A couple weeks ago I went to see a fun triple-bill of 90s alternative rock bands: Gin Blossoms, Spin Doctors and Blues Traveler. Each of the bands were great in their own way, altough I think overall Blues Traveler was the best of the bunch. They even ended with a cool cover of the Steely Dan classic “Dirty Work” with the singer of the Gin Blossoms:
However, Spin Doctors were still incredible. Even though they’ve been out of the spotlight for quite some time, they still sounded in top form. Here is “Two Princes” from the show I saw:
One of the things that made them sound so great was the solid, funky beat of drummer Aaron Comess. He’s totally locked in. Overall, I think he was an underrated part of the overall sound of the Spin Doctors.
Check out this classic footage of Spin Doctors playing “What Time is It? / Off My Line” at Woodstock 1994. There’s plenty of shots of Aaron Comess making his presence known throughout. He is absolutely slamming the drums during this performance!
Even though Aaron Commess is mostly known for his groove playing that is mostly no-frills. He also can play some technical stuff when called upon. Check out this bonkers footage of him playing the beginning of “Refrigerator Car” in 2006:
It has been over twenty years since I last saw the Spin Doctors perform live. I saw them play at the NAMM conference in Nashville in 2004 and, of course, the internet does not disappoint and delivers the footage:
What most people don’t realize is that besides being the drummer in Spin Doctors, Aaron Comess also performs original music he composes in a jazz trio format. His first solo release, called Catskills Cry was released in 2006 and is today’s pick!
Along with playing the drums, Aaron also plays some guitar on Catskills Cry. Also on the album is guitarist Bill Dillon who has played with artists as diverse as Peter Gabriel, Robbie Robertson and The Cowboy Junkies. Tony Levin (of King Crimson fame) provides the bass throughout.
The opening song “Flower” sets the tone. The laidback and jazzy grooves showcase a tight band that sounds like they’ve been playing together for years:
Another highlight is “Africa” which showcases tribal drum patterns and much heavier musical accompaniment. The band is really letting it rip here.
Here is a newer band Aaron Comess formed, with Oz Noy and Teddy Kumpel on guitars and Richard Hammond on bass, playing “Africa” in 2013. It sounds even better than the studio counterpart:
The title track of the album has some Bill Frisell vibes which I’m definitely on board with:
“Sky” is kind of a prog-funk epic even though it clocks in at less than four minutes. It covers a lot of ground in a short time:
The album closes with the cinematic “Zapped”. Sounding like the closing credits of a dramatic film:
Overall Catskills Cry is a cool listen, especially during this time of year when summer is winding down and fall is approaching. It definitely sets a mood to reflect this season.
