Concert Review: Stack of Blankets at the Thirsty Dog, 5 Aug 2021

Stack of Blankets Delivered a night of soul-jazz to The Thirsty Dog, as part of their Funk and Fusion Thursdays. 

This is a Dan Sperber project and a night of Soul Jazz and psychedelic flights of improv. Is this Funk or Con-Fusion? The regular Thursday night Jazz show at the Thirsty Dog for fans and fellow artistes.

Sperber is a Jazz guitarist who plays with lots of textures and Lounge ambience as per previous projects New Loungehead and Relaxomatic. Most recent released album Think On Your Feet from 2020 was Country heartbreak. That side also surfaces tonight.

The rest of the Stack of Blankets. Jonathan Crayford bass, Jess Hix congas and percussion and Isaac Levi Tucker drums. A few special guests are pulled in as the night progresses.

Domestica and the kick drum snaps as the congas lay out a Latino tattoo. Liquid guitar tones and some wet reverb. Post-Surf tranquility and trance. A Funk Blues bass line. There is some Sly Stone There’s a Riot Goin’On ambience as the guitar plays languid with a hint of deeper menace in the Funk accents as per one of Bobby Womack’s finest moments.

Some lyrics eventually arise, not present on the original single. Low delivery speak-singing with the affectless style of a David Lynch. Why do we want more? Underlying spookiness of the Twin Peaks family homes.

LaHarmony is a reference to lahars as well as harmony. Funk oozes out of the guitar. Again, some surf tones and with the locked-in rhythm it sounds like an extended vamp. The origins of Funk. Chanted vocals emotions will flow/ Lead with your heart/ let yourself go.

Buzz Moller from Voom is invited up, and after carefully assessing the stage height like an elderly high-jumper, gets it up there (three white lights). Worth it as it’s a great version of Beautiful Day. A sunny Pop mantra. Nice fluid riffs which flow organically and a Jazz guitar solo also thrown in.

There is a fantastically strange-looking instrument on stage which looks like an arty alpine horn but is actually a bass clarinet. Maurice is on to accompany Tsungamihi. He plays warm thaumaturgic bass tones resembling the world of Swordfishtrombones. James Brown-style malevolent bass guitar lines. Guitar comes wheeling in with space-age phrasing and evokes the spirit of the Beats and Hobo night-life. The big clarinet also goes up high and plays textural like Ornette Coleman. Or Eric Dolphy.

Amelia gets a great workout as it is largely all improvised, I am told later. Spin me around the Cosmos/ Show me all you know/ Tell me all is not lost/ Dance me through the floor. A dead-pan delivery but it’s pure Lounge sound textures from the players. The bass is soothing and mellow.

Compelling and addictive grooves. Soulful Trance music.

After a break there is more of a Funky Seventies Soul flavour.

Upside Down Cloud and more of those liquid molten guitar licks.

Smart Casual Relationships and the guitar wheels and revolves in a nice dance with a little of the Dennis Coffey sound. The one behind the Temptations Late Sixties Psychedelic Shack album.

Somewhere along the way, guitar squalls and shredding.

Huia Road is a great closing song. Beautiful melodies as long notes bend out and evoke the hills and space of the Waitakeres, with the sun coming off the water. Melodic Funk and English soul vocals.

Comforting blankets of sound as well as something of a magic carpet ride.

That’s every Thursday night. Funk Confusion and more to groove to at the Thirsty Dog.

Rev Orange Peel