Hamilton Loomis – CD Release Party – Frederick, MD - Stilladog: Guest Writer

As all readers know, I always encourage outside news but it's particularly cool when my longtime friend "Stilladog" has the time to write up a review on one of my favorite performers on the blues scene today, Hamilton Loomis. Stillog is a musician and long time blues aficionado and here is his coverage of Mr. Hamilton Loomis in concert near his home in Maryland! 

Hamilton Loomis – CD Release Party – Frederick, MD 9/08/2013 SOLD OUT!

Hamilton Loomis, making his second appearance at Jekyll & Hyde's in Frederick, MD delivered a very entertaining show last night. The venue was quickly sold out by long time fans and many people who were captivated by Hamilton’s appearance at the 2011 Western Maryland Blues Festival in Hagerstown, MD and those who had seen his gig at Jekyll & Hyde's last year were in attendance.

As you might imagine, most folks were familiar with many of his songs excepting those that were from his new release, Give It Back and he had the audience singing with him on several of his numbers. Since this was a CD Release Party for that album, there was a generous sprinkling of tunes from the release in both sets. The Hamilton Loomis Band  treated new and existing fans to his unique brand of blues, funk, soul, jazz, and rock all mixed into a blender with the emphasis on the funk!

The Give It Back release is a way for Loomis to pay homage to the mentors he had before him and a way to begin to give back to those who follow.  Good advice for all of us really. Hamilton’s exposure at a young age  to the musicians of Houston’s Third and Fifth Wards (a who’s who of soul and blues) has helped mold his sound and it is plainly evident, particularly in the second set when he had the house rocking with a Bo Diddley medley and with the first set closer, Johnny “Guitar” Watson’s Bow Wow, which for me was the highlight of the show.

As Bman noted in his review of the band when they hit Phoenix earlier this year, all the musicians are darn near virtuosos in their own right. The first set started out with a smoking jazz instrumental featuring saxophonist, Fabian Hernandez. 

It was followed by Best Worst Day,  and then a series of funk infused songs from the new album, the most memorable of which was Stuck In A Rut. Then back to a few of what are becoming standards for his sets, My Pen, Take A Number, and Pull Strings. When Loomis wasn’t knocking them dead with guitar licks or his smooth soul voice, Hernandez was absolutely wowing them with saxophone pyrotechnics on both alto and tenor.

The evening opened with a nice set by local blues band Rudy and The Bluefish.  Loomis had some difficulties with what appeared to be the wireless on the PA which delayed his first set a good 15-20 minutes.  As a result the first set extended way beyond plan going well over an hour even after they got it cranked up. At the break, nearly everyone in the house lined up to buy the new CD and other various items of swag. 

I did my best to promote his Live In England CD to those around me as well, which is an awesome representation of his live show albeit with some different sidemen.

One of the most ear-catching tunes of the second set was the song Eternally about the prediction of the end of the world by the Mayan calendar which of course didn’t happen. It’s on the new CD. My favorite for the second set was Workin’ Real Hard. A surprise for many was Loomis’ rendition of Prince’s Purple Rain which he identified as one of his all-time favorite songs that he just wanted to play. The funk was popping, and the rock was rocking, and the blues was flowing.  The extended drum solo by percussionist Armando Aussenac was icing on the cake. Aussenac’s drums, combined with the lines bass man Dante Ware laid down, well the foundation could not have been any stronger.  Even when a local DC bassist sat in on a tune the lower register remained as entertaining as it was solid. At one point Loomis left the stage jumped on a table and proceeded to inject everything from Led Zeppelin to Chuck Berry riffs into an extended solo walking about the room on a pathway of chairs the audience cleared out before him.  

As the funk drifted off into the night and the patrons slowly made their way home it is safe to say a good time was had by all.  Just about every face in the place was smiling like the butcher’s dog! 

"Seeing Hamilton Loomis live is very highly recommended by Stilladog!  And that’s a fact, Jack!!!  "
    

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