Reviewed by Dean Suzuki in Gold Mine Magazine

Nearly 20 years after they broke up and twelve years after their last and only other reunion concert, the Sons of Champlin were back at the original Fillmore Auditorium where it all began in the late 1960s. And there I was, with a huge grin plastered across my face as the Sons took to the stage and broke into one of their standards, the stunning "Freedom," a nearly fifteen minute magnum opus that unequivocally demonstrates their genius and musical prowess from their classic debut, Loosen Up Naturally from 1969. One of the stalwarts of the early San Francisco scene, the Sons of Champlin were musicians' musicians, esteemed, even revered by their peers (in a recent article in the San Francisco Chronicle, the Grateful Dead's Mickey Hart said, "They were breathing fire . . . . They were the most talented of all the bands. They played better than anybody and never made it."), and these guys could play.

An atypical band that did not pander to the prevailing musical aesthetic of folk influenced or pure acid rock, the Sons of Champlin purveyed a hybrid of rhythm and blues, funk (James Brown and the Famous Flames were a huge influence, not only the singing and the groove, but also the players), jazz (they also listened to plenty of jazz organ trios, and the Hammond B3 and the Gibson L5 or ES175, those fat, deep body electro-acoustic jazz guitars, not to mention the more than occasional inclusion of the vibraphone, were important components for the Sons' sound), rock, and psychedelia that was unique and magical. Their first album was a 2-record set, a masterpiece from beginning to end, a tall order, especially for a double album, which provided the basis for much of the concert. Though they were so very highly regarded, circumstances and the band's attitude toward the music business and success (some of these guys were and remain quintessential hippies) conspired against them and they never achieved the success that they so richly deserved. But I digress.

The whole affair began rather serendipitously when Rita Gentry, the Sons' former secretary, currently working at Bill Graham Presents, made an off-the-cuff suggestion that the group re-unite. Indeed, Champlin had noticed that there was a substantial amount of interest in the Sons and their music through the internet and e-mail. Intrigued by the idea, it somehow all came together. With a line-up featuring the musical heart of the group: Bill Champlin (currently a member of Chicago with whom he has been playing since 1981) on Hammond B3, guitar and vocals; the extraordinary guitarist Terry Haggerty--sadly the Gibson L-5, destroyed in an airline baggage handling mishap, was missing and replaced by a Stratocaster fitted with humbucking pickups, but it still sounded just like "Hag"--a startling virtuoso and utterly unique stylist, one of the best, if not the best guitarist to emerge from the Bay Area, and the talented multi-instrumentalist, Geoff Palmer on keyboards and vibes (he also played sax, bass, and contributed vocals in the past), the group was rounded out by original saxophonist Tim Cain, now a children's musician and the one who came up with those brilliant, distinctive and very tasty horn charts on the early albums, plus drummer and backup vocalist Jim Preston and bassist and occasional backup vocalist David Schallock who, while not original members, were with the band as long as their forebears, along with former Tower of Power member Mic Gillette on trumpet, trombone, and backup vocals, and Tom Saviano, one of Champlin's LA studio musician buddies, on alto sax, keyboards, and backup vocals. It might be noted that while Tower of Power was the Bay Area's premier funk horn band, at least in terms of commercial success, Gillette always held the Sons in even higher esteem and said that playing with the re-united group was the thrill of a lifetime and a dream come true.

Champlin has one of the most soulful and honest voices in rock. With grit, texture and heart, the influence of James Brown, Ray Charles, B.B. King, even Sam Cooke come through in a blue-eyed way. Though the high end of his voice was not there due to a recent cold (the extraordinary agile falsetto and straight singing upper range which were featured prominently on many of the Sons' albums were, for the most part, absent), he's grown in terms of musicianship, phrasing, and interpretation. And his songs comprise the bulk of the Sons' repertoire and give the band its identity. As for the rest of the band, their musicianship and affinity for Champlin's music and vision make for a synergistic whole in which the complete band is greater than the sum of its parts. One element missing in the performance, however, was the rich vocal harmony arranging which characterized much of their recorded work. Preston, who contributed the bulk of the vocal harmonies in concert, did a fine job, but the fuller vocal harmonies were mostly absent. It was a minor consideration, as Champlin's magnificent voice was always front and center.

Eschewing drugs and alcohol during their rehearsals (unthinkable in their heyday), they got back together to find out if the magic was still there and if they had something musical to say together after all of these years . . . it was and they did!. After a number of intensive rehearsals, they embarked on a mini-tour comprised of one night each at Billboard Live in Los Angeles, Palookaville in Santa Cruz, and the Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco. The Fillmore show sold out quickly and a second and concluding night was scheduled. The results were some of the finest music making the group has ever achieved and a rousing time for all in attendance. The band was there to play and they were tighter than a drum head. It was all the more amazing, as Cain, who had previous obligations and had been on tour on the East Coast, decided to forego some of his own concerts and headed back to San Francisco for the gig, but had not practiced at all with the group. And the horn section sounded flawless.

Opening with "Freedom" with its complicated, overlapping and interlocking horn riff, the Sons of Champlin launched into their signature sound and style, with sophisticated harmonic changes, complex compositional structures, soulful vocals, a groove that made you move, and dazzling musicianship and group interplay. In addition to the focus on their first album, there was a healthy emphasis on Welcome to the Dance (1973) and a smattering of material from later albums, as well as some of Champlin's solo material. The Sons of Champlin played non-stop for over two hours, keeping all of those die-hard fans, aging baby boomers (lots of gray hair and nary a person under 35), on their feet and rocking the entire time. Fans flew in from all across the county, including contingents from Colorado, Texas, Kansas, Delaware, and elsewhere. To recapture the spirit of the age and an air of nostalgia, the Fillmore had a light show on hand, complete with pulsating liquid lights, silent films (including some sequences projected backwards, of course), and other psychedelic imagery. The periodic wafts of patchouli oil and other fragrances (if you take my meaning) made the atmosphere complete.

Though "Freedom" is the kind of tour de force that other groups might save as a finale to bring a concert so a devastating climax, for the Sons, it was just a way to prime the pump and throw down the musical gauntlet to any who might think that this was a group of nostalgic geezers trying desperately to recapture a whiff of once was. Instead, it was a devastating beginning to an unforgettable evening. Next up was "1982 A," the number which opens Loosen Up Naturally, with its love and good vibes lyrics, and gorgeous, delicate jazzy vibraphone interludes which serve as a juxtaposition to the R&B groove. A couple of tunes from Welcome to the Dance ("Swim" and "No Mo") were more straight-forward party time, feel good songs played with vitality and verve.

Along the way, Haggerty delivered some mind boggling solos with his idiosyncratic edginess that gives the impression of a kind of controlled and directed chaos, characterized by unbelievable dexterity and speed, supreme musicianship, and an unmitigated gift for invention. Here and throughout the night, each solo concluded with a tremendous ovation met by a big grin on Haggerty's face; he was clearly having the time of his life. Haggerty made it clear that he is one of the marvels of the guitar world, though sadly, he remains under appreciated.

One medley kicked off with a new Champlin tune, "They Don't Make Them Like They Used To" which segued to "Things Are Gettin' Better." A delicate, jazz inflected vibes solo, beautifully played by Palmer, signaled the second half of "Get High," a Sons anthem which perfectly captures their essence and spirit. As Champlin urged the audience members to sing along in the chorus, the music swelled, bringing the medley to a climactic conclusion. A brief semi-acoustic set settled the tempo down, with Champlin on acoustic guitar for two numbers from their last two albums, the very lovely and sentimental "Time Will Bring You Love" followed by "To the Sea" with its country flair, proving that the breadth of the band's repertoire is equal to its musical depth.

"Rooftop" helped crank up the energy level again. Another Champlin solo career number, the funk filled and fiery "First and Last was followed by "Everywhere." Another non-Sons tune was "In the Heat of the Night" written by Quincy Jones as the theme song for the television show and originally sung by Champlin. A masterful extended Hammond B3 solo by Champlin, filled with gospel and jazz organ trio licks served as an impassioned introduction to this slow, smoldering and majestic blues. The song featured a devastating solo by Haggerty who started off with a deliberate, unhurried and spartan improvisation which had an intense, soulful burn. Then, at just the right moment, he broke into a blistering,

virtuosic fusillade, unleashing torrents of his unbelievable technique, dexterity and creativity, yielding one of the great musical highlights of the evening.

The show closed with "Goldmine," a funky rave-up which has been a standard closer for the Sons and Champlin as a soloist, a rousing finale to an incredible evening of music. The encores included "Papa Came to Play" a tune which only appeared on vinyl as the Sons' track (actually, it was in their guise as a Sons' offshoot band, Yogi Phlegm) which appeared on The Last Days of Fillmore box set and "Follow Your Heart" (the up tempo, rockin' version from Circle Filled With Love rather than the more wistful original version from the album titled Follow Your Heart).

Late in the main set, Champlin remarked, "This is too good to not do it again," and promised more concerts in the future, possibly later this year or early 1998. Jim Preston later said that the week of concerts was the greatest week of his life. And there was talk and rumors of recording contracts and further Sons activities. But even if it never happens again, those in attendance will never forget the joy of music making and the celebration of the Sons' reunion that was at the heart of this concert. Let's keep our fingers crossed and hope for more in the very near future and that the Sons of Champlin will be able to share their music with their devoted fans and hopefully a younger audience as well and show them what the San Francisco Sound could really be.

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