Todd Clouser - You The Brave : Live at Icehouse (2018) lossless

On July 24, 2017 vocalist/guitarist Todd Clouser, keyboardist John Medeski, and drummer JT Bates met in Minneapolis, Minnesota on a Monday night as part of Bates’ “Jt’s Jazz Implosion” series, now nearly 20 years running.

A year after their first meeting, the trio performed to a sold out audience, taking the stage after Dave Chapelle by last minute coincidence. Song, musicianship, experimentation and nods to the three musicians’ instrumental prowess made for a night of music for community and creativity’s sake, documented on “You The Brave : Live at Icehouse”. Running from blues and groove (2100, Where’s Her Money From), and song (White Jesus) to outbursts of beatnik colored commentary to sound exploration, the trio performed nearly 2 hours of music, documented in this recording.

The set pulls largely from the prolific Clouser’s catalog of music, running from the times-appropriate “White Jesus” (”in the veins of America/have I mistaken your love for trust?”) to the blues twisted spoken word diatribe “You The Brave”, providing a canvas for Medeski’s iconoclastic sound palette, to instrumental pieces “Nadie Me Debe” and “You Call When You
Want Something”, where Clouser’s guitar work reaches its peak in an emotive solo. The Medeski composed “*^&*$ You Guys” sees JT Bates take a playful, and simultaneously virtuosic, approach that can be heard throughout the night. The freedom allowed by the trio’s approach - with just a short soundcheck rehearsal - invokes a spirit of fearlessness, risk, and joy heard throughout the set.

Three artists that have made their careers through sincerity and dedication to creative music at a concert series, and venue, of similar vision make for a recording of creative music that serves as an example of what can occur when musicians are allowed to create in their creative element.

Tracklist:
01. Todd Clouser, John Medeski & JT Bates - Where’s Her Money From
02. Todd Clouser, John Medeski & JT Bates - Nadie Me Debe
03. Todd Clouser, John Medeski & JT Bates - Interlude 1
04. Todd Clouser, John Medeski & JT Bates - White Jesus
05. Todd Clouser, John Medeski & JT Bates - You Call When You Want Something
06. Todd Clouser, John Medeski & JT Bates - You The Brave
07. Todd Clouser, John Medeski & JT Bates - Interlude 2
08. Todd Clouser, John Medeski & JT Bates - Amazing Grace
09. Todd Clouser, John Medeski & JT Bates - Interlude 3
10. Todd Clouser, John Medeski & JT Bates - *&%* You Guys
11. Todd Clouser, John Medeski & JT Bates - 2100
12. Todd Clouser, John Medeski & JT Bates - Unbreak the Morning