Band Reviews with Dangerous Bill: AJQ - Share the Experience
Dangerous Bill caught AJQ at the McLean Hilton one evening after a BAD day at work. Stress was coursing through DB's veins. Salvation came in the form of a call from ultra-sweetie Darla, who said, "Let's do happy hour." The combination of the MH's nice club, Darla and her great friends, and AJQ's FUNKY, soulful jazz was more than enough to turn my frown upside down. These guys work HARD and they are seriously tight for daytime working stiffs. Stuart Daily blows a mellow sax, Melvin Miles tickles the ivories with reckless abandon, and Steven Shipley keeps the bass thump going hard and strong. But the killer of this ensemble is drummer Cecil Isaac. Cecil's stuff is right there, just as musical as the other instruments. He's not just keepin' the beat; Isaac's sticks pull sounds and melodies out of the skins that are every bit as complex as the jazz variations woven together by his bandmates. But let me say again how FUNKY this band was. You cannot help but dance, and I mean that in the James Brown sense. There wasn't a lot of room for movin' around in there, but we got up anyway. If you get a chance to see AJQ, don't miss it. For bookings and information, call 301-937-0202 or email AJQmusic@aol.com. And whatever you do, don't forget to email me to let me know when their next gig is!