Maceo Parker and band save the world

Saturday night, Maceo Parker funked up the Sharon Lynne Wilson Center. (Also, the world did not come to an end.) The charismatic saxophonist and his octet brought a joyful noise to a near capacity audience at Brookfield’s 600-seat venue.

Parker rose to fame playing with James Brown and George Clinton. Today, his name is synonymous with funk, the hot, pulsing blend of 60s soul and 70s dance music that influenced contemporary afro beat and hip-hop.

The 68-year-old Parker started the evening with a playful demo of what his band would not be performing during the concert, namely traditional jazz. With his longtime keyboardist Will Boulware, Rodney “Skeet” Curtis on bass and Bruno Speight on guitar, Parker briefly started to sing a slightly bluesy version of Joyce Kilmer’s Trees.

The music quickly morphed into the rollicking Make it Funky with the addition of the powerhouse brass of Ron Tooley on trumpet and Dennis Rollins on trombone. Like Parker, Tooley played with James Brown, and he has performed with Maynard Ferguson. Rollins is an acclaimed British composer as well as trombonist. All are outstanding musicians.

“You gotta open up,” Parker sang — and the whole band, including back-up vocalists Martha High and Maceo’s son, Corey Parker, began moving to the rhythmic groove.

Parker peppers his show with shout-outs to his band members and plenty of James Brownian motion. Then he effortlessly changes to techno-funk mode, launched by drummer (and nephew) Marcus Parker.

Maceo is at his best when he picks up his alto sax and plays along with his hard-charging horn section.  It’s easy to understand why James Brown coined the expression “Maceo, I want you to blow!” in such Brown classics such as I Feel Good.

Later in the show, Parker moved into a smooth disco vibe, with a haunting trombone and keyboard back-up in Paul McCartney’s My Love Does It Good.

Rollins fill the air with more love, with a long solo of When I Fall in Love. He sealed the deal by ending with a mellow riff.

“Just feel the love,” Parker enjoined the audience. A few brave souls shouted back: “We love you!”

Maybe love and music kept the world around for a few more turns Saturday night.