The East Side Band
No Sleep (Prevatt)
Dallas-area Prevatt Records put out this disc by the East Side Band, featuring Texas Trumpets Martin Banks and the late Mark “Pat” Patterson, along with blues guitarist Clarence Pierce and sax man Larry DC Williams. It’s a disc of meandering jams and riffs that call to mind Seventies TV cop-show themes, with Banks’ and Patterson’s trumpets leading the charge and handing the baton back and forth with Williams’ sax work. Unfortunately, it doesn’t really present these talents in the best light. The production is flat and minimal, while the rhythm section is solid but uninspired. The worst sin may be in the packaging; Prevatt’s release doesn’t even list song titles anywhere on the label or the disc itself. It makes for decent background music for the next R & B party you might have, but it doesn’t stand up well against last year’s Texas Trumpets release on Dialtone. Shame on Prevatt Records for not doing justice to this talented and well-traveled lineup.
This article appears in November 24 • 2000.