STAX!/Average White Band Review

Donald "Duck" Dunn, Steve Cropper

Last night I went to the STAX!/Average White Band concert at the Mainstage at Metro Square as part of the Toronto Jazz Festival. Though I understand that AWB was supposed to headline, it was switched around when STAX! drummer Anton Fig had airplane problems. He did arrive. So AWB led off the show. They played all their hits like Pick Up the Pieces and Cut The Cake. The two original members in the band are bassist Alan Gorrie and guitarist Onnie McIntyre. Klyde Jones has been with AWB since 2002. He's a very versatile guy. He sings and plays guitar, keyboards and bass. I liked him. He added a lot to the show. Drummer Duke Bryant looks like he should be playing jazz. He got to perform an extended solo when McIntyre's amp needed to be replaced. Fred "Freddie V" Vigdor played mostly sax. He had a piano in front of him but he didn't seem to play it much. It was a very enjoyable set. STAX! is a band put together to feature Booker T. & the MGs members Steve Cropper and Donald "Duck" Dunn. Dunn is a fairly low key guy so it's mostly Cropper who is featured in the first part of the show. Cropper plays complicated riffs on the guitar so effortlessly that sometimes one must think he's cheating. But this has made him a legend. Booker T. Jones is out promoting his own CD so they brought in a replacement whose name I can't remember at the moment (sorry). He did a very nice job of playing exactly like Booker T. And the Hammond organ looked like they got it out of a dumpster. But it sounded great. Drummer Anton Fig is best known as drummer on The Late Show with David Letterman. He can play anything. Eddie Floyd came out and performed Knock On Wood and some of his other hits. I thought there was something wrong with his mic as his vocals seemed muddy. But there's no question he's still a great singer. Toronto native Eric Mercury came out for a few songs. He recorded a couple of Steve Cropper produced albums for STAX in the early 70s. He sounded rusty to me. I don't know if he has performed in recent years. And I don't think most of the audience knew of him. In the end it was a fun show. I always want to see R & B legends and they did not disappoint.