Mamas Gun
Blue Note131 West 3rd Street, New York 10012
Mamas Gun bring their five-piece band to Blue Note for an evening led by vocalist and songwriter Andy Platts, with Terry Lewis on guitar, Dave Oliver on keyboards, Cameron Dawson on bass and Chris Boot on drums. The UK group’s set draws on the meeting point between blue-eyed soul and the black music tradition, with the band citing Marvin Gaye, Bill Withers and Sly Stone among its touchstones. Expect Platts’s songwriting and the group’s harmonies to be central to the performance.
Formed by Platts in 2007, Mamas Gun are a UK five-piece known as “masters of modern soul music” by their Bandcamp. Platts has written hits for Take That and James Morrison, and also works with Shawn Lee as Young Gun Silver Fox. Across the band, their credits include work with Lisa Stansfield, Leon Ware, The Impressions, Rumer, Cinematic Orchestra, Joy Crookes, Alice Russell, Nilüfer Yanya and Lucy Rose; Mamas Gun have also shared stages with De La Soul, Raphael Saadiq, Lee Fields and Gregory Porter. Their blend of classic and contemporary soul has drawn praise from The Sunday Times, Billboard, The Guardian and Uncut. The Daily Express called the harmonies “Glorious,” while BBC 6 Music’s Craig Charles said: “The best album to date, I love Mamas Gun.”
Blue Note Jazz Club is a dedicated listening room in the heart of Manhattan's jazz district, where the music is the focus and the space is designed to let the sound fill the room. The club features a stage with a small audience area, and the atmosphere is one of quiet concentration on the music. Shows typically begin at 8:00 PM with a second set at 10:30 PM, and the audience sits on chairs close to the stage. The club has a bar, and drinks are available. The experience is primarily about listening to live jazz, with occasional gospel and soul performances, and the audience often stays to talk and enjoy the music after the sets.