Damn, it got funky at the Fais Do Do. Sets by the New Mastersounds, Big Organ Trio and Check in the Dark were all funky in their own way. Check in the Dark played music in the vein of acoustic artists like Jake Johnson or John Mayer, but like John Mayer and his surprise SRV-like rocking as the John Mayer Trio, that doesn't mean they can't really get down. Both singer Michael Frieman and guitarist George Laird played acoustics, but Laird got down with some truly amazing guitar playing. And, near the end, they threw in a cover of the Band's delicious "Up on Cripple Creek," which was a welcomed surprise.

The next was Big Organ Trio, natives of my own Studio City, who, with their organ trio goodness, kept it groovy, and consistent. Organist Mike Mangan's playing was just brilliant and obviously impressed the crowd, many of whom may not have been expecting playing that good. And unlike Medeski, Martin and Wood, who I've also seen-comparisions are inevitable-they kept a solid groove going all the time, without delving into avant-garde that might sound good to the performer and the drugged-up fans, but no one else.

And then it was those Brits, the New Mastersounds, with their neo-Meters grooves. The group, which consists of guitarist Eddie Roberts, bassist Pete Chand, dummer Simon Allen, and Joe Tatton on keys, was joined by Rob Lavers on sax and flute. Like the Big Organ Trio, the music is just as tight live as it is on record, but when seen live, the communication involved in the performance is right in front of you, and it's quite the thing to watch, especially because (mostly nonverbal) communication between musicians is what makes a group really spectacular. But of course, having the funk in your soul does help quite a bit too.