“It’s all of this. It’s everything you see here: the musicians, the fans, and the music. You can feel it tonight.” – Karl Denson
Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe did bring it all to The Canal Club on Tuedsay, September 24, surprising the crowd with a blend of musical styles that led concert-goers into a jazz-fusion time warp.
“It’s all of this. It’s everything you see here: the musicians, the fans, and the music. You can feel it tonight.” – Karl Denson
Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe did bring it all to The Canal Club on Tuedsay, September 24, surprising the crowd with a blend of musical styles that led concert-goers into a jazz-fusion time warp. Richmond-area jazz musicians tapped their toes eagerly, wanting to take part in the cosmic musical adventure, and then joined Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe on stage to offer their own riffs to the musical potage.
Karl Denson is best known for playing with Lenny Kravitz’s band, but his recent jam-packed schedule has him playing shows with his jazz band Greyboy Allstars, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, and reggae-rock group Slightly Stoopid, which has earned him quite a following. Despite Denson’s eclectic musical influences, including strains of rock, soul, R&B, and funk, Denson proved jazz is alive and well at Richmond’s Canal Club.
The time warp opened up the minute Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe came on stage, Denson’s retro style reeling back the audience with an entrancing 1970s vibe. Listen closely and you can almost hear Herbie Hancock on stage when keyboardist David Veith accompanies D.J. Williams’ vocals and tight guitar licks and Chris Stillwell’s bass in the song “The Hen.” Karl Denson (saxophone, flute, keyboard, guitar, vocals) is a master mentor in the music world, and when he and Chris Littlefield (trumpet, flugelhorn, vocals) blow those horns, they fill in the vocal breaks, registering such a soulful harmony while showing off their rhythmic chops. Every artist brings a complex mesh of ideas to each song, rendering the music so individual, yet beautifully cohesive. After some serious jamming in “The Hen,” “Everybody Knows That,” and “Front Money,” the band played “Groove On” from of their latest album, The Bridge, switching to a bluesy, mellow vibe that had the audience swaying to the syncopated rhythm.
Denson’s shows are so popular with local musicians because they don’t have to sit and play along in their heads; they are encouraged join the band on stage! D.J. Williams (guitar/vocals) is the frontman of local Richmond band The D.J. Williams Projekt, and as one of the night’s highlights, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe played “New Ammo,” a song slated to appear on the new D.J. Williams Projekt album. Four of the six members of D.J.’s band joined in on the song: Williams, trumpeter Mark Ingram, sax player Gordon Jones; and drummer Dusty Ray Simmons, who took over for Max Macveety for the song. The Richmond fans went wild when their local boys hit the stage.
Denson’s group displayed their versatility even more in their encore, a rousing edition of the Beastie Boys’ “Sure Shot,” and proved to everyone there that this was not a night for mere smooth jazz. Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe was everything and we felt it.
D.J. Williams answered a few questions about the show before taking the stage.
How long have you been playing with Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe and how did you become a member of the band?
I joined the band in July of 2011. I have known about Karl since my freshmen year of college in 1999, when someone hipped me to the Greyboy Allstars. I got a chance to open for him at Alley Katz with my band in 2004, and he immediately invited us on the road with him for a string of dates down through the Southeast. We became tight, and he would sit in with my band at festivals, and I would sit in with him. In 2011, his guitar player decided to pursue his own endeavors, and that’s when Karl called me and asked if I would join the band full time.
What is it like being in this band?
This band is made up of six wonderful personalities and it shows in the music. It’s all laughs on the road.
How does Karl keep up with the relentless touring with Slightly Stoopid as well as putting out an album with Greyboy Allstars?
He really is one of the hardest working people in the industry. I had always read that and believed it, but now that I am a part of this machine, I know it for sure. I’ve never learned more music and practiced as much as I ever had until lately. The challenge is really great and inspiring and the traveling is crazy!
I heard that Karl plays and practices nonstop even while on tour. Is this true?
I don’t know about nonstop, but he’s always keeping his game up. He got musically “muscled” at Jazz Fest by Joshua Redman on stage, and the next day he stayed in his room all day practicing his jazz chops.
Where do you usually gather songwriting inspiration? What is your usual songwriting process?
Songwriting inspiration comes from everywhere. It doesn’t stop. I usually will have an idea hit me out of nowhere, especially when I wake up in the morning just laying in bed or sitting in my car at a stoplight. I’ll call my voicemail and sing it if I’m not in a place to write it down, or if I don’t have my guitar.
If you could not be a successful musician, what would you be?
I wanted to be a cartoonist for a really long time growing up. I still have all my sketchbooks and ideas. I also wanted to be a pilot. I still do.
How is the tour going so far?
The tour has been great. We have a new drummer and he’s fitting in quite nicely. It’s been great doing some tunes live that we have coming out on the new record in a few months! Karl has also revived some older tunes from back in the beginnings of the band too.
What is your favorite venue you have played, and in what venue would you like to play and why?
I’d say Brooklyn Bowl has been a band favorite. The Belly Up in San Diego showed us tons of hometown love in that room! I would REALLY like to play Red Rocks in Denver. It is like going to the Super Bowl for a musician.
Tell me about the Jam Cruise you will be playing in January. Who are the artists you are most excited to see?
Jam Cruise is life changing. And I don’t throw that term around loosely. It’s a great community of bands coming together, and I think everyone steps up their game being surrounded by so much talent. I am really excited to see Stanley Jordan up close for the first time, and Bootsy Collins, because I’m a James Brown fanatic. There’s also a really cool band with Adam Deitch, John Popper, DJ Logic & George Porter I want to check out too!
What do you do in your free time?
Well, right now my wedding falls in the middle of this tour, so it’s been a lot of communicating with the lady from the road to finalize our wedding plans. Outside of that, I love playing disc golf, cooking, and taking long trips on my motorcycle. Just got a new Kawasaki Vulcan, and I am going to try to get a ride in before our show here tonight in RVA!
