by Mike Lisching
Saturday night at Yoshi’s Oakland was a masterclass in groove. The legendary Bay Area jazz club transformed into a full-blown rhythm lab as Ghost-Note – the percussion-driven collective helmed by Robert “Sput” Searight – took the stage. Known for their high-octane fusion of funk, hip-hop, and jazz, the band wasted no time turning the intimate room into a pulsating celebration of rhythm.
At Yoshi’s, the lineup featured Robert “Sput” Searight (drums), Jay McK (bass), Dominique Xavier Taplin (keyboards), Peter Knudsen (guitar), Jonathan Mones and Mike Jelani Brooks (saxophones), Danny Wytanis (trombone), and MacKenzie (vocals). Together they built a sonic architecture that fused pocket precision with improvisational fire, the kind of chemistry that only comes from musicians who trust one another completely.
Midway through the night, Ghost-Note shifted gears and launched into an interpretation of D’Angelo’s “Devil’s Pie.” It was raw, soulful, and reverent, giving MacKenzie a moment to let loose. When the final notes faded, Sput took the mic and asked the room to join in a moment of silence for the late, great D’Angelo, honoring an artist whose influence flows through so much of soul and R&B music. The pause that followed was powerful – quiet enough to feel sacred – and when the band dropped back into the groove, the release was electric.
All night, the band members were in the words of Sput, “dropping bombs” during their solos. And in a night of full-band sounds and powerful solos, one of the most memorable was Jay McK’s quiet moment alone on stage in the blue lights, filling the room with low-end feels that pulsed through the crowd’s bodies.
The Yoshi’s crowd, typically accustomed to a reserved listening room environment, had come ready to move. So as the night built to a close, Sput grinned at the still-seated crowd and implored everyone to get up and dance. Within seconds, the aisles filled with bodies moving in time, the final groove dissolving into pure, collective motion. The only appropriate way to end a night of peace, love, and funk.
Ghost-Note finished a weekend residency at Yoshi’s Sunday night, but is on its way to Southern California for shows at Blue Note Los Angeles and Winston’s Beach Club San Diego in the coming days. Get your tickets now!
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