Nick Moss & his Band Host a Special Night at the Danny Clinch Transparent Gallery
The Nick Moss Band featuring Dennis Gruenling are no strangers to Asbury Park, having played the JSJBF Holiday Party at McCloones Supper Club just sixteen months ago. The Transparent Gallery is just a stones throw away, but the events could not have more different. The former was a party for a nightclub full of revelers, while this was an intimate gathering of musicians and music lovers, in an immersive setting which just oozes great music from Danny’s award-winning photographs, to video and other music related items. Those in attendance were eager to hear what makes the band tick as well as to listen to the finished product they create. Joining Nick and Dennis were 23 year-old Pierce Downer on drums, and Brazilian native now living in Chicago, Rodrigo Mantovani, on electric and upright bass. Dennis grew up in the Garden State, and Danny, a Jersey boy, who took a few lessons with him, is a harmonica player with the Tangiers Blues Band, so this was a natural pairing in an ideal setting.
The first part of the evening was what Dennis termed a “Blues Band Workshop,” and unlike specific instrument clinics, the floor was open to musicians and non-musicians alike to ask questions of the band. After opening with an instrumental workout, one of the first things Dennis talked about is something I have believed from early on, that music can be likened to a conversation. Once you know the language, you can converse with other musicians, but most importantly, what ever you say should add to that conversation. He talked about not stepping on others, by creating sounds that complement a guitar or a bass solo, and knowing when to step back and when take over. Listening, he said, is key, and this, plus counting off, eye contact and hand signals helped to answer some of the audience questions about starting and stopping songs, as well as when to move in and out of solos, all of which they demonstrated with they’re music. Nick also talked about integrating rhythm and fills, and demonstrated this on his trusty Gibson ES 335. Since the band plays a wide range of blues styles, including Chicago blues, Swamp blues, Jump blues and early Rock n’ Roll, practicing solos be for jamming is important. Dennis talked about recording what you do and listening for what works and the dynamics of what you are doing. He stressed, “this music is organic and telling a story in both the music and the lyrics is really important.” Nick talked about his learning experience in playing in a band, and one thing that stuck with him is a quote from the great Jimmy Rogers when he asked what he should play, and Jimmy said “play what I’m not playing.”
After a short break, the band settled in with Rodrigo on electric bass, and began with a ferocious version a song made famous by Wilson Pickett in the early sixties, “Land of a Thousand Dances.” On this mostly instrumental take (except for the nah nahs,) Dennis switched back and forth between diatonic and chromatic harps with the consummate skill he has developed over the years. They slowed things down with another Wilson Pickett number, “If You Need Me,” which included a beautiful solo by Nick, showing that the band could switch gears without losing a beat. The Albert Castiglia song “Bad Avenue,” was a great choice highlighting the importance of lyrics that fit the mood of the song. “I Feel So Bad” was given that “Boogie” treatment which showed how tight this band is. Nick mentioned that Pierce’s Dad had a jump/swing band, so he grew up listening to that music, to the point where he didn’t know who Led Zeppelin was!
Nick told the story of how he and Dennis met back in 2017 at SPAH, which for those of you who don’t know, stands for the Society for the Preservation and Advancement of the Harmonica. Hundreds of harp players roaming around a hotel for the weekend, instruments in hand, he said “can you imagine some business man who unknowingly gets booked there!” He also told the story of how he wrote a song inspired by Rodrigo, not knowing some of our slang terms. He joined the two terms “it knocked me out,” and “it shocked me,” into “It Shocked Me Out.” During the song, Rodrigo was playing a great solo, when Nick chimed in “if you didn’t know he was from Brazil, you would think he was from Chicago, prompting Rodrigo to throw in a few bars of “The Girl From Ipanema,” to the delight of the crowd. For the closer, Danny joined them for the slow blues, “Someday,” more than holding his own as he traded licks with Dennis. Nick then told the crowd, instead of you shouting “one more” as we leave the stage, we’re going to stay right here and do an encore. They then played a new song called “Deeper Than Love,” which Nick dedicated to his wife of 24 years, who also plays guitar, Kate Moss. They will be going into the studio to record the new songs when they finish this last leg of the tour. They will be coming back our way in September, so be on the lookout for an announcement about upcoming shows.
Also, if you haven’t been to the Clinch Transparent Gallery, you owe it to yourself to check it out, especially when there is music happening. https://www.transparentclinchgallery.