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http://www.soul-patrol.com/soul/mightysam.htm
The Cafe' Classic Blues & Soul was the perfect venue for Soul
Patroller's to enjoy Mighty Sam. It is a great room and when I
was lead over to the Soul Patrol section I was amazed at the number of
tables reserved for us. At that point, according to the host we
had 32 Soul Patrollers (yep, the lurkers came out in full force) with
advance ticket sales. We had great ring side seats and even the
owner decided to join us.
Sam's band had dressed were setting up on stage. Sam's band not
only sounds great but are the funnies bunch of guys you'll every meet.
The Mighty Sam Band is a 7 piece wonder. Lead, bass, keyboard (a
B-3 man at heart) drummer, trombone, jazz trumpet & tenor sax.
While they were warming up Sam sent for us to join him on the bus.
We chatted, snapped a few photo's and Sam gave us his take of a few
threads we had going on the list. Then like clock work the band
got their cue and they exploded into a crazy/funky/stank/nasty
instrumental. We went back into the club and during this segment
each band member is given the chance to spread his wings and jam.
After working the audience up into sheer madness they eased us into a
sweet soulful blues number. As this number ended, one by one the
members of the band faded out until you only heard a few chords from
the lead guitar. At this point, the lead, being played by Chris
Tofield, took on the role of MC and introduced us to Miss Emily's son
.....
The Mighty Sam McClain.
The audience went wild and Sam turned on the charm. He took that
"fatherly tone" and gave us some food for thought by offering
us the first few lines of "Jesus Got The Blues." Now
this song ain't preachy, nor is it anything you'd expect from a
"blues" singer. It is solid SOUL. Pure and
simple. It is a song I'd expect from Otis Redding (IMHO).
Sam zapped the audience, he took our breath away. For those of
you who are real Classic Soul fans Sam's horn section gave up the sweet
soul sound missing from today's "Neo-Soul".
Sam sang and talked and many times we couldn't tell when a song ended
and the monolog began. Sam's been singing soul music since the
age of 13 ... when he left home because he "had a step dad
who was very much into the momma but couldn't dig the son" ....
his step dad was mean and violent and Sam sang his heart out over the
tale of coming to age. But it not a hard luck blues song
... nope ... it's a soul song all the way, the horn section
steps off stage and Sam's band reduces to 4 pieces and he works the
shit out of the guitar and bass. (Sam and his step dad came to love one
another). The refrain in this song "somebody ought to help
me" is still playing in my head. And launches into a monolog about
the love he has for his wife. How she takes care of him on the
road and sings the most soulful love ballad you've ever heard "No
One Can Take Your Place". At this point we are in Sam's
trance. Sam's voice is deep and mellow. He has been winking
and throwing kisses to the!
Soul Patrol section. He is now at the edge of the stage,
breathing hard and drowning in sweat. He wipes from his shaven
head, gives us a blinding smile and then said "Bob this song is
for you and if they don't know what I am saying you better set them
straight" and Sam launches into a rendition of "A Change Is
Gonna Come", a version so bad even Sam Cooke would cry. And
I don't compare anyone to Sam Cooke.
His horn section was blaring and Sam dug down to a raw spot to give
this performance. But in Sam's words "this ain't even
work" Sam stopped the show. Hell, folks stopped eating and
drinking. I also got so caught up I stopped taking notes.
The next thing that registered was Sam telling us how recording
"Respect Yourself" meant to him. That the recording
session went fantastic, that he was still full of fire until he got
home and his wife told him that Pops Staple had just died that very
night.
With this Sam closed the show. Told us how much he loved us all.
How much performing means to him. How 2002 has brought him more
US dates than ever but Europe and So. American still are the bulk of
his dates.
Sam is a certified Soul Singer who know knows how to sanctify the
blues.
Here is the play list;
first set
*Jesus Got The Blues
*Here I Come Again
*Sledgehammer Soul
*Thank you
*No One Can Take Your Place
*A Change Is Gonna Come
*Respect Yourself"
Set 2
*Where You Been So Long
*Where Would I Be
*Pray
*Hangin' On The Cross
*New Man In Town
*No More Tears
*All We Need Is Love
*Long Train
Let's meet the band ....
Trombone - Roger Caplin
Trumpet - Joe Casanu
Tenor Sax - Pat Hurlieghee
Guitar - Chris Tofield
Bass - Dave Smith
Drum _ James Griffin
Keyboard - Barry Snellen
--AAdamsRib
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http://www.soul-patrol.com/soul/mightysam.htm
The Cafe' Classic Blues & Soul was the perfect venue for Soul
Patroller's to enjoy Mighty Sam. It is a great room and when I
was lead over to the Soul Patrol section I was amazed at the number of
tables reserved for us. At that point, according to the host we
had 32 Soul Patrollers (yep, the lurkers came out in full force) with
advance ticket sales. We had great ring side seats and even the
owner decided to join us. <<
The owner of the club told me that on Friday night there were only
about 30 people at the club to see Mighty Sam.
Last night there were over 100 and we know that 32 of them came because
they had read about the event it on the Soul-Patrol website.
The club owner was mighty impressed with Soul-Patrol......lol
At this point, the lead, being played by Chris Tofield, took on the
role of MC and introduced us to Miss Emily's son ..... The Mighty
Sam McClain. The audience went wild and Sam turned on the charm.
He took that "fatherly tone" and gave us some food for
thought by offering us the first few lines of "Jesus Got The
Blues." Now this song ain't preachy, nor is it anything
you'd expect from a "blues" singer. It is solid SOUL.
Pure and simple. It is a song I'd expect from Otis Redding (IMHO).
Sam zapped the audience, he took our breath away. For those of
you who are real Classic Soul fans Sam's horn section gave up the sweet
soul sound missing from today's "Neo-Soul"<<
And THAT is the whole point about Mighty Sam
It's STONE COLD SOUL and he is the BEST "soul singer" alive
for my money!
Sam sang and talked and many times we couldn't tell when a song ended
and the monolog began. Sam's been singing soul music since the
age of 13 ... when he left home because he "had a step dad
who was very much into the momma but couldn't dig the son" ....
his step dad was mean and violent and Sam sang his heart out over the
tale of coming to age.
Prior to the show, we had a "Soul-Patrol Meet & Greet"
inside of Mighty Sam's opulent tour bus (there was no dressing room in
the club).
Sam McClain discussed many things with the Soul-Patrollers.
One of them was a discussion of "your people"...
Now Black folks know what we mean when we start talking about
"your people".
To those of you who might be unaware, it means "black folk talkin
about each other".
We talked about the SHAME of modern day "Negro radio", talked
about Black folk being too damn lazy to support REAL soul music.
One of the things about Might Sam that is written all over his face is
the PAIN that is there from a lifetime of struggle both personally and
professionally.
He talked with us on the bus about God, his family, the music industry
(and it's STUPID CATEGORIES) and much more.
I have met Sam McClain several times and right next to the pain that
you can see on his face is also the sheer joy of being in a position to
also spread a message about love and humanity that many of us have
become too "sophisticated" to pay attention to anymore.
Some of us need to start paying attention...
The refrain in this song "somebody ought to help me" is still
playing in my head. And launches into a monologue about the love he has
for his wife. How she takes care of him on the road and sings the
most soulful love ballad you've ever heard "No One Can Take Your
Place".
The love between Sam & Sandra is always out front and center, both
live and on CD
At this point we are in Sam's trance. Sam's voice is deep and
mellow. He has been winking and throwing kisses to the Soul
Patrol section. He is now at the edge of the stage,
breathing hard and drowning in sweat. He wipes from his shaven
head, gives us a blinding smile and then said "Bob this song is
for you and if they don't know what I am saying you better set them
straight" and Sam launches into a rendition of "A Change Is
Gonna Come", a version so bad even Sam Cooke would cry. And
I don't compare anyone to Sam Cooke.
Now, I have spoken here on Soul-Patrol about the sheer POWER contained
in Sam McClain's rendition of Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna
Come".
In fact the song is featured on our Soul-Patrol.Net Radio show...
"Covers" at:
http://www.soul-patrol.net/cover2.ram
Go and listen to it
His rendition is AWESOME.
Now Gerald Alston's version of this song is great, however Mighty Sam's
version of "A Change Is Gonna Come" might just be even better
than Sam Cooke's version of "A Change Is Gonna Come"!
Mighty Sam and I have discussed this song many times, and I have told
him that it is my favorite song of his. Seeing him doing it live for
the first time, nearly brought me to tears...
The next thing that registered was Sam telling us how recording
"Respect Yourself" meant to him. That the recording
session went fantastic, that he was still full of fire until he got
home and his wife told him that Pops Staple had just died that very
night. With this Sam closed the show.
By the time our friend Billy Paul and his wife Blanche had arrived at
the club, the "Soul-Patrol Meet and Greet", had ended, so
Billy & Blanche didn't get to meet Mighty Sam, prior to the show
starting.
Billy told me that he wanted to meet Sam so after the show ended, I
took Billy back to the bus. When the two of them met, they hugged and
then sat down to talk.
Sam talked about how much he admired Billy and his work throughout the
years and how much it meant to him to know that he had been out in the
crowd at the performance.
Billy Paul told Sam how much it meant to him, that he had chosen to
honor Pop Staples during the show because he and Pop had been tight
with each other and that Pop had in fact helped Billy out during the
course of his life.
They talked a little more and then exchanged contact information and
CD's with each other!
(THE PRINCE BUSINESS MODEL AT WORK)
I snapped a picture of the two of them together and felt proud that I
had been able to be a small part of such a historic moment.
I felt even prouder that it was Soul-Patrol that had brought the two of
them together...
http://www.soul-patrol.com/soul/mightysam.htm
"nightrain"
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