Bernie Worrell Benefit April 4th At Webster Hall
This is from brooklynvegan.com:
“There’s an all-star fundraiser on the way for legendary keyboardist Bernie Worrell, who is a founding member of Funkadelic and has worked with the Talking Heads, Fela Kuti, Mos Def and others, and who was recently diagnosed with lung cancer. The benefit will take place in NYC at Webster Hall on April 4 with all-star guests like George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Living Color, Rick Springfield, Paul Shaffer, Maceo Parker, BIll Laswell, Talking Heads’ Jerry Harrison, B-52s’ Fred Schneider and many more, including filmmaker Johnathan Demme and actress Meryl Streep, who worked with Worrell on last year’s movie Ricki and the Flash. ”
The last time I saw Bernie he was coming off a truly wonderful solo album of keyboard only arrangements that made my best 2014, Elevation (The Upper Air), where he and Bill Laswell rearranged stuff like “In A Silent Mood” for piano only. In January 2014 I saw Bernie as part of the Icons Of Funk show (here) and I wrote this “Bernie joins the band and if the mood takes him there is no better piano man than Bernie, and if it doesn’t he isn’t the best. Tonight, Bernie reminds us where the keyboard can be the lead instrument in a funk band; after the intermission he would perform a solo on, wait for it, “Let It Snow” and by the end of the evening is everywhere at once, including the only man playing melody!”
That Worrell should even need a benefit at all is disgraceful. For all the great music Bernie has provided for us, he should be given nothing but money all the time. And that he should be laid low with cancer is heartbreaking.
An incredible line up by the way, and buy tickets here.
