Folks took a detour from Lovers Lane and Victory Road last night to carry on their enamor in the form of a boogie down Funk Avenue. Some brought excitement from a west coast win, some came to dance away their bengal blues, and others saw an evening on the groove as the perfect night cap to a Valentine’s weekend.
For Super Bowl Sunday, Sessions Music Hall in Eugene, Oregon held a double feature of good ‘ol-fashioned American entertainment: live football and live music. After a stream of the big game, fans in the lounge multiplied until the house was full for a brass beat improv show with east coast busking badasses, TOO MANY ZOOZ.
2MZ are on the road, hard at work catching up on two years worth of missed shows and smiling salutations. That post-pandemic ambition bled into the crowd with every fat riff last night. Whether it was blowing off steam, victory-dancing, or entwining with a partner, the New York City trio harnessed the various energies of Sessions Lounge and created an improvised sonic experience to enhance it.
Like the moment, their set was unique and once-in-a-lifetime. Trumpet player Matt acted as the voice, addressing the crowd between songs, while Leo on Sax provided the sex appeal and Sludge on percussion defined cool composure. They mixed in melodies from previous works while maintaining a steady take on improvised, instrumental “brass house” creations. That signature sound is an explorative gathering of worldly jazz, funk, hip hop, and climactic dance music. Pellegrino’s grimy, chugging baritone sax forms a solid, unrelenting rhythm section with the backbone of Sludge’s enduring drum-line thumps. Muirhead’s singing horn cuts above and accents the swag-drenched drum & bass with chaotic, tantalizing phrases.
A chant started in the name of 2MZ’s encore performance, ushering their return for a surprising final track. “You’ll know this one well, but we’ve never played it live before, so bare with us,” Muirhead told Sessions before running through a heartfelt cover of “I Want It That Way” by The Backstreet Boys. The nostalgic boy-band track embodied articulate harmony through music as the farewell to a memorable Sunday night.
