Legendary J.C.’s injects soul, sweat into Chelsea’s Café

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By Jason Andreasen

On Thursday, Nov. 15, the “Church of What’s Happenin’ Now” will roll into Baton Rouge to preach to all those who will listen, regardless of creed, color, orientation or background. Those who lead the soulful sermon go by the moniker The Legendary J.C.’s and have been making a name for themselves in soul, blues and jam band circles since 2000. Having received praise from the likes of Al Green, B.B. King and the late James Brown, the Legendary J.C.’s are one of the most highly-regarded soul bands in the country.

Led by frenetic frontman Eugene Snowden, the Legendary J.C.’s is a conglomerate of all-star musicians from various backgrounds, ranging from punk to bluegrass to blues. The Orlando-based group views “soul” as something that is best described as music that digs deep.

“That term gets thrown around a lot,” said Snowden. “There’s a lot of bands that have elements of soul in them, but they aren’t necessarily a ‘soul’ band. It’s something that you know it when you hear it.”

Hearing it, according to Snowden, is something that is best done live. While he can talk at length about the quality recordings of Motown and Stax Records, Snowden was quick to point out the importance of being there in person to experience it.

“You can’t fake it live,” Snowden said emphatically. “A soul band live is the best way to get the true essence of what soul music is. Soul is distinct. It’s the real deal.”

The J.C.’s know what soul is in part because they’ve heard it in person for years now. Having opened up for the likes of B.B. King and Al Green and contemporaries like MOFRO, the band has been able to meet many of their soul heroes.

“You know how happenin’ it is to open up for people whose records you’ve been playing for the last 20-30 years?” Snowden jokingly asked. “James Brown stopped his whole entourage to go, ‘You boys are fabulous!’ That’s insane, y’know. It’s very overwhelming.”

The J.C.’s receive much of their praise for much the same reason that soul music itself touches so many people – live performances. The defining element of a J.C.’s show is their versatility, calling upon subtleties in the flavor of Sam Cooke or Otis Redding and then moments later releasing an exhausting fury a la Wilson Pickett.

According to Snowden, the crowd at Chelsea’s Café will be in for the entire onslaught of the Legendary J.C.’s arsenal.

“We like to come out guns blazing,” explained Snowden. “It’s a rockin’ soul revue. We’re going to get up to the top of the mountain-top, and then we going to have a roller coaster ride all the way down through the blues, soul ballads and end up funkin’ ourselves to death. After the show, you’re going to be hoarse, tore up from the floor up and just when you don’t think you have any energy to spare, we’re going to dig a little deeper and come back even stronger.”

He continued, “By the time you leave, you’re going to need a half-hour rest just to get to your car!”

The Legendary J.C.’s treasure their roots in the traditions of soul music, though they are not just out there preaching about the greatness of the genre. They are forcing you to hear it by preaching via original songs that are as fresh as they are soulful. Their debut album was named The Church of What’s Happenin’ Now in part for this very same reason.

The guitar playing of Brian Chodorcoff and the traveling fingers of organist Jack Stirling are just two components of the J.C.’s powerful ensemble. Mixed together with Snowden’s renowned and irreverent showmanship, they are sure to please all those looking to see a soul band that wears beads of sweat as badges of honor.

The show will kick off at 10 p.m. at Chelsea’s Café. For more information about the Legendary J.C.’s, including song samples and live pictures, check out MySpace.com/TheLegendaryJCs.

E-mail the author at JasonAndreasen@tigerweekly.com

Originally Published: Issue 587 - November 14, 2007

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