NYC Tsunami Relief Jam 0/31/2005

It seems one man can make a difference. Local New York musician David Lott did more than just watch the tsunami devastation on the nightly news and read the reports in the morning paper. He actually took the tragedy on a personal level and made a call to action. One that somehow, in just a few short weeks, raised a proud donation for the American Red Cross and became one of the premiere rock nights to emerge from a rather frigid New York January.

NYC Tsunami Relief Jam lived up to its name, with a strong jam-heavy lineup and an endless marathon of a night. DJ Logic’s slot got things kicking early, but it wasn’t his turntables that brought the first few yelps from the eager crowd. On the spot bandmates: guitarist Scott Metzger (RANA), bassist Justin Wallace (ulu), and drummer Joe Russo (Duo) stepped right over Logic - who once again fell much too low in a rock mix to be audible - and dove head first into a groove rock set.

If there was an MVP of the night, it was undoubtedly Russo, as the newly crowned king of the kit never seemed to take a break. As the others quietly exited off stage, keyboardist Marco Benevento joined his Duo partner for a beat-rich collection of interlocking interplay. And before Russo could escape, Metzger reappeared, guitar in hand, this time accompanied by Ween bassist Dave Dreiwitz. Together, the four tore through an instrumental Led Zeppelin cover set that not only raised the bar for the night, but practically every beer bottle and fist in the place.

As the night approached midnight, audiophile, guitar virtuoso Steve Kimock and band took the stage to a warm applause. Opening with “A New Africa,” Kimock took it down a notch, unassumingly reminding the revelers that this was a time to reflect amidst the eclectic celebration. “Thing One,” “Dr. Zaius,” and “One For Brother Mike,” all followed suit, with Kimock intricately weaving his way through soft, subtle solos. Before he was done, “Sabertooth” would emerge and “Tongue 'n' Groove” would close out a brief, but always strong set.

Typical of a jam smorgasbord event, the evening concluded with a cast of characters joining each other for an all-star collaboration. Eric Krasno fired up the heat, alongside Oteil Burbridge Rob Marscher and Adam Deitch. Even DJ Logic remerged from backstage, this time finding a bit more space in an already tight knit corner.

Of course the music was the center of attention, but the tsunami survivors and their families were the focal point. A merch table offering show t-shirts, posters, and assorted artist items were auctioned off, with all of the proceeds donated to the relief efforts.

Not much more you could ask for from a cold Monday night in the city - and all orchestrated by one proactive music fan. Well done!

Photos by Adam Foley