Master of Funk, Thundercat, wielded his Thundercat bass as he mesmerized a full house with his quirky personality and richly colored extended chords. On Thursday, June 26, Grammy winner Thundercat performed his best hits and teased new music at the iconic Kodak Hall during Rochester International Jazz Fest.
Hiding underneath a cap and long dreads, Thundercat covered his face but it was easy to see his grins as he played in syncopated time with Dennis Hamm on the keys and Justin Brown on the drums. Stephen Lee Bruner, AKA Thundercat, gave the music time to speak for himself while occasionally getting personal. Mentioning in between songs about his new sobriety, how he relates to the various characters of SpongeBob and dropping a new album.
For me the most memorable moment was when the hall echoed with moews as the crowd mimicked effects pedals after playing the song, “Meow, meow, everybody wants to be a cat.” Apparently, they do. Thundercat’s wit and ability to be vulnerable made the show uniquely his and thoroughly enjoyable so you forget that he’s actually a catlike humanoid alien.
Thundercat is not just an 1980’s animation but a LA based musician who broke into the music scene as a teenager playing bass for Suicidal Tendencies. He has worked with almost everyone in the music scene from Erykah Badu, Stevie Wonder, Herbie Hancock, Stanley Clarke, Travis Scott, HAIM, Kaytranada, and Silk Sonic to name drop a few. Currently, he recently has been working on new music and has started a lengthy U.S. tour.
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