THE DOVER WEINBERG QUARTET
By Dan Golden
The Dover Weinberg Quartet, performing a variety of stylings, has turned
their Tuesday night "house" gig at the Spare Room into a celebration
of their collective love of music.
This group brings together some of the finest players in the city,
combining technical prowess, humor and an unbreakable groove to pull
an audience into their world. Led by Dover "Warm And Fuzzy"
Weinberg, the core group of this ensemble has played with a virtual
"Who's Who" list of "name" players on both the local
and national levels. Together, their combined chemistry radiates from
the stage.
Since moving to Portland from the Bay Area, while still in high school,
keyboardist Weinberg has played professionally nearly non-stop. One
of his first brushes with the "big time" was a two-year hitch
with an early version of the Robert Cray Band in the mid-'70s. This
included appearances with Albert Collins and Otis Rush. Later, work
with bands fronted by Lloyd Jones and Paul deLay solidified his reputation
as an always "in-demand" keyboardist, suitable for any occasion.
Joining the affable Weinberg in this setting are the unflappable Dave
Kahl bringing on the bass and guitarist Chris Carlson.
Kahl's musical credentials are vast indeed. Mentored along with Weinberg
by the late local blues and jazz authority George Page, Kahl was playing
in local bands at age 15! After performing along with such regional
phenomena as Curtis Salgado and Jim Mesi, it helped to hone his smooth
and fluid style.
Carlson names guitar pioneers Charlie Christian and T-Bone Walker as
guiding influences. His graceful touch mixes well with the group's approach
to material that transcends the mere labeling of blues, R&B or jazz.
With each of the three taking turns on lead vocals, the overall sound
is rich and varied.
The drum throne is a "revolving" position within the quartet.
Alternating Tuesdays will usually find either Carlton Jackson, a personal
favorite, or Marco Savo keeping time. Both of these top-notch players
can drive the beat or lay back and let the groove develop in an instinctive
manner. The rather loose attitude of the whole band is deceptive - when
it's time to burn, stand back!
For decades, The Spare Room, located at 4830 N.E. 42nd, has served
fine food and entertainment. With two bars, two dance floors, a pool
room and dining area, this bistro is truly a classic. Daily food specials,
including the Tuesday night $6.95 Filet Mignon dinner (in December),
are reason enough to drop by. Ballroom dancing lessons taught by MaryAnn
Carter every Thursday and Sunday nights help to keep things lively.
Thursday through Sunday evenings, music is provided by the mainstay
duo Larry and Teri.
Upcoming events also hold promise of good times for all. A grand New
Years Eve celebration is planned, with prime rib/jumbo shrimp dinner
packages featuring complimentary champagne at midnight still available.
The next day, a special "bloody mary" football brunch will
run from 9 a.m. until noon.
Also, starting in December, the Paul deLay band appears every Wednesday
night. Stop by any night of the week to see what's cooking at this legendary
local nightspot.
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