By: Joe Lang
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Eight Head - Photo by Bryan Aaker
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After seeing Dean Magraw with his fusion outfit, Red Planet, I didn’t think it could get any better. Then I saw Eight Head. Chances are, even if you are reading this, you haven’t heard of Eight Head. According to Magraw, the band is “determined to not get famous,” which is a real shame, because the combination of Magraw, drummer J.T. Bates, percussionist Marc Anderson, and bassist Jim Anton oozes musicality, probably more than any other Magraw project.
The band came out and played two songs in the first set. The earthy and melodic groove interplay between Magraw’s clean electric guitar groove, Anton’s Jaco-esque seamless bass textures, and Anderson’s percussion was very similar to much of the world music flirtation of Béla Fleck and the Flecktones. I’d heard clips of the band covering Jimi Hendrix’s “Third Stone From The Sun,” and Miles’ “It’s About That Time,” so, based on the first couple songs, I was getting ready to hear a nice long set of melodic, fresh, and virtuosic musical interplay. Then Ruth McKenzie was invited to the stage.
Coming into the show, I had thought that Eight Head was going to be opening up for McKenzie, which was probably a mistake; with the exception of Bates, her backing band consisted of each member of the band on her 1998 release, Kalevala: Dream of the Salmon Maiden. Sure, Eight Head still were laying down brilliant musical textures, but they were curtailed; this was the Ruth MacKenzie show. That’s not to say it was bad; it just wasn’t my thing. In fairness, MacKenzie certainly has the best female voice I’ve heard live (with the exception of maybe Debbie Duncan, though that’s a completely different genre). According to the Cedar’s website, MacKenzie was “once aptly described as the Janis Joplin of folk,” and, “has a voice that easily fills a room.” While the latter is true, the former is certainly not apt. MacKenzie doesn’t use the screech of Joplin; the fairest comparison would be to Stevie Nicks or Paula Cole, but MacKenzie is easily more forceful, cleaner, and has a better range than either from what I could tell. MacKenzie played songs off of her Kalevala album and the band called it quits after 45 minutes for an intermission.
When they returned the band played an unfamiliar tune, and jumped into Magraw’s “Trippin’ in Eden.” Magraw has milked this piece for all it’s worth; I’ve heard it in four of his separate bands. That said, it’s usually a welcome tune; the bittersweet Celtic-tinged piece is at once exotic and familiar. The band gave a fair treatment of the piece, and then started playing Magraw’s “PCIL,” which had Marc Anderson switch over to steel drums. The piece, easily one of Magraw’s strongest, was completely rearranged with a beautiful island rhythm.
MacKenzie returned to the stage and the band played several tunes backing the singer. MacKenzie and the boys played a handful more tunes, did an encore and called it a night. I’m glad I got a chance to hear a singer of the caliber of MacKenzie, and I also can’t wait until the next time I get to hear Eight Head in a more improvisational environment.
Location Info:
Cedar Cultural Center
Artist Info: Eight Head, Ruth MacKenzie
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