The Motet, Shaky Feelin’ get down in LA

The Motet with Shaky Feelin’ //
The Mint – Los Angeles
February 9th, 2014 //

Who said it’s not cool to party on a Sunday night? Well, certainly not The Motet.

The Colorado ensemble brought the funk — and subsequently, one hell of a dance par-tay — to LA on Sunday, capping off last weekend with a packed show at The Mint.

But before the Denver-based septet even hit the stage, Ventura County’s Shaky Feelin’ got the dance floor moving and grooving thanks to their feel-good jams. With drummers Paul Menchaca and Cameron Probe laying down the beats, lead singer/guitarist Mark Masson channeled his inner Trey Anastasio, offering us an hour-long lesson in shredding with one Phishy solo after the next.

While it wasn’t the first time Shaky Feelin’ had played The Mint, the set still stood as an important moment for the quintet — one it can feed off before another big opening slot, for none other than Robert Randolph & the Family Band, later this month in Agoura Hills.

So, by the time The Motet was ready to join the fun, the crowd was just as eager to let loose — and evidently, so was frontman Jans Ingber. Sure, drummer Dave Watts may be the group’s founder and bandleader, but it’s Ingber who can really work a crowd. Sporting his usual curly afro, the tall, slender vocalist didn’t waste much time before unleashing his best funky dance moves.

The music, to no one’s surprise, was just as funky. Playing several cuts off its new self-titled album, The Motet captivated both first-timers and veterans with afro-influenced grooves and a horns section that features Gabe Mervine on the trumpet and Matt Pitts on the tenor saxophone. Of course, keyboardist Joey Porter, guitarist Ryan Jalbert and bassist Garrett Sayers aren’t too shabby themselves, and they made that apparent with each tune they played over the course of the night.

Now in its 12th year together, The Motet may not be on its way to mainstream commercial success any time soon, but for modern-day funk fans, it’s the gift that keeps on giving.