 500 at times. It is safe to say that the group hit on all cylinders all night long, and delivered a true Christmas gift to their loyal fans.
The band had recently been commissioned to join local residents David Bryan (of Bon Jovi) and Michael Ghegan (of Cirque de Soleil’s Michael Jackson “The Immortal” tour) on Nikki beach on the island of St. Barths in the Caribbean, for a very special New Year’s Eve performance. The next U.S. date is January 16, at the Colts Neck Inn, where everyone should be fully recovered and ready to rock once again. The Matt O’Ree Band should be on your radar; catch this group in their home area before they take their talents on the road, and check their website www.mattoree.com for upcoming dates. The rest of the country should be enjoying what we have taken for granted for the last few years, and hopefully it’s just a matter of time before they will.
Chris Spiewak is currently the bassist for Rock/Blues cover band VytnEdge.
