Review: War at the Southbank Centre

Via IslingtonTribune.co.uk

War
Meltdown Festival, Royal Festival Hall, June 21

I AM wary about “heritage” bands who are well past their hit-making days and can boast just one or two surviving members. War, the Californian band co-founded by Eric Burdon of The Animals in the late 60s, has just Leroy “Lonnie” Jordan (vocals/keys) from the original crew. But that is like saying Chic only has Nile Rodgers from the original band of that name. At 75, Lonnie turned out to spry, limber and in great voice.

Like Gilles Peterson I never quite got a definitive handle on War. I liked a lot of their tunes but, as Gilles said on his BBC Radio 6 when he played a mighty instrumental version of The World is a Ghetto recently, they bounced between pop, soul, disco, Latin and rock, always with hints of jazz. (There is even an album on Blue Note called Platinum Jazz which explores that side of their repertoire.)

So, when I saw them billed as part of Chaka Khan’s Meltdown at the Southbank, I thought they were within my remit.

They jumped straight into the hits with Me and Baby Brother. Lonnie to the fore, backed by a tight ensemble of guitar, bass, drums, percussion, tenor sax and the all-important harmonica that was a key element of their distinctive sound back in the day.

 

I initially thought that perhaps the Royal Festival Hall was the wrong venue – too big and formal for a good time party band more familiar with US casinos than concert halls these days – but once they locked into the cosmic funk of Galaxy, the audience took matters in their own hands and started dancing in the aisles.

For me, much as I loved the slick run of familiar tunes (especially Low Rider, The World is a Ghetto and Spill the Wine), the best section was the long Latin workout on Ballero, which reminded me of Fania All-Stars merging with early Santana for a touch of Gypsy Queen.

Was it jazz? Who cares. It was great.