Fan letter: March 27th, 2010 Show
I had the opportunity to see BST Saturday night March 27th at the Scottish Rite Cathedral in Reading, Pa. This was part of the Berks Jazz Fest which I understand is in it's 20th year. A beautiful auditorium and a well staffed event made this quite an evening. A very large crowd was in attendance and many seemed to be real BST fans and very knowledgeable music fans.
The band was the same line-up that has been touring since the re-organization post DCT. The one exception was the absence of Tom Timko on sax. The sub (and I apologize for not remembering his name) was a strong player that seemed very comfortable with the band.
This is the third show I have seen this version of the band and honestly they get stronger and tighter each time. As I said after seeing them the last time, Rob Paporozzi does a phenomenal job fronting this band. He is not DCT and never ever pretends to be. He brings his own stylings and soul to every song and makes them his own, not an imitation of DCT. His world class harmonica playing is worth the price of admission alone. You can tell from the beginning that this is a true band and not a bunch of hired guns . They play like a true band and it is obvious that they communicate on stage like a band.
If they are anywhere near your town, you need to see them. My wife commented that Steve Katz on stage just beams and looks like a proud father up there.
Set list:
Recording of Overture while the band takes the stage
Steve Katz intro and he talks about the beginnings of the band
More and More-(horns right at the edge of the stage with wireless mics)
I Can't Quit Her
Got to Get You Into My Life(Teddy extended trumpet solo)
Sometimes in Winter (Steve still sings it like he means it and still beautiful)
Down In the Flood (Steve harmonica)
Harmonica Interlude featuring Rob-(not sure of song but a beautiful ballad with piano accompaniment) Steve joked "people sau BST is a horn band but actually we're a harmonica band!"
And When I Die-(Steve harmonica- dedicated to Vietnam Vets that came home and those that didn't--huge applause)
Smiling Phases-(great piano solo that worked itself into a jazz piano trio--extended very innovative drum solo at the end)
Maiden Voyage-(very extended with each horn player taking a solo turn)
Hi-De-Ho
I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know-(great extended sax solo)
God Bless the Child
Serepticious (spelling?)-instrumental that started with bass solo at edge of stage and totally wowed the crowd-featured Steve Jankowski on flugelhorn throughout
Burnin' Down the House-(yes the Talking Heads song!!!-quite a surprise and quite an arrangement)
Go Down Gamblin'-(finally the original version not the shortcut one they had been playing-it was all there from the note for note tuba solo doubled on trombone and bass to all the original horn licks-my favorite of the night)
Spinning Wheel-(love how guitar and trumpet solos are true to originals)
Lucretia MacEvil-(trumpet and sax duel on the reprise part)
Encore-You've Made Me So Very Happy-(the crowd favorite)
Steve Katz also spoke at times between songs and read the top 10 albums from 1970 culminating with BST 3 in the top spots ahead of Beatles, CCR, etc.
GO SEE THIS BAND!!! THE LINE-UP IS SO STRONG
I enjoyed quite an evening and worth every bit of my five hour drive.
Mark
March 14, 2009
The Charleston Gazette - West Virginia News
Review: Blood, Sweat and Tears: Rockin' after all these years
By Betty King
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The crowd was full of leather jackets and denim at the Clay Center on Friday night as rock fans gathered to enjoy an action-packed performance by Blood, Sweat and Tears.
From my vantage point in the first balcony, I could hear the crowd sing along with old familiar songs, and see the band respond with even more energy.
By the end of the 90-minute performance - plus encores - the crowd was finally on its feet, arms overhead, swaying a la Woodstock without the muddy conditions that the band remembered a mere forty years ago.
A lady behind me gasped midway through the performance, "Those guys are musicians!" and she was right.
Ten members, some old and some new, make up the group that has survived 41 years of music on the road.
They made us wait until the end to perform their most popular standards, but that was icing on the cake that was created by several cover tunes written and performed by The Beatles, Carole King and Billie Holiday.
The band's mix of jazz and rock was revolutionary as the '60s rolled into the '70s.
Although I can't tell you that I remember any miked harmonica solos back in the good old days, I can now say I've heard dueling harmonicas at full volume.
Larry, Steve, and the Band,
My name is Aaron Trnka and I wanted to thank you all for your momentous efforts at the MN State Fair on Saturday, September 5th at 8:30. I am only 29 years old, but grew up with an appreciation for the BS&T sound. I just wanted you all to know that we appreciated the energy, enthusiasm...and well, the just plain energy you brought to the show! I find you all very talented and hope I can move like that in the future! You helped me realize the sixties without the grass and shrooms :) I attended with my girlfriend and my parents and we all stayed after discussing the facets of your band. We enjoyed it and thought you should know. Keep it up. Thanks for letting musicians be musicians.
Best Wishes,
Aaron Trnka
First just wanted to tell you that I was on the Cruising to Music cruise 2009 on the MSC Orchestra
This year and the group was absolutely Awesome !!! What a wonderful week of concerts they
Provided us with, the band was very fan friendly and everyone was in total awe of the wonderful
Shows they provided us with.
I live in the Toledo Ohio area and was wondering if the band or tour would be coming anywhere
Near Toledo, Akron, Cleveland Ohio or even into the Detroit Michigan area this year so that
We could see them again.
Please let the group know how much we appreciated the concerts they provided our group with
On the Ship……..we loved every minute of it !!! If they ever do a ship concert again we are there!
Linda C.
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