Super Soul Fest one reason to be thankful

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We have plenty to be thankful for, apart from not having Buffalo’s weather. Even in this holiday stretch, we have lots of live music here while the kids are home from wherever and need a night out.

One show even has Thanksgiving in its name: the Super Soul Fest Thanksgiving R&B Concert on Friday at The Egg featuring Al B. Sure!, Jeff Redd, Fonda Rae and Cupid.

This is soul of the New Jack Swing flavor, 1980s-’90s style — a rich stew of pop, hip-hop, even jazz, when R&B escaped disco’s lock-step and borrowed freely and intelligently. Sure!’s hits exemplify its richness and fun energy: “Nite & Day,” “Off On Your Own,” “Misunderstanding” and “If I’m Not Your Lover.”

Redd scored with “You Called and Told Me” and “I Found Lovin’,” while Fonda Rae hit with earthy numbers “Over Like a Fat Rat” and “Touch Me All Night Long.” Cupid makes party music, including “The Cupid Shuffle.” 8 p.m.

Advance tickets $59, $49, $39; plus $5 on Friday. 473-1845 www.theegg.org

Speaking of The Egg, Saturday’s show there by California soft-rockers America is sold out.

On Friday and Saturday, Club Helsinki (405 Columbia St., Hudson) welcomes “Holidelic” — a funky, psychedelic, old-school soul extravaganza, a creation of the tremendous Everett “Papadelic” Bradley.

Last seen here with Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band in May, Bradley has credits in all directions including musical theater with “Stomp,” “Swing” and “After Midnight.” Expect tall shoes, big ’fro’s, a fat beat, holiday spirit and a sense of humor. 9 p.m., both nights, doors at 6. $20 and $25, advance; $25 and $30 day of show. 828-4000 www.helsinkihudson.com

On Saturday, Alex Torres and his 12-piece Latin Orchestra — simply one of our best and longest-playing regional-and-beyond bands — celebrates its new album, “Mojo,” with a release party/concert at WAMC’s The Linda (339 Central Ave., Albany).

In addition to playing every venue here and way beyond since October 1980, the Orchestra has contributed songs to many film and TV soundtracks. 8 p.m., doors at 7:30. $10. 465-5233 ext. 4 www.wamcarts.org

Ride out tour

On Tuesday, Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band’s “Ride Out” Tour rides into the Times Union Center (51 S. Pearl St., Albany). The J. Geils Band opens.

Both bands won classic-rock permanence decades ago, and both still work hard to earn it onstage, though neither has played here lately. Seger never left Detroit behind, so he mixes plenty of beats-and-horn-powered soul into his blue-collar rock.

Backed by a dozen players and singers, Seger mixed in new songs from “Ride Out” — including Steve Earle’s “The Devil’s Right Hand” and John Hiatt’s Detroit Made” — among the hits in a recent sold-out Bangor, Maine show. Introducing “Like a Rock,” he said he hadn’t sung that tune in Maine for 30 years.

Boston’s biggest export before Aerosmith, the J.Geils Band is powered by the blues and R&B spirit and feisty charisma of singer Peter Wolf, who’s played terrific solo shows here. Wolf and several founding members play in the current crew.

7:30 p.m. $69.50, $49.50. 800-745-3000 www.timesunioncenter-albany.com

Also Tuesday, Georgia singer-songwriter Zach Deputy plays the Parish Public House (388 Broadway, Albany). Playing guitar and singing and looping beats and vocals with four mics, Deputy is a one-man band, and a good one. 9 p.m., doors 8. $14, advance, $17 door. 465-0444 www.parishpublichouse.com

Another Tuesday show, and another reason to be thankful, is the monthly blast by Keith Pray’s Big Soul Ensemble at the Van Dyck (237 Union St., Schenectady).

With 17 local aces, this big band rocks the house with members’ original tunes and such can’t-miss classics as Neal Hefti’s wicked chart on Booker T. and the MG’s “Green Onions.” 8 p.m. No cover, donations welcome and reservations advised. 348-7999 www.vandycklounge.com

PLAYLIST

As plans shape up for a deep-winter meeting of the Mountain Music Club, a “music night” of a discussion/support/men’s group felt like a warm-up. Each of us played our favorite rock songs and talked about them. We’ve met every three weeks for more than 20 years; we also do book-reading nights and updates on our lives. In “music night,” we played tunes on a strong stereo and talked about why they’re so cool.

What tunes? Glad you asked. Here’s our playlist, my picks in bold:

“Long Tall Sally” — Little Richard

“Not Fade Away” — Rolling Stones

“Down by the River” — Neil Young

“All Along the Watchtower” — Jimi Hendrix

“Someday” — Delaney & Bonnie and Friends

“Nadine” — John Hammond

“Whammer-Jammer/Hard-Driving Man” — J. Geils Band

“American Girl” — Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers

“Little Floater” — NRBQ

“All Come True” — Rosanne Cash

“You’re Gonna Miss Me When You Go” — Shawn Colvin (I got three picks when another guy’s picks ran long)

“When Something is Wrong with My Baby” — Otis Redding

“Baby It’s You” — the Beatles

“Screamer” — AC/DC

“A Thing Called Love” — Queen

“Middle of the Road” — Pretenders

“One Love” – Bob Marley & the Wailers

“Bell Bottom Blues” — Derek & the Dominoes

“Why Can’t I Forget About You” — the subdudes

Reach Gazette Columnist Michael Hochanadel at [email protected]

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Categories: Entertainment