Photos by Andy Argyrakis

Whether it was helping usher Herbie Hancock into the next phase of his funky fusion or becoming an influential entity all its own, jazz was simply never the same after The Headhunters.

Over a half-century later, the group co-starring percussionist Bill Summers, and drummer Mike Clark, plus saxophonist Donald Harrison, is still breaking ground in the studio and on stages such as the intimate yet standing room only Space in Evanston, where they were joined by last minute substitutes Shea Pierre (keys, piano) and Chicagoan Frank Russell (bass) since the usual musicians were shut out by a snow storm.

For almost two hours, The Headhunters defied age and genre, always painting with adventurous improvisational brushstrokes throughout a series of extended originals and covers, as if this one-off line-up had been together forever.

The prodigious players started by shifting into “Four String Drive,” steadily building towards the groove of Miles Davis’ “E.S.P.,” a landmark written by Wayne Shorter and featuring their former leader.

There was also the tender glow of “Butterfly,” which The Headhunters initially recorded on Hancock’s “Thrust,” alongside the latest album’s title track, “The Stunt Man,” a modern day masterpiece of unpredictable delights.

Rather than merely repeating anything exactly like the recordings, the night felt fully alive, especially when it came to Summers’ blowing on a bottle to begin the classic “Watermelon Man” off the revolutionary “Head Hunters” debut.

Then what began as a bit of “Loft Funk” soon morphed into a bass solo of “Amazing Grace,” Harrison singing a bit of Sly And The Family Stone’s “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)” and everyone turning up the heat on The Meters’ “Hey Pocky A-Way.”

In fact, getting to hear various aspects of The Headhunters’ vast and frequently sampled repertoire in a single setting outlined how vital members’ impact is on not just their primary genres, but much of rock and hip-hop, making Space quite a fortunate place to bear witness to this breathing history firsthand.

For additional information on The Headhunters, visit TheHeadhunters.Band.

Upcoming concert highlights at Space include Warren Zevon Birthday Bash (Jan. 23); Judith Owen (Jan. 24); Little Miss Ann Band (Jan. 25); Jontavious Willis (Jan. 25); Benny Green (Jan. 26); Petra Van Nuis & Andy Brown and Don Stiernberg Quartet (Jan. 27); PureSoul Presents Miles Davis’ “Kind Of Blue” (Jan. 28); Jax Hollow (Jan. 29); Albert Lee (Jan. 30); Lil Ed & The Blues Imperials (Jan. 31); John Mead’s True Believers (Feb. 1); Radio Free Honduras (Feb. 2); Stephen Hull (Feb. 3); Whitney Johnson + Lia Kohl and Same Waves (Feb. 5); Second Hand News: Tribute To Fleetwood Mac (Feb. 7); Ronnie Baker Brooks (Feb. 8); GARM and Nebulus (Feb. 10); Phil Angotti & Friends (Feb. 11); Alyssa Allgood (Feb. 12); Tyreek McDole (Feb. 13); Eddie 9V (Feb. 14); Mdou Moctar (Feb. 15); The Chris Greene Quartet (Feb. 16); The Arab Blues (Feb. 17); Morry Sochat & The Special 20s (Feb. 18); Dave Specter (Feb. 19); Kat Edmonson (Feb. 20); Yonder Mountain String Band (Feb. 21-22) and Elaine Dame (Feb. 23). For additional details, visit EvanstonSpace.com.

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