Brass Construction at the Dell East in Philly

I’m not going to go into a lot of detail here because my notes aren’t very good, but I did want to make a few comments about the performance last night of this group who opened up for Mandrill last night.

They put on a pretty good show and their performance brought to mind a few thoughts….

Most 70’s FUNK fans sorta lump Brick, Brass Construction, BT Express and similar groups together in a way that kinda writes them off as being "minor", because they only had a few memorable songs.

We really shouldn’t do that.

These groups are really operating in the same "jazz-funk" space that Kool and the Gang operated in, prior to them going "commercial", that is lamented by most Funk fans.

The hit records (ex: Movin & Changin) were MONSTER party jams when they first came out, they got played last night and the crowd went wild. The other songs they played were pretty much unknown and didn’t really move the crowd.

As they played I had the following thoughts

· Brass Construction sounded an awful lot like Kool and the Gang did back in 1973

· I’d really like to see them perform in a smaller venue (like a jazz club), because they are some excellent musicians

I had similar thoughts about BRICK when I saw them last year

Anyhow, here is the set list, as best I can reconstruct it…

1. UNKNOWN INSTRUMENTAL COVER

2. EVERYBODY GET ON THE PARTY LINE

3. WHAT’S ON YOUR MIND

4. DANCE, DANCE, DANCE

5. CHANGIN

6. UNKNOWN SLOW JAM

7. FOREVER LOVE?

8. NAIMA (yes a cover of the John Coltrane classic)

9. WE NEED LOVE

10. YOU GOT ME WALKIN

11. MOVIN

If you get a chance to see them live in a small venue, check em out!