Tuesday night, dedicated music seekers were treated to an evening of feel-good American soul by Quinn DeVeaux and his band. Along with Paul Dehaven: lead guitar, Dave Guy: bass guitar, Jamison Sevits: keyboards, and Mark Anderson: drums, DeVeaux’s 70 minute set delivered the goods.
Mix in some blues and second line; they hit a few sweet spots. A tight band, these guys played from the heart and were tuned into each other, always anticipating the next move. DeVeaux would switch from guitar to tambourine while singing his super charged lyrics with full emotion and conviction.
They started with the rock-steady groove of Been Too Long. The song had a certain retro ‘Stax Records’ vibe with some really nice harmonies. Guy’s basslines had an intricacy that really pulled the song together. A great start to the night.
Then Good Time Roll sped up the energy with an upbeat two-four drum beat and barrelhouse piano that took us on a stroll through Bourbon Street. Working their way out of NOLA, DeVeaux got swampy with Bayou. Dehaven guitar riffs smack of The Dead adding some great dimension to the tune.
Settling into the show, DeVeaux had some tasty love confessionals to sing. Imagine an incarnation of a young Otis Redding pouring it all out. DeVeaux expressed in lyrics and emotion what we have all felt at one time or another: All I Need, Very Best Thing and Take You Back.
“All I need is you loving me. Stay ’round girl for as long as I can breathe”
All I Need.
A nod to DeVeaux’s influences, they performed a rousing version of Willie Dixon’s Tiger in Your Tank made famous by Muddy Waters. DeVeaux seems to channel a bit of all his music heroes as he puts his all into entertaining his audience.
Then into What I Say. What better way to blow off the roof than with a little Ray Charles to rally the crowd? Sevits nailed those frenetic Fender Rhodes piano riffs. By the end we were all shaking that thing. Really, the only thing to add was a horn section to round it all out. Maybe next tour.
They won over the crowd quickly and by the end of the show DeVeaux stated that they planned to return to Valencia. Be sure to catch his next go-around.
Report by Phillip Solomonson
Article copyright ‘24/7 Valencia’
All photos copyright Phillip Solomonson / ’24/7 Valencia’
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