So I was covering this show in Park City last week at Cicero's. It had been a pretty long day, and I just wanted to go home. On my way to my car, a nice, young girl, I would say in her early 20s, asked me for a ride to her hotel. Seeing as how the shuttles were no longer running, I said yes.
As we were making our way down to the Yarrow, I asked her where she was from, was she in school and why was she here? I found out that she's a music writer for an online magazine called Out.com.
"Really?" I said. "That's so interesting. I write an out-and-about column for a local paper."
"Really?" she said, appearing very surprised that a Utah paper would have such a thing.
"Really," I said.
She kept going on about "Out" this and "Out" that, and I was just totally thrilled that there was a Web site in San Francisco that had the same name as my column. Not only did I share a moniker with this Web site, but I was sure the material we covered was similar.
When the drive was over, this young girl thanked me, gave me her card, her e-mail address and told me to keep in touch.
Later that night, when I was lying in bed, I started to laugh, because I suddenly realized that our "outs" weren't necessarily the same. I also realized that the title "Out and About" isn't as original as I thought.
Because I want to be a one and only, I think I'm going to change the name of the column. I don't know if I have the power to do that, but why not give it a try? You see, "Out and About" really should be "In and Around," since all I truly do is go inside clubs, hang around and emerge from them smelling bad. I know, I know, it's a glamorous job.
Back to what this column is supposed to be about: After working the phones (I called my friend Sim), I discovered Maceo Parker, the saxophone funk master himself, would be performing Friday night and Saturday night at the Zephyr club.
Maceo Parker is amazing.
He is the one who has created the "funk" genre. Most people feel George Clinton is the great funk lord, but I think Maceo is truly the King.
Maceo's history is full of legends.
He got his start with none other than James Brown, the Godfather of Soul, and he was the star who helped define James' brand of funk.
If any of you out there have listened to James Brown recordings and you have heard him yell, "Maceo, I want you to blow," he's talking to Parker.
In the 1980s, Maceo hooked up with George Clinton, thus shaping his sound as well.
Maceo has influenced countless musicians throughout his career. One being Ani Di Franco, who has really taken funk folk to a different ZIP code. In Maceo's press materials, Ani has stated that Maceo is one of her ultimate heroes. "Talk about a happy presence on stage," she's quoted as saying, "he's like a Buddha with a saxophone."
He really, truly is. I saw him last summer, when he toured with Ani. He was on fire. I mean, so many people were just on their feet dancing around, hippin' and groovin'. Even those quiet, little, shy types who were afraid to make a wrong step wiggled around to Maceo's funky sax.
I seriously believe that I have never witnessed a show quite like that in my life.
Now, I think everyone needs to go to the Zephyr this weekend. If you don't have anyone to go with, don't let that deter you. At his shows, everyone becomes friends.
Tickets are selling quickly, so call right now.
The number is 355-CLUB.
Mach schnell!!!!!!!