A Whole Lotta Bill: A Magical Old-School Extravaganza
[Many thanks to Matt Hillman for his photographs and to Tina Praino for her videos]
As is typical here in the Tampa area, there were numerous great musical events on Friday, July 12. One, however, promised to be a wonderful old-school event. That turned out to be a gross understatement, as old-school magic swirled around Skipperâs Smokehouse in Tampa for a show promoted as A Whole Lotta Bill (Withers).
For starters, the show was celebrating the deep canon of Withersâ music. Also, we would be at Skipperâs, for a long time the prime Tampa mecca for amazing concerts. Weâre just getting warmed up here.
The band announced was to feature five members of one of the most beloved bands in this area and throughout Florida: Holey Miss Moley. The group for A Whole Lotta Bill included HMM stars Kenny Harvey, bass; Jacob Cox, guitar; Mikey Guzman, keyboards; and Danny Joe, vocals. The fifth member, drummer Jamal âMusic Cityâ Wright, had a legit excuse: he is a brand new daddy! On short notice, Anthony Townsky Diaz of The Legendary JCs stepped up and did an admirable job. Many of us did not yet know two-time American Idol contestant from Orlando, David Oliver Willis, also on vocals (but we were soon to find out!).
Holey Miss Moleyâs former vocalist and whip cracker, Miss Robyn Alleman Pack, moved to South Carolina several years ago. So imagine the response of the band and others of us when Miss Pack came strolling in. No, it wasnât Miss Pack⌠but a perfect doppelgänger, dressed to a T like Pack. We all knew we were in for a special night.
And then, as the old-school crowd began filtering in, the hugs and kisses and squeals of joy filled the Skipperdome with old-school magnificence.
Music? Of, yes, there was music. And, of important note, the sound engineer was BRILLIANT. Everything clicked.
The band had 17 or 19 Withers tunes planned, but that would only make up one set. Since this Whole Lotta Bill concept is officially a work in progress, they loaded set one with incredible funk from very diverse and old-school sources. Danny Joe and Willis traded back and forth, sometimes in harmony. Danny Joe is more steeped in the funk and took the lead often.
The band was at once a dynamic funk machine as they dug into âJust Kissed My Baby,â with Danny Joe singing. Willis was superb on âInner City Bluesâ and the âChain of Fools > Unchain My Heartâ medley. Danny Joe soared through âCalifornia Dreaminââ and then âYou and Your Folks, Me and My Folks,â one of the Funkadelic songs Holey Miss Moley often included in their setlists.
Willis handled âTake Me to the Riverâ before the band busted it wide open with âIt Ainât No Use,â another staple of HMM setlists. And I can confirm that, every time guitarist Jacob Cox tears this one up, he makes me cry. The good kind. There was a great version of The Temptationsâ âShakey Groundâ with a solid âGive Up the Funk (Tear the Roof Off the Sucker)â stuffed inside. Kenny Harvey blew this one out of the Skipperdome!
If there was an unexpected surprise, it was âI Get Liftedâ by K.C. & the Sunshine Band. After âFiyo on the Bayou,â Danny Joe tore it up with another Holey Miss Moley cover favorite, âI Wanna Do Something Freaky to You > Ainât Nothing But a G Thang.âÂ
We were in old-school heaven.
And then it was time for Bill. A Whole Lotta Bill, to be exact! When I had posted a show preview, I closed by saying, âMe, Iâm hoping for a righteous âBetter Off Deadâ!â Danny Joe messaged me before the show, saying, âDavid Oliver Willis will not disappoint your Set List Wish!!!â
Another HUGE understatement! Willis crushed this one to open the show and everything else he touched. Mikey Guzman had been excellent on electric piano and clavinet during the funk set, but here he made outstanding use of his strings synth, notable first during âAinât No Sunshine,â sung by Danny Joe. Willis offered a righteous âWho is He (And What is He to You)?â For those not familiar with his deep catalog (read: ME), the song selection was impressive on songs such as âThe Same Love That Made Me Laughâ (Willis). That one featured great synths and electric piano.Â
The band delivered on song after song. Diaz worked in tandem with Harvey to lay down some deep funk all evening, and Cox is firmly rooted in the funk. Willis continued with great takes on âHarlemâ and fan-favorite âUse Me.â Then Danny Joe dug deep for âGrandmaâs Hands.â (Later, Danny Joe confessed that he wanted to let that roll into âNo Diggity.â Agreed!)
At this point, the brain was churning. What else is there to play? Well, âA Lovely Day,â for starts, with Danny Joe and Willis crooning together. It was grand. What else? How about âJust the Two of Usâ! No saxophone player? No problem. Cox and Guzman filled the break perfectly. Are they done? One more! They finished appropriately with âI Wish You Well.â
The band and vocalists were aiming for that old-school vibe. There is absolutely no doubt that they succeeded beyond all expectations.
WHEN ARE YOU GUYS PLAYING AGAIN?
(Answer: August 2 at Tanqueray’s in Orlando!)
[FUNK: Just Kissed My Baby (The Meters), band intros, Inner City Blues (Marvin Gaye), Chain of Fools (Aretha Franklin) > Unchain My Heart (Ray Charles), California Dreaminâ (Bobby Womack version, The Mamas & the Papas), You and Your Folks, Me and My Folks (Funkadelic), Take Me to the River (Al Green), It Ainât No Use (The Meters), Everyday People (Sly & the Family Stone), (Standing on) Shakey Ground (The Temptations) > Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof Off the Sucker) (Parliament) > Standing on Shakey Ground, I Get Lifted (K.C. & the Sunshine Band), Fiyo on the Bayou (The Meters, The Neville Brothers), I Wanna Do Something Freaky to You (Leon Haywood) > Ainât Nothing But a G Thang (Dr. Dre)]
[BILL: Better Off Dead, Lonely Town Lonely Street, Ainât No Sunshine, Sweet Wanomi, Who is He (And What is He to You)?, Kissing My Love, The Same Love That Made Me Laugh, Heartbreak Road, World Keeps Going Around, Harlem, Use Me, Grandmaâs Hands, A Lovely Day, Just the Two of Us, I Wish You Well]
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