Imperial Suites Hotel Ballroom
September 22, 2005

Want a booty shakin' good time. Go to a Euge Groove concert. If you've resisted the impulse to dance in the aisles so far, this one will get you on your feet. Euge has toured with Tina Turner and Tower of Power, two of the most exciting live acts out there. When he opened for Joe Cocker, he won over crowds that were not the least bit inclined to sit through a smooth jazz sax player until they heard him. He's not just a consummate musician; he's a charismatic entertainer who knows how to work the room.

Touring to support his new CD, Just Feels Right, it is obvious he loves the music and the vibe he has created with this project. Most artists build their set list around hits and old favorites, then ease in one or two from the latest release. Euge does it the other way around. The new songs anchor the set; he plays most of the songs from the new CD almost in sequence and weaves the older stuff around it. With songs like these it would be insane to do it any other way. “Get ‘Em Goin'” is big, brash, and funky - the first song on the CD and the perfect opener for the set. The band hits the stage with a wall of sound and Euge walks on and just starts wailing, immediately urging the crowd to get out of their chairs and put their hands in the air. This group is spectacular; they have that same tight, full-textured sound that has become the trademark of Boney's touring bands. It was a rare treat to see Euge's long-time collaborator, producer and arranger Michael Egizi on keyboards. Guitarist Randy Jacobs, drummer Donnell Spencer and Cornelius Mims on bass rounded out one of the most impressive lineups out there.

He kept the energy level up with a group of older hits: “Livin' Large,” “Sneak a Peak,” and “Slam Dunk.” He paced the stage, swapped solos with guitarist Randy Jacobs and tried to lure the folks at the front tables out of their chairs before winding it down with “Chillaxin'.” “Just My Imagination” is the obvious crowd pleaser. The buzz of recognition started with the first notes. Euge walked the aisles, stopping and playing to almost every table in the room. Instead of the usual “cuddle with your honey” conversation that accompanies the slow jams, he started with a hilarious monologue leading into a sing-along that had the women singing the chorus while the men answered with “Let's Get It On.” He spoke of his love for the classic soul ballads and how they inspired “12:08 AM” which showcased Michael Egizi's appropriately retro Fender Rhodes-tinged keyboard break. “Straight Up,” Just Feels Right's other funk-infused slammer heated things up again before he settled into a midtempo groove with “This Must Be For Real” and “Just Feels Right.” These are the two songs that best define the 70s influence on the new music. Introducing them, he talked about going back to a time that was low tech/low stress and getting away from the onslaught of the information age for awhile. Reeling from the aftermath of Katrina with Rita headed toward landfall, settling into these songs was a brief and welcome reprieve. “XXL” and “Rewind,” two more Euge hits, built up enough momentum to get the last holdouts out of their chairs and into the aisles. The encore, T.O.P. (for Tower of Power, of course), took it up another notch, which is what is so much fun about a Euge Groove concert. He can take it up a notch and then take it higher!

- Shannon West