Wicked Knee 6/22/13 Realartways Hartford

Psyched to learn of the collaboration of old friends and free show at RAW. Billy Martin leader on drums and percussion, Curtis Fowlkes on trombone, Marcus Rojas on tuba, and Steven Bernstein on trumpet, flugelhorn, and slide trumpet. These guys have been playing improvised jazz for 30+ years as part of the downtown scene. Most as part of John Lurie's Lounge Lizards. The show was billed as "ragtime funk", and while this quartet surely has the chops to deliver on some nawlins groove funk, they seemed unable to ditch the skronk avant vibe. While I am a listener who is ok with either genre, it seemed as if the crowd was unprepared. Martin spending time on "percussion table", Bernstein wowing with multiple horn prowess, Fowlkes ever the deft-slide blower, and Rojas on lead tuba sounding as if he was cradling an injured calf in his arms resulted in more improv and less funk. Highlights were "sugar foot stomp", and a dizzy Gillespie tune, and some standards put through the Martin kaleidoscope. While this seemed like an uneven opening, I have faith that preserverance will help this allstar band become more of household name.