| The Gist, a band that is fronted by
singer/songwriter Sarah B, put on quite a nice set on this a beautiful Chicago evening.
Along with Sarah B, who plays guitar and is the lead vocalist, are bass player Doug Schram
and percussionist Scott Fishman. The Gist blend blues and mid-tempo rock with a touch of
jazz, making for a very original sound. Before seeing them live I listened to their CD, Wild
Ride, and I found myself enjoying it quite a bit. But the question was, could they
pull this off live? Well they did and I always know that I like a band when I am less
concerned about my surroundings and more focused on what’s happening on stage.
The Gist keep things simple. There's no big
lighting or things blowing up on stage, but rather Sarah B and the boys playing music and
inviting you to come along. In addition to being one hell of a singer, Sarah B is also a
very fine guitar player. Doug Schram and Scott Fishman hold things down in the rhythm
section, allowing Sarah B the freedom to paint her musical canvas any color she wants.
This is always cool. Yes, I said cool and I will tell you why: with an artist like Sarah,
not everything is going to be by the book. Live she seems to follow her mood - whim would
be a better word. Yes, I recognized the songs from the CD, but I also heard her put them
across in a different way on this night. These were subtle changes, but I had the feeling
that what Sarah does live is for the moment: meaning that the next night, those small
changes will be different. This is what makes a live show fun for a fan and it only makes
sense for a songwriter like Sarah, as her songs are about life, and life is ever changing.
Along with original songs, the band worked in a
few covers and it's in these covers that you get a good feel for the blues/jazz/mid-tempo
rock description I gave earlier. "Easy" by the Commodores, "On
Broadway" by George Benson, and "Paint It Black" by the Stones, were among
the covers. How’s that for a mix?
Yes, Ok, I like this band. I like what they do
and I like the unpretentious way that they do it. Let me end the review this way - I want
to see this band again. Nuff said.
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The Gist
