8:30pm $8 advance/$10 door (smoke-free show)
There's nothing new under the sun. At this late date we tend to believe that old adage. In the years since the advent of the computer it is hard to argue against that. But, like the old song says, "everything old is new again". Perhaps that is the best way to consider this genre and Gatewood, it's earliest proponent. Cobalt Cool is a blend of the worlds of blues, Latin and traditional jazz into an amalgam you have heard before. It just has never been recognized as it's own niche. The original compositions of this artist draw equally from all three of these disciplines. Sit back and listen and you will find yourself focusing on the jazz voicings of the guitar, keys and saxophone and then the blues melodies relied upon by the singer. But it all comes home to rest upon the afro-cuban percussion reminding us of the source of all of these sounds. Oh yes, and it isn't your imagination when you get a hint of New Orleans in the second line rhythms meant to remind us of how it got here. The Philip Gatewood Band is not shy about reminding us of how long the cobalt cool blend has been with us. In their cover repertoire you will hear songs recorded as far back as the thirties by artists as diverse as Billie Holiday, Duke Ellington, Hank Williams, Dion, Sam Cooke and Bobby Darin. The only innovations to these being the latin paced conga. Catch this lineup live and you will hear songs as recognizable as "Mack the Knife", "That's Alright, Mama" or "Tears on my Pillow", interspersed with the originals that identify this group and this genre. Gatewood tends to perform three covers for every original. All performed definitely cobalt, definitely cool. Based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, a city that finds itself amidst a rennaisance, The Philip Gatewood Band is available in a variety of configurations suitable for any venue or event. We believe their intelligent and artistic approach to their material is one of the most special things to come along in sometime.
