X
Concert Review
Otis Clay
January 4, 2014 @ SPACE
X
By Dave Miller
XZo
Otis Clay was on a roll during the first of his two sets Saturday night at Evanston's SPACE. As it carried on in what could have passed for the whole performance, his right-hand man, trumpeter Daryll Thompson, checked his watch and made sure Clay took note, but the soul man forged ahead, launching into an extended medley that he clearly didn't want to end.
X
From Al Green's "Love & Happiness" into O.V. Wright's "Into Something (Can't Shake Loose)" into Sam & Dave's "Soul Man" into the Staples Singers' "Respect Yourself" and, finally, into his own "I Just Wanna Testify," Clay delivered a dictionary of soul. Only when the monster medley was over did the 71-year-old Clay and his feel-good band take a much-deserved break after playing for 80 minutes.
X
That would pass for the entire show for many bands, but Clay and his crew returned to play another set in an uplifting concert that stretched nearly two-and-a-half hours. It was the perfect way to start the New Year. Clay's music is good for the soul. It's a combination of Saturday night and Sunday morning with soul's sweat mixed with gospel's spirit.
X
Clay can hush a room with his vocals as on "Even Now" and "Walk a Mile in My Shoes," take his band wherever he wants to go as in his set-closing medleys that fell into swinging grooves, and be humorous while talking to the crowd like a friend. If there's a better working soul man on the planet, I'd like to see him. Clay is one of the last of a dying breed. During "Nickel and a Nail," Clay ticked off a list of departed old-school soul men including Otis Redding, Sam Cooke, Solomon Burke and his "brother," Tyrone Davis. "Most of my friends are gone," he said.
X
It was a tribute both to Clay and SPACE's patrons that the room was nearly full considering a snowstorm descended upon the area in the afternoon to make travel perilous. Only a few scattered seats sat empty while a standing-room crowd watched from the back of the room. Clay rewarded the undeterred concertgoers by bringing with him an 11-piece band that included three horns, three background singers and two keyboard players. His attentive musicians are tight enough to follow him wherever he goes on the fly and loose enough to remain funky.
X
Clay brought up club owner Dave Specter to play guitar on "This Time I'm Gone for Good," a Bobby "Blue" Bland cover that will appear on Specter's upcoming Message in Blue album. Clay enjoyed the collaboration so much in the first set that he called Specter back to the stage for a repeat performance in the second set. After the impromptu indulgence, Clay closed strongly with a long medley of his "Trying to Live My Life Without You," Johnnie Taylor's "Love Bone" and Green's "Take Me to the River," sending everyone into the night with an uplifted soul and positive spirit to tackle the snowstorm and 2014.
X
The setlist:
X
Messing with My Mind
Love's After Me
Even Now
Truth Is
This Time I'm Gone for Good
Walk a Mile in My Shoes
Last Two Dollars
Love & Happiness/Into Something (Can't Shake Loose)/Soul Man/Respect Yourself/I Just Wanna Testify
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
instrumental
Nickel and a Nail
I Can Take You to Heaven Tonight
This Time I'm Gone for Good
Trying' to Live My Life Without You/Love Bone/Take Me to the River
First set start: 8:14 p.m./Finish: 9:34 p.m.
Second set start: 10:18 p.m./Finish: 11:21 p.m.
Totals: 19 songs, two hours 23 minutes
Photo Gallery
Otis Clay
January 4, 2014 @ SPACE
Zo
Otis Clay
January 4, 2014 @ SPACE
X
Otis Clay
January 4, 2014 @ SPACE
X
Otis Clay
January 4, 2014 @ SPACE
X
Otis Clay
January 4, 2014 @ SPACE
X
Otis Clay
January 4, 2014 @ SPACE
X
Otis Clay
January 4, 2014 @ SPACE
X
Otis Clay
January 4, 2014 @ SPACE
Zo
Otis Clay
January 4, 2014 @ SPACE
X
Otis Clay
January 4, 2014 @ SPACE
X
Otis Clay
January 4, 2014 @ SPACE
X
Otis Clay
January 4, 2014 @ SPACE
Zo
Otis Clay
January 4, 2014 @ SPACE
X
Otis Clay
January 4, 2014 @ SPACE
X
Otis Clay
January 4, 2014 @ SPACE
X
