On November 1st at Yoshi’s, Ghost-Note featured bandleader Robert “Sput” Searight on drums, Dwayne “MonoNeon” Thomas on bass, Peter Knudsen on guitar, Dominique Xavier Taplin on keys, Jonathan Mones on alto sax and flute, Mike Jelani Brooks on tenor sax, Danny Wytanis on trombone, and vocalist MacKenzie. The Dallas funk band formed in 2014 had everyone in the slightly cramped yet comfortable seated venue moving and grooving.
The first thing I noticed was Sput’s absolutely righteous kit at the center of the stage. After I had some time to settle in and order some delicious Japanese food, Robert and Dominique performed a sweet extended jam that immediately brightened my mood. It was only uphill from there as the rest of the band joined in, their energy irresistibly infectious — nobody has fun like a big ol’ funk group!
Most of the music performed was off the band’s 2024 album Mustard n’ Onions, with new music and jam sessions thrown in for the heck of it. The songs included smooth, high-flying originals, but the band also drew from the legendary catalogs of artists such as Prince, James Brown, the J.B.’s, and Parliament. Ghost-Note’s music presents a fusion of fusions, sometimes sounding like Miles Davis’ genre-blending work with its beautifully twisted and psychedelic instrumentals, and at other times bringing a more poppy, snappy funk sound reminiscent of Earth, Wind & Fire. Additionally, MacKenzie’s ridiculous range and gorgeous voice, accompanied by the backing vocals of the rest of the band, busted out some serious soul that would have impressed Clyde Stubblefield.
The band interspersed chatter between and during songs, either amongst themselves or directed to the audience, encouraging us to move or making us laugh. Quips and banter flew around the stage, and at one point they started scatting their instruments all at once. They were constantly hyping each other up like a group of old friends on a night out.
For me, the solos were the centerpiece of the show, all eight members slamming down something jazzy, funky, or downright wicked. During MonoNeon’s solo, the rest of the band left the stage and someone knocked over a mic stand. I didn’t even notice until they came back and picked it back up, however, as I was so transfixed by MonoNeon’s playing. When someone would solo, the rest of the band would lean back a bit and you could tell they were all thinking, “daaang!”. They would also fan the soloist with their towels, which were definitely necessary in the hot space. It was such a wonder to see their bodies contort as they jammed.
Review by Finn Doherty
