By: David Schultz

The John Popper Project kicked off their fall tour at New York City's elegant Canal Room this past week. Reuniting for the first time since laying down the tracks for their self-titled album, Blues Traveler frontman John Popper, his band mate bassist Tad Kinchla, drummer Marcus Bleecker and turntable wizard DJ Logic spent the evening getting reacquainted. The Project took the stage without fanfare, easing their way onto the stage during Logic's half-hour long opening DJ set. Although not svelte, Popper looks much healthier than he did during Blues Traveler's heyday. Using a harmonica/microphone contraption that looked like a large black Shofar, Popper remained stationary by the side of the stage rather than front and center. The Project may bear his name, but it does not signify his dominance. With Popper limiting himself to only one harmonica throughout the night, Kinchla and Bleecker were the evening's workhorses.

The last time Popper, Kinchla and Logic shared the stage together was at the 2006 Jammy Awards at the Theatre in Madison Square Garden. On that night, they were joined by rhythm and blues legend Bettye Lavette for an earthy run through Lucinda Williams' "Joy." As the Project only has one album of material to work with, they stretched out the numbers with predominantly successful results. Playing off of Logic's grooves, "Horses" and "Trigger" soared, "Fire In Her Kiss" and "Lapdance" slinked and even though their segue into The Sopranos theme song lasted a little too long, their revved up take on "Everything" outdistanced the studio version. Going without a lead guitarist, Kinchla and Logic filled the gap with some inventive work, although Kinchla seemed to fall back to the "Joy" bass line whenever stuck for something to play. Logic's ingenious instinct for finding the right beat can sometimes serve as a disservice to a rhythm section. Some brilliant passages by Kinchla and Bleecker blended so easily with Logic's beat that it was tough to tell where it came from. The band had the same problem too: after one song, Kinchla had to tell Popper that what he heard came from him, much to Popper's delight.

Currently in the Midwest, the Popper Project tour will head out West for a week's worth of shows beginning with a Halloween show at the Aladdin Theater in Portland, OR.

Labels: DJ Logic, John Popper Project