An impromptu bongo beat became a full-on tribute to James Brown, and suddenly a band had an all-new repertoire. A powerful and versatile vocalist, Alexander and her Evolution Arkestra address the legacies of Jimi Hendrix and the Godfather of Soul from the South Side of the city.

Dee Alexander.

Marc PoKempner

Ernie Adams and the Evolution Arkestra.

Marc PoKempner

Dee Alexander salutes Jimi Hendrix during her Funkin' With Electric Soul show.

Marc PoKempner

Miguel de la Cerna.

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Alexander on stage.

Marc PoKempner

Alexander changed outfits for the James Brown portion of the concert.

Marc PoKempner

Tomeka Reid.

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The audience was very animated, later forming a dance floor in the middle of the room.

Marc PoKempner

Ernie Adams.

Marc PoKempner

Junius Paul (left) and Harrison Bankhead both played bass.

Marc PoKempner

Dee Alexander salutes Jimi Hendrix during her Funkin' With Electric Soul show.

Marc PoKempner

It started as a bongo beat — a nod to James Brown, just after his death in late 2006. Then came a few signature riffs. And an ecstatic response from the crowd. Before long, the Godfather of Soul was permanently embedded in the Evolution Ensemble's repertoire. For leader Dee Alexander, a powerful and versatile vocalist, it was all part of the same continuum — as was the music of Jimi Hendrix, whose music carried the same revolutionary weight. Commissioned by the Jazz Institute of Chicago, Alexander and the expanded Evolution Arkestra sing the body electric in a free program on the city's south side.

Set List

• "The Star-Spangled Banner"
• "Little Wing"
• "Who Knows"
• "Fire"
• "Purple Haze"
• "If Six Was Nine"
• "Hey Joe"
• "Auld Lang Syne"

Personnel

• Dee Alexander, voice
• Miguel de la Cerna, piano
• Tomeka Reid, cello
• Harrison Bankhead,bass
• Junius Paul, bass
• Scott Hesse, guitar
• Yusef Ernie Adams, percussion

Credits

Timothy Powell/Metro Mobile Recording, recording and mix engineer; Dayna Calderón, field producer. Recorded at South Shore Cultural Center, Dec. 7, 2012. Special thanks to the Jazz Institute of Chicago and the Chicago Park District.

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