Cory Henry & The Funk Apostles, The Nth Power Preach to D.C.
I walked along the moonlit Potomac River to Gypsy Sally’s, an intimate and atmospheric music venue in the nation’s capital, to join Cory Henry & the Funk Apostles for the D.C. stop on their spring tour.
My friends and I arrived just as The Nth Power was starting their opening set. The US-based soulful, hard-hitting group consists of Nikki Glaspie (drums/vocals), Nate Edgar (bass), Nick Cassarino (guitar/vocals), Weedie Braimah (percussion), and new addition Courtney Smith (keys).
As we danced our way through the joyful crowd, the energy on stage multiplied by itself, building exponentially, until all the heads in the audience were moving to the rhythm. The highlight of the Nth set was the playful call and response dynamic between Braimah and Glaspie, who both showcase their expertise and individual style so masterfully that we in the audience couldn’t help but feel. The band’s mission is to make you connect with something higher than yourself, and as the set came to a close with “Holy Rain” and – my favorite – “Only You,” all I can say is mission accomplished.
After a schmoozy set break, Cory Henry, who you know from memorably mesmerizing keyboard solos with Snarky Puppy (i.e. this and this), made his way onstage with two drummers, a guitarist, a bassist, and a keyboardist who are known collectively (and appropriately) as The Funk Apostles. For my first time seeing this group perform, the introduction was glorious. The set opened with a cover of Marvin Gaye’s “Inner City Blues” with Henry on vocoder that had me singing “Make Me Wanna Holler” for the whole week.
When I asked Henry what distinguishes his band from the rest, he preached a message of playing from the heart and caring about creating a positive energy in the room. He hopes that their music gets people thinking while also making them get up and dance.
Later on in the set, The Funk Apostles launched into another Marvin Gaye cover, “What’s Going On?,” a song with a political statement against police brutality and a message of love and understanding that is just as relevant today as it was when first released in 1971. When the crowd at Gypsy Sally’s joined in calling out, “What’s Going On?” I felt a deep connection to the meaning behind the lyrics. Cory Henry - multitasking with one hand on the keys and a tambourine in the other – had been successful in creating an environment for both breaking a sweat and reflecting on art’s ability to comment on society. All the while, he delivered intoxicating roller coaster-like solos that took us on a ride and the band kept a solid groove to keep us grounded.
Henry wasn’t the only musician to make an impression. The light shone brightly over The Apostles: Andrew Bailey (guitar), Nick Semrod (keys/synthesizer), Cleon Edwards (Drums) and Sharay Reed (Bass).
The night came to an end with a slow, percussive, and smooth performance of Prince's "1999," which reminded us that the world is imperfect and death is inevitable, but life is just a party and we should never stop dancing.
Among the Americana décor, dimmed lights, and post-show bourbon drinks, I got the chance to talk music with some listeners who came through that night. If you check out D.C. based band Marlee in the Mixx, you’ll see that that bandleader Marlee D. knows what’s good when it comes to groove. When I spoke to her after the show, she said Cory Henry & The Funk Apostles bring a fresh feel to technical music. “It’s technically sound and solid, but easy to get across to the people,” she illuminates, “Really amazing and innovative.”
Winnie Pritchett from Miami was impressed with Cory Henry’s ability to connect with the audience. “It was really organic. He did a really good job of making eye contact with you even when he was going crazy. You felt like you were also getting that inspiration and creative strike.” The craziness she was referring to was the clear passion Henry brought to the performance. There were times when he’d jump up and down with enthusiasm either while playing or cheering on one of his bandmates. Winnie adds, “It was fun bouncing around, too.”
The Nth Power made a lasting impression for those of us in the audience, as well. Rosie Russo gushed, “They vibe on so many levels. Their sound fills all the space of music.” Ashley Morse added, “I was floored. They should do their own show. Their drummer was awesome. Girl power!”
Cory Henry & The Funk Apostles: Facebook, Twitter
The Nth Power: Facebook, Twitter
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