Herbie Mann ensemble leaves SPAC crowd dancing in aisles
by David Favrot, The Knickerbocker News, June 21, 1975
“Man, if we’d played any more there would have been a riot,” said Herbie Mann drummer Darryl Washington in wonderment as he packed his drum kit.
The hall of the Saratoga Performing Arts Center was emptying rapidly Friday night as he spoke, minutes after a mostly young crowd of some 2,300 had given jazz flautist Mann a shouting, stamping standing ovation and brought the group back twice for encores.
Mann is riding the popularity of a hit AM single, “Hijack.” He has augmented his seven-member ensemble with three back-up singers, Cissy Houston and the Hijackers (Eunice Peterson and Renelle Broxton), three black ladies who please eye and ear equally.
Saxophonist Joe Farrell’s quartet opened the concert with a well-received set, featuring Barry Finnerty on guitar, Herb Bushler on bass and Victor Lewis on drums. The band sounded better rehearsed than the group Farrell fronted last year at SPAC, and he benefited this time from a much fuller sound system. Cheers and applause greeted the climax of the set, a rolling, varied drum solo.
Herbie Mann’s opening number, “Mississippi Gambler,” gave guitarist Bob Mann (no relation) a chance to show quick fingers and a sure melodic sense. Percussionist Armen Halburian ran through his armory of bells, gongs and cymbals to win the loudest applause of any of the group’s soloists.
The band’s leader, resplendent in an all-white suit, moseyed around the stage tapping a cowbell and listening to the other soloists when not playing himself. His best playing came, as it usually does, on slow numbers—notably the second one of the evening, “Cricket Dance.”
The night’s highlight came with “Never Can Say Goodbye,” a long-time Mann staple. Halburian and Washington laced a long, pensive solo by Mann with delicate cymbal touches. Pat Rebillot, a triple threat on electric piano, organ and synthesizer, contributed atmospheric organ swells that were sometimes effective but more often obtrusive.
No Herbie Mann concert would be complete without “Memphis Underground,” the title track from his hit ’60s album. From that, the band surged into “Hijack,” with Mann’s flute leaping over the ensemble as the Hijackers cooed and cried. Miss Houston, a striking redhead, showed off a rich, seamless voice as much as her limited back-up role allowed.
“Hold On, I’m Comin’,” the old Sam and Dave rhythm n blues standby, brought the crowd to its feet as the encore number. As many as 200 people streaked to the front of the stage to dance as Mann bobbed and weaved; bassist Will Lee rocked on his heels; poker-faced Rebillot swayed to and fro at his synthesizer keyboard; David Newman played honking tenor sax lines and Miss Houston shook hands with the bobbing dancers.
The band then left the stage briefly, only to return for a second encore, a reprise of “Hold On.” It ended, and they were gone for good, despite the frantic stomping and cheering of the remaining crowd.
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