Joe Jackson - TP report

The show last night was outstanding — the best I've seen all year. Joe started at the piano by himself for the first two songs. Then his band came out for the bulk of the show. He's touring with a six-piece combo, including Alison Cornell (on keyboards, viola, vocals and even banjo) and Sue Hadjopoulos (who's played percussion for Joe as far back as Night and Day). Jesse Murphy, the bassist, switched between electric and acoustic, and even played tuba on "Is She Really Going Out with Him?" And Nate Smith was a powerhouse on the drum kit. His attack made "The Invisible Man" a particular standout. They played the Ellington tunes pretty closely to the arrangements on Joe's new CD, The Duke; the arrangements on Joe's own material got changed around a lot, especially on his Seventies songs. The show ended with "A Slow Song"; the musicians dropped out and left the stage one at a time, leaving Joe to finish the song by himself on piano.

I guess Joe's age may be catching up to him a bit; he remained seated all night at the piano. But he's in good voice, and he remains an exceptional bandleader. The musicians looked delighted throughout — seriously, how many musicians get a chance to play Ellington these days?

Apart from the dumbass who kept hollering, "'Real Men'!" after every song — and even during a quiet part of one of the songs! — last night's show couldn't have been improved upon, IMO.

SETLIST:
It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing) (Joe solo)
Be My Number Two (Joe solo)
In a Sentimental Mood
Caravan
You Can’t Get What You Want (Till You Know What You Want)
It's Different for Girls
I'm Beginning to See the Light/Take the "A" Train/Cotton Tail
Mood Indigo
The Invisible Man
Rockin' in Rhythm
Hometown
Perdido/Satin Doll
The Mooche/Black and Tan Fantasy
Another World
Target
Steppin' Out
It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing) (full band)

ENCORE:
Is She Really Going Out with Him?
Sunday Papers
A Slow Song

Damn, dude - sounds like a great shoow for sure. Hopefully he'll bring this to Austin. (Though I doubt it.)

So sorry, Mr Toland; JJ is swinging down to California for three dates (San Francisco, Saratoga and L.A.), then over to Europe for the rest of 2012. (If I still lived in Colorado, I would've missed this one.)

Joe will playing the venerable old The Orpheum Theatre in downtown L.A. - wonder if he'll perform on the 5-story high pipe organ?

Tickets range from $40 to $79. OUCH. Guess it really is true what they're saying about how musicians make their money nowadays from playing live, not from recordings.

Harrumph. He didn't play "Funk #49?"

My guess is, Alison Cornell is more likely to take a seat at that organ (at least during the show) than JJ. She's his "utility player" on this tour.

I see on its web site that the Orpheum seats 2,000. My recommendation, Fab? Get a cheap(er) ticket and go. You won't be disappointed.

> Harrumph. He didn't play "Funk #49?"

Nope. None of his material from his days in The Eagles, either.