Tunes The Groove Surgeons Perform - John Scofield's, A go go

A go go is the title track from guitar and jazz maestro, John Scofield’s album of the same name. In addition to John the album features John Medeski on organ, Wurlitzer, Clavi and piano, Chris Wood on bass and Billy Martin on drums and tambourine. Medeski Martin & Wood as trio being an American avant-jazz-funk band formed in 1991.

The Groove Surgeons are great fans of John Scofield’s music, particularly in this unit. Medeski Martin and Wood provide unique ,spacious, quirky groove that creates an environment perfect for Scofield to demonstrate his mastery of equally eccentric but highly compelling guitar playing. For us, this tune is perfect. Great head, great breaks and powerful, interesting groove that permits the space for creativity.

We work from the album form of the song but when performing live will create breaks that could go wherever the band feels inspired. Because we also have more instruments you will find that our overall approach to instrumentation is different with harmony’s split between keys and guitar and head lead parts and over conversational undertaken by the horns alongside keys and guitar.

Here is the original album version of John’s classic tune, A Go Go:

The sound of this album and tune is quite unique. The combination of the MM&W trio spacey, intriguing groove gives power to John’s unique, jaunty, angular guitar approach in this tune. Space and it’s utilization is central to the tune’s character.

The Groove Surgeons adopt a similar approach to A Go Go although this may vary depending upon the size of our band. When working as a four piece, we will tend to lean more on this original version whereas as the band expands in size, we see the horns taking the lead roles with occasional support from keys and guitar, with both instruments looking to inject interest into the drum and bass groove.

Tunes The Groove Surgeons Perform - Mercy, Mercy, Mercy.

Mercy, Mercy, Mercy - Cannonball Adderley

Great tunes stand the test of time. Written in 1966 by Joe Zaniwul for The Cannonball Adderley’ Quintet, “Mercy, Mercy Mercy” is one of those tunes. Now over 50 years old, The Groove Surgeons pay homage to this classic tune. The way we play it sounds different to those versions performed by The Cannonball Adderley Quintent more funk, faster with more contemporary edges and with differing instruments, the tune itself is exactly the same. Here is the original version of the tune:

Cannonball Adderley Quintet: Cannonball Adderley (alto saxophone); Nat Adderley (cornet); Joe Zawinul (acoustic & electric pianos); Victor Gaskin (bass); Roy McCurdy (drums).

“The song is the title track of the 1966 album Live at “The Club” and became a surprise hit.[1] “Mercy, Mercy, Mercy” went to #2 on the Soul chart and #11 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.”

— Wikipedia

Mercy Mercy Mercy was also performed by the snapilly dressed band, The Buckinghams in 1966:

In truth, The Buckinghams, something of an early Boy Band, were underpinned by session players who read like a who’s who of professional players of that era -James Henderson, Lew McCreary and Richard Leith on trombone, Bill Peterson, Bud Childers on trumpet, John Johnson on sax, Lincoln Mayorga on Wurlitzer electric piano, Dennis Budimir on guitar, Carol Kaye on bass, and John Guerin on drums.

When The Groove Surgeons came together as a band in 2017, this was one of the tunes that we had all played separately and hence was quickly adopted into the set list. Today it is something of a standard within our set and we choose to play it more often than not. The application of funk groove to the tune and upping the tempo changes the tunes character, a tune that is good to get people going and warmed up.

Queen Latifah's performance of 'Mercy, Mercy, Mercy.' About Queen Latifah: Queen Latifah is a musician, award-winning actress, record label president, author, entrepreneur and Cover Girl.

The Groove Surgeons play Mercy, Mercy, Mercy in a funk style, however it is a song that is well suited to different rhythmic approaches, as in the original, the pop version of Queen Latifah or the Gyspy Jazz style as defined by Django Rheinhardt or Bireli Lagrene. It is also adaptable from an instrumental perspective, provding great opportunity for rhythmic interlocks between rhythm and chordal instruments that provide a great springboard for whichever instrument is playing lead.

Book an exceptional band in Hampshire, Sussex and Surrey areas - The Groove Surgeons

When you want to create a special night for your customers and you want live music, you need a band that is a little bit special too. That band is the The Groove Surgeons. We conjure a special, electric atmosphere. We do this performing a captivating blend of classic and contemporary Jazz Funk and Soul tunes from the 70’s to the present day. This is music you can dance to, music that encourages the enjoyment of the company of friends and music that sets your venue apart from others.

The Groove Surgeons play as a 4 to 7 piece instrumental. We play our own interpretations of music created by some of the world’s most renowned musicians and composers. Music that is the genesis of some of the most legendary figures on the world stage. The Groove Surgeons take the world’s grooviest classics, making those tunes a tight, evolving and invigorating musical journey.

Irresistible rhythm, deep grooving bass lines, fine melodies and interaction that can take a tune anywhere the imagination can, we create roof lifting atmosphere that builds relentlessly as each tune strips away the trials and tribulations of modern living, turning grey skies blue. No show is ever the same. We lift moods, electrify synapses and bring people together to enjoy a musical journey that is rarely seen outside a handful of international cities.

Led by Jody Smith, a leading professional musician from Dublin and joined by a core rhythm section who are among some of the best instrumentalists on the contemporary UK music scene. A wealth of experience and a high degree of professionalism means that we provide high quality, high standard performances.

We are a perfect platform as a four piece. Make that four piece that little bit more special by adding one of the country’s top saxophone players, Steve Grainger (Culture Club, Beach Boys), trumpet player Stewart Prosser (Paul Weller) or brilliant rising young innovative talent such as trombone player, Joel Knee, currently a student at Royal Academy of Music. 

One of the most accomplished bands in any genre, The Groove Surgeons are ideal for venues and events where there is a passionate desire to create great, memorable experiences for their clientele.

We’d love your customers to experience what we do. Something a little different from the normal Friday and Saturday night fare. With cross-generational appeal we guarantee your customers will leave with an experience they will remember for a long time to come.

To book us or find out a little bit more, please email jules@groovesurgeons.com or visit our Facebook page, https://facebook.com/groovesurgeons or our website at https://groovesurgeons.com