What is this elusive groove of which people speak? I think a lot of aspects of music appreciation happen whether consciously or not on a deeply personal level so one listener’s Grateful Dead may be another’s Phish. A groove is not simply when all of the characters, parts, fall into synchronous orbit….it’s hard to describe but I’m going to give it a shot. When you listen to a track like “Papa Don’t Take No Mess” by James Brown you cannot help but move. It may be a twitch, a tic, a barely noticeable head bob but I defy any human to not feel the groove of this tune. A possible indication of groove is that I missed the song when it was over.

The Meters get into the groove, regularly. Dig “Cissy Strut” if you don’t believe me

It’s instrumental music but I find myself in the land of the tune…..it’s like reading a great book and you find yourself immersed in the surroundings, smells, history of the story so much so that when you have to get off the subway you’re at odds with the rest of the world. Groove is transformative and transportive. You can tell when the groove has not been established….if you find the music repetitive or boring, odds are whomever is playing has failed to achieve the “groove”. One may mistakenly think the burden of the groove rests squarely on the drummers shoulders, not so. Even a solo guitar player can establish a groove. Groove does not have to be funky (though it often is). I think John Fahey establishes a groove here.

I think it’s no coincidence the way a needle rides in the groove of a record. It bounces along through dips and sways in the valleys of song (new lyric Lynch? mebbe). Dvorak has groove

Anyways happy spring to you all!!

Playing March 25th @7PM PATH Cafe 131 Christopher Street, NYC w/ James Beaudreau (lead guitar) Ben Kraus (bass) dig the essence!