Future Vintage | Yeoman’s Road Pub 02.21.14

You know, I really had not planned to review this show. Not because it wasn’t great, because it was, but I have reviewed them a half-dozen times since first seeing them in October. Obviously, I am impressed. Also, this was the first of four concerts in a row, and I am SOOO far behind with my reviews.

But I AM reviewing the show, because this was the night I became aware of something that has been happening in music scenes all over, including here in the Tampa area; it is just something I had not recognized before. Future Vintage, you will recall, does the jamtronic funk thing, one foot in Herbie Hancock and the other squarely in funky EDM. These boys make you dance!

They were off to another great night. During the second set, I noticed Jon Shea drift in. Jon plays bass in the jazz-funk collective Infinite Groove Orchestra. He took a seat and listened approvingly (I’m not a mind-reader, but I think I could tell!) as Future Vintage piled the funk high and wide. Then Chris Sgammato walked in and sat down with me. Chris plays guitar and alto saxophone and sings in the funk-jazz group Displace. I know I am late to the party, but I finally understood how these young men are working to support each other.

I had noticed it earlier when a couple of the groups would pair themselves up for an evening (Serotonic and FV, Serotonic and IGO, and there have been others). They understand that there is strength in unity. This is cooperation, not competition. I was impressed.

I was even more impressed when the third set began with Trevor McDannel moving to synth bass pad, Shea on bass and Sgammato on alto. They were working through a languid take on “More Bounce to the Ounce” that somehow morphed closer to Hancock’s “Ostinato (Suite for Angela).” It was sublime. My only regret was that my friends who had come out to see FV again after hearing them at Skipper’s had to leave and missed this great collaboration.

Well played, gentlemen! Well played!