Doug Webb & Eric Marienthal@The Baked Potato 10.16.26

“Congratulations! first prize is one sax in the band; second prize is two saxists!”

So joked sax man Doug Webb as he mixed up the band lineup of his usual stint at the Baked Potato this time around, adding alto king Eric Marienthal to create a formidable front line of long time friends before the packed house at the Baked Potato.

In fact, the evening was a perfect advertisement for our site’s monthly theme, that of friendship, as Doug and Eric shared stories through the night of how they became friends in eight grade and even through Berklee School, not to mention Webb reminiscing of walking to school with childhood friend and bassist Jimmy Earl, and drummer Joel Taylor being such a longtime amigo that he just arrived from Tokyo a mere 6 hours before the gig to sit in with the band that also included faithful compatriot Matt Rohde on keys.

And, oh yes! There was also music! WHEW!

The gents were all in a fun and funky mood throughout, reflected on the heavy backbeat of Freddie Hubbard’s ‘Povo” with the stage set between the contrast of Webb’s smokey tenor and Marienthal sweet as apple cider alto. The rhythm section then turned into the Famous Flames as Webb pulled out his baritone for a happy hippo solo and joining with Eric on a feelin’ good “One For James”, while Marcus Miller’s “Splatch” had Earl and Taylor digging in like a chain gang and the  horns delivering soul sista’ solos, and Marienthal tapping into his inner David Sanbourn for a lovely and lyrical “Straight To The Heart” which closed by having the two Selmer men serenading each other in reed rapture.

Coaxed by Taylor’s cymbals, the band went modal on a suave and smooth “Black Narcissus” while the other Joe Henderson tune, “Recorda Me” sizzled like fried rice, featuring some jai alai exchanges between him and Earle. The evening closed as it began, with the gospel soul groove of “Compared To What” having Rohde pound the pulpit, Marienthal preaching it to the congregation and Webb giving the “Amens”.

Beaming afterwards, Webb told the crowd, “I’m thankful every\ time I get to play with these guys. They set the bar high”. At this night at the Baked Potato, Webb and Marienthal treated the bar like Dick Fosbury, flying over it with ease.

Upcoming shows at the Baked Potato include Charles Ruggiero w/ Bob Mintzer 10/21, David Garfield 10/22, Banned From Utopia 10/29-31, The Webb Allstars 11/01-03 and Basic Cable 11/04

www.thebakedpotato.com