MINNEAPOLIS — Guitarist Eric Krasno and drummer Stanton Moore, two accomplished jazz-level musicians popular for their impacts in the jam scene, hit up the storied Dakota Jazz Club on Thursday (March 23).
Instead of sticking strictly to the extensive catalog of songs they are both individually known for, they actually cut and released an album paying tribute to female musicians.
They are at about the halfway point in their tour with organist Eric Finland, who shined beautifully on the Hammond B-3.
The trio hits City Winery in Chicago tonight and Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox in Denver on Saturday before picking things back up at Seattle’s Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley April 4-5, but I’ll get to the rest of their tour a little later.
These two badasses have long resumes in the jazz/funk/jam scene, including, but not limited to, Krasno’s work as an original member of Lettuce (which happens to be playing in Minneapolis tonight) and Soulive and Moore’s work with Galactic and Garage A Trois.
As Moore mentioned last night, in explaining that they both have a lot of material to draw from, “We both have extensive experience with organ jazz trios.”
That’s an exclusive club.
They got into some of that material.
One medley drew heavily from the Meters and Galactic. “Kras” noted that the Meters are one of his favorite bands. They covered “That’s What Love Will Make You Do,” a song associated with Jerry Garcia Band, though originally written and performed by the late Little Milton.
They covered the Beatles’ “Eleanor Rigby,” a song Krasno covered with Soulive.
What was even cooler was that they released an album to support on this tour called Book of Queens, covering both legendary and up-and-coming female musicians including Aretha Franklin, Amy Winehouse, Kacey Musgraves, and Billie Eilish, among others.
The album is available for streaming on most platforms such as Spotify.
One of the most incredible moments of the show at the Dakota, at least for me, was their cover of Eilish’s “Lost Cause.”
I’ll admit, I don’t know the young singer’s material well, though I know she has to be mightly talented. You don’t win over that many teenage hearts as a musician without something extraordinary.
I love what they’ve done with her original, which I did give a listen to. You won’t find me at the next Eilish concert, but I thank for her and all of the very talented women they covered for giving Krasno and Moore some inspiration.
Their tour concludes with a date at Portland’s Star Theater on April 6, San Franscisco’s The Chapel on April 7, and the Knitting Factory Noho in Los Angeles on April 8.
Find ticket information for the tour here.
Much love to Jeff B. for acquiring the setlist and sigs.