As a lifelong head-over-heels fan of the truly GREAT American band The Lovin’ Spoonful, I recently had, with wife and friends, a wonderful experience at a show called “A Spoonful of Lovin'” performed by a swell band at New York City’s excellent performance space, The Cutting Room.
At first, I hesitated going. I thought, “It’s not the real Lovin’ Spoonful, so how good could it be?” The answer was “Damn good!”
A Spoonful of Lovin’
Organized and led by Mr. Tom Clark on guitar, autoharp, harmonica and vocals–and including Sal Maida, Andy Riedel, Dennis Diken, C.P. Roth and Craig Chesler, filling out the band and also contributing many vocals–these guys brought the real magic, the real heart of The Lovin’ Spoonful through their performances of many of that unforgettable band’s great songs.
Was there fidelity to the original recordings?– most definitely. But at the same time you felt the individual artistry and authentic emotion of each of the performers. The opposites that are so often made one in the music of The Lovin’ Spoonful–high energy brashness together with good-natured sweetness–were alive throughout. This was clearly a labor of love, and I thank them for a wonderful night.
They only perform this show a couple times a year, folks, so I’m telling you now: If you ever get the opportunity, “Just go and listen, it’ll start with a smile you won’t wipe off your face no matter how hard you try!”
Thank you, Kevin, for this very kind article! See you at the next show! -Tom Clark
I was and still am a big big fan of the Spoonful . Went to see these guys on a whim , not knowing what to expect . I was totally knocked out . Great players individually and collectively . They too obviously loved the Spoonful and cover them faithfully and respectfully. A great show . Highly recommend .
And thank you, too, Kevin. What a delightful way to remember the Lovin’ Spoonful! Yes, I care for their songs, too, especially “What a Day for a Daydream,” with Mr. Sebastian’s vocals that managed to be both definite and dreamy, wispy, at the same time. I also love “Summer in the City,” with its really strong, tangy sound, and Sebastian’s voice being very expressive and full.
I hope to catch the Spoonful of Lovin’ sometime. Thanks, Kevin, for letting me know.