DAVID FOSTER AND THE MOHEGAN SUN ALL STARS
“Powerful Stuff”
Thirty years ago, David Foster operated the legendary Shaboo Night Club in Willimantic, CT, a former textile factory transformed into one of the hottest night spots for music in all of New England. At the Shaboo, Foster produced over 3,000 major concerts, playing host to such national acts as James Cotton, James Montgomery, Bonnie Raitt, and NRBQ. In 1980, Foster assembled a group of talented musicians who had made earlier stops at his club to form David Foster and the Shaboo All-Stars. Foster and his band went on to become one of the best known bands in Connecticut during the next twenty years. The Shaboo sadly closed its doors in 1982 after 10 years of playing host to some of the hottest acts in the country; however, the music has lived on. Although the band’s name has now changed and some of the past members have come and gone, the sound has remained the same, which for those who have had the opportunity to hear Foster’s band, is certainly a good thing. Over two decades later, Foster and friends are still cranking out their trademark rhythm and blues music, now as the house band for the Mohegan Sun Casino. David Foster and the Mohegan Sun All-Stars offer “Power Stuff”, a brand new release which was recorded live at the Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den in April 2001.
David Foster is a charismatic band leader who had been singing professional since the age of 14, working with such artists as B.B. King, the Temptations, Chuck Berry, and Keith Richards. Foster has now armed himself with a complete assembly of All-Star musicians who are quite frankly some of the best in the business today. The band’s rotating lineup often includes appearances by Maceo Parker (Saxophone) and Matt “Guitar” Murphy (of “Blues Brothers” fame), both of who appear on “Powerful Stuff”. Guitarist Cliff Goodwin (Joe Cocker, Robert Palmer), Keyboardist Mitch Chakour (Bonnie Raitt, Joe Cocker), Guitarist Jeff Pevar (currently with CPR featuring David Crosby), and Keyboardist Michael Finnegan (who has recorded with Jimi Hendrix at Electric Ladyland) lead a formidable 14 member cast with an extensive list of musical credentials.
The disc, which features over 70 minutes of music, opens with the swinging sound of Finnegan’s “What A Life”, which features a driving horn accompaniment. Finnegan himself does a terrific job assuming lead vocal chores on “Breakin’ Up Somebody’s Home” and Dylan’s “Serve Somebody”. Foster and Finnegan aren’t the only talented singers in the band. My personal favorite track is “Crazy (Keep on Falling)”, which features keyboard player Bob Leinbach from Orleans (“Still The One”, “Dance With Me”) assuming lead vocal chores. The band closes it’s regular set with the familiar blues standard “Sweet Home Chicago”, which serves as an ideal closer for a band working in numerous spotlight opportunities. The encore, a dramatic version of Lennon and McCartney’s “With a Little Help From My Friends”, is done in the exact vain of Joe Cocker’s more powerful version and is even a step better, with Foster nailing every note just perfectly and his support crew of powerful horns and soulful backing vocals making the show complete.
David Foster is one of the classiest gentlemen in the music business today. “Powerful Stuff” is his first album after nearly 35 years in the music industry. I strongly encourage making every effort to get out and see David Foster and the Mohegan Sun All-Stars perform live. Although the line-up may change from night to night, the level of musicianship and the power and energy that the band portrays is just terrific. “Powerful Stuff” indeed.
-Don Sikorski
****1/2