Bear Creek Brings The Funk

A big thank you to Paul Levine and Lyle Williams, creators of Bear Creek!! (Photo by the wonderful Jeffrey Dupuis.)

The gathering if the funkateers at Bear Creek Music and Art Festival was everything it was cracked up to be -- a glorious assemblage of the finest funk and jam players on the planet. "This," declared trombonist Fred Wesley (an alumni of James Brown's band and George Clinton's Parliament Funkadelic) "is where the funk lives."

And it is -- horns blaring through live oaks dripping with Spanish moss, booties shakin' through the starry night, newcomer funk bands popping up in the campgrounds and drawing an impromptu raging crowd. All of it is rare and special. To have the funk greats come play at Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park and to get a chance to really pay them their due is a beautiful thing indeed. People like Wesley, James Brown saxophonist Pee Wee Ellis, Maceo Parker, George Porter of the Funky Meters, the Rebirth Brass Band, and Ivan Neville. Seeing a show by any one of these folks is a treat. Six stages for five days is epic!

Mix in the second-generation funk players -- bands like Orgone, the New Mastersounds, Matt Grondin Band, Snarky Puppy, Soulive, and The Amazing JC's, and you've got the tasty musical stew that Levine and Williams are getting known for. Besides the funk, jam band fans had their fill with acts like moe., Umphreys Magee, Toubab Krewe, Cope, The Everyone Orchestra, the Heavy Pets, and Garage Mahal. Again, all these players brought ridiculous talent and energy to the nonstop party. Add to that an audience that manages to rage and be kind at the same time and its a euphoric mix.

Bear Creek festival gets better every year, as the word spreads among musicians that they'll get treated right and fans learn that seeing this explosion of talent in a gorgeous, friendly setting is an experience not to be missed.

Promoters Williams and Levine put so much love into creating the musical mix of this very special festival, and their taste is impeccable. Make your plans to get to Bear Creek for next year, people -- this is one you definitely don't want to miss!