RIPE-Brooklyn Bowl-Brooklyn,NY
RIPE, what’s in a name like this??? Gotta say, it fits. Quite nicely I might
add. Of course RIPE!!! Ripe for the picking, Ripe for the tasting thereof,
Ripe for the experience, for the listening, the dancing, the grooving, the
hardcore and all encompassing experience that is RIPE!!!
I discovered this group just a short time ago and ever since, I have been excited and waiting to be able to catch them live. Listening to them on YouTube, and Spotify, I could not wait to have the chance to experience them in a concert setting. That chance came on Feb 13, 2025 at Brooklyn Bowl and I was not disappointed. This group is RIPE!!! As I said previously, oh so ripe for what I feel is yet to come to this group whose tight musical delivery is reminiscent of groups from back in the day like Tower of Power, KC and The Sunshine Band, and a few others that have that certain swag and funk that can’t really be nailed down definitively but that you know that they have that special something that almost defies definition or genre placement. These guys have that special something in abundance.
Frontman Robbie Wulfsohn with his funky lyrics and high energy antics on
stage led his bandmates Jon Becker on Guitar, Calvin Barthel on Trombone,
Sampson Hellerman on Drums, Alonzo Demetrius on Trumpet and Christian
Yogi-St Louis on Bass through a stellar set. The tight groove put out by
Hellerman’ s drumming, and the funky bassline by Yogi St-Louis had the
crowd bouncing to the groove almost immediately upon the band taking the
stage. The steady stream of hits from their current project “Bright Blues”
was nicely orchestrated by the tight brass section that sounded more like a
complete brass band than just the two horns on stage headed up by Demetrius
and Barthel. Not to be left behind and contributing just as much to the sound
was Jon Becker on lead guitar and I have to honestly say this guitar man
crushed it big time. His playing was sharp and full of energy and rounded out
the sound of the band.
I was extremely happy to have finally caught this band’s live show, and I
was left quite wanting just a bit more and I’m hoping they come back real
soon after their current tour is over. I can tell you right now, I’ll certainly be
upfront and center taking it all in when they do.
Review and Photos by Ray Aponte
