Better than you thought possible
by Seth on 8/28/24Blue Note Summer Sessions - NapaThe venue was great, very relaxed. But the band- wow. I enjoy all the musicians in their various other endeavors, but to see everyone on stage playing as The Fearless Flyers- wow. I have seen a lot of great music in my life, and a lot of great funk performances by the legends of the genre. This was the tightest pocket I have ever heard in any genre in my life. This was watching a group of consummate, passionate professionals at the very top of their game having a great time and sharing it with us. They don't play together all that often. If you get the chance, and you like funk music, this is a bucket list performance. I had a huge grin the whole time because every component of the show was better than I thought possible. The sound mixing was incredible! Nate Smith is a genius, and played a three piece drum kit and blew the absolute doors off of the place. Joe Dart is a monster on bass, obviously. But Cory Wong and Mark Lettieri were incredible, and their styles were different but so remarkably complementary! They are each such distinctive guitar players, and with Mark on the Baritone guitar, the solos were soaring, melodic, and the tones were simply gorgeous. There are some of the best solos in a funk context ever recorded on the latest album, Fearless Flyers IV, recorded live just a few months earlier, which they played in their entirety after opening with some classics. This band is the very top of the mountain and I sincerely hope that you get the opportunity to see them, because it is so pure and beautiful and well done with such skill that it will make you excited about music as art and transcends the commercial drudgery and brands being forced down your throat and all of the garbage that comes with commercial music production. These are masters, playing music they love and enjoying themselves, and sharing it with you. I am so happy I got to see them! Thanks guys!