Jackson Hole Underground

Every time Galactic plays the Mangy Moose they make us feel like we’re at Tipitina’s in New Orleans, hot and sweaty.

But when they bring along rapper Chali 2na of Jurassic Five, the place gets nuttier than the Audubon Zoo.

Standing 6-foot-6 with a smile as wide as the Mississippi River, the J-5 singer had the joint jumping last night. He was commanding and smooth, busting out rhymes with a positive vibe.

Apparently, the promise of hip-hop meets psychedelic funk gets the testosterone pumping. By my rough estimation, the density of the crowd measured 10 dpsi — dudes per square inch. I’ve done Bikram yoga in cooler conditions.

Guys were charging toward the stage like it was the Tower Three Chute. Fellas, the front row ought to be reserved for the ladies (and the occasional photographer).

The dance floor was a mosh pit, and the crowding a chafe for much of the night. But Galactic was able to churn up enough energy to let us do as they do in New Orleans: roll with it.

Earlier yesterday afternoon in a quieter setting, drummer Stanton Moore gave a rhythm clinic at Center for the Arts. Bassist Robert Mercurio sat in as Moore talked about his style of drumming and the various stick men he has learned from: Johnny Vidacovich, Mardi Gras Indians, Alan Dawson from the Berklee School.

Demonstrating technique between lectures, Moore, widely regarded as one of the best drummers of this era, was like an English professor quoting verse from his favorite poets. At will, he flashed the trademark ferocity that fuels Galactic’s explosive grooves.

The program was organized by Jackson Hole Music Experience, an educational nonprofit housed in the center. In the audience sat 50 to 60 rapt percussionists, ranging from school children tapping pencils to seasoned players like Phil Round and Ed Domer.

Any lesson in New Orleans funk begins with The Meters, and as he and Mercurio thumped out parts of “Cissy Strut,” Moore talked at length about the improvisational style of Joseph “Zigaboo” Modeliste, whose beats, he explained, fall somewhere between straight and swung.

I don’t speak drumming, so much of the technical stuff went over my head. But I was fascinated watching Moore show off the finer points of his craft, like a magician revealing the secrets to his tricks.

That night, Moore again put on a clinic, rising from his seat to crash the cymbals. He took a solo that reverberated through the rafters.

The band didn’t seem to be at its best, having only returned from Moscow, Russia, the previous evening. Galactic came out growling with “FEMA,” a tune written in post-Katrina angst, and at several points lapsed into dark klezmer music one of my friends dubbed “Russian jet lag.”

Chali 2na gave the band a lift. Like the Houseman before him, he would join the young funksters for two or three songs at a time. He covered some of the J-5 hits, like “[Holdin’ on to] What’s Golden.”

Guitarist Jeff Raines stepped up later with some muscular licks, and keyboardist Rich Vogel kept the melodies drenched. But what was really golden, near the end of the show, was a cover of “Lil’ Ol’ Money Maker.” A lesson that began with the Meters would end with the Meters. The dude-heavy crowd finally mellowed as Galactic sent waves of aural joy rippling through the bar.

The finale, Zeppelin’s “Trampled Underfoot,” had everybody talkin’ about love, in advance of Valentine’s Day.

Better yet, for those who wish to spend the holiday boogeying with their sweetheart, one of the Meters himself — George Porter Jr. — arrives with his trio PBS on Thursday for a two-night stint at the Mangy Moose. Bassist Porter, who taught Moore and Mercurio how to thump “Cissy Strut,” is one of the funkiest men on the planet.

Porter, Batiste and Stoltz — who comprise the latter-day incarnation of the Meters, sans Art Neville — have engineered some rollicking good times at the Knotty Pine in recent years, as well as one previous visit to the Moose. Tickets are $15 in advance or $18 at the door.

There ought to be more room to dance. Continue the lesson in New Orleans funk with the maestro who minted the gold.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 13th, 2008 at 4:32 pm and is filed under music, funk, mangy moose, new orleans. You can subscribe via RSS 2.0 feed to this post's comments. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.