“Summer’s heat- smell my feet!” Bill Summers exclaimed at Dunbar Park on Tuesday, June 21. The legendary percussionist and his new band Forward Back overcame stifling conditions in a free 65-minute set sponsored by Creative City KC in conjunction with Make Music Day.
Acknowledging the disappointing size of the audience of less than 100, Summers noted “it doesn’t matter how many people are here or not here- we’re going to throw the funk down.” The sextet did- kind of. In stark contrast to the jazz and African orientation of Summers’ concert last year in the same location, Saturday’s show was rooted in pop.
At its best, Forward Back resembles an exciting reboot of the Fugees. In lesser moments, Forward Back sounds like a sketchy Black Eyed Peas tribute band. A disappointing reliance on backing tracks belied the talent on stage. Drummer Jamal Batiste (yes, he’s Jon Batiste’s brother) was particularly constrained.
Forward Back doesn’t attempt to replicate Summers’ rarified artistic achievements with the Headhunters and Los Hombres Calientes. Yet the infectious exuberance of the group compensated for its stylistic limitations. Summers proclaimed “we are not musicians- we are physicians.” The sextet administered spiritual healing on Saturday.