Words: Kalene McCort
Photo: Kalene McCort

Appeared:
September 2, 2007
St. Augustine Amphitheatre, St. Augustine

The fountain of funk runneth over when Blackwater Sol Revue took the nation’s oldest city for a nine-hour soul voyage of pure music and pure positivity. JJ Grey and MOFRO, The Lee Boys, The Legendary JC’s, Tony Joe White, and Los Lobos brought a raw, rambunctious revelry to the newly renovated Saint Augustine Amphitheater that would have had even the sternest of conquistadors fighting the urge to boogie.

Music lovers found shelter from the temperamental gray skies under the pearly white canopy as the Lee Boys took to the stage like a blistering ray of sunlight parting through dark clouds, warming our hearts with their sacred steel music. The Miami based sextet got the brotherly love buzz circulating by blending a strong drumbeat with the joyful moaning of steel guitars. It was easy to see that gospel music ran deep within these church boys’ veins when they performed "So Much To Live For," a shoulder-swaying song that made attendees want to shout, "Hallelujah!" Music men on a mission, the Lee boys, didn’t let up with their funky fusion of blues, jazz, and hip-hop until a good amount of converts rose from their seats and trickled down to the dance floor.

Up next, The Legendary JC’s brought their fresh, hip-shaking sounds that stretch back to a time when pocket change could cover the cost of a milkshake.  Watching frontman Eugene’s moves was like seeing a hybrid of James Brown and Little Richard. He jumped off the stage and over the railing, with microphone in hand, like a hyperactive child running on Ritalin-free, unadulterated energy.

Although Tony Joe White, a modest pioneer of swampy blues, remained seated for his performance he still exuded spirit, moving sensually between guitar riffs, smooth vocals, and passionate harmonica playing.

Los Lobos jammed out a cover of Santana’s “Oye Como Va” weaving a salsa-fused fiesta into the tapestry of Sol Revue.

When night fell, JJ Grey and MOFRO opened with “Brighter Days,” a soothing piano-driven song that questions where the good times have gone. Sunshine State pride shone through songs like “Florida," “Dirtfloorcracker," and “Ho Cake." It was during “Lochloosa” that a bevy of goose bumps and chills ran up and down my sweat-soaked body. I felt as though I had been dropped right in the dark water of that north Florida lake for which the song was named. These backwoodsters baptized us in a pool of melody again and again.

Just when it appeared that a pivotal level of soul satisfaction had been reached, JJ Grey and Eugene sent us off with an unforgettable tribute to Otis Redding.
We made our way back to the lot struggling to let go of a "brighter day" as the sounds of harmonica and saxophone still hummed in our heads.