The Time in Las Vegas
The Flamingo Hotel
By J David Silva, Sr.

Legendary Musicians Triumphant at Las Vegas' Flamingo Hotel

The phrase, "Ain't nothing changed but the date" isn't entirely true anymore.

On June 24, after not performing together regularly for 18 years, the original members of the iconic funk and roll group, The Time, opened a 15 show engagement at Las Vegas' Flamingo hotel. The Time- vocalist Morris Day, keyboardists Jimmy "Jam" Harris and Monte Moir, guitarist Jesse Johnson, bassist Terry Lewis, drummer Jellybean Johnson and dancer/valet Jerome Benton- proved to the sell out crowd that, as a musical unit, they remain unrivaled in the realms of rock and funk music.

It's altogether fashionable (and too convenient) to refer to the group as the "ultimate party band" or "the masters of cool." While The Time may be those things, for the sake of this review we will focus on the musicanship that was on display. These men are skilled in their art and exhibit a genuine appreciation and love for what they do. The grooves were tight and never forced. The talent shhone through during the band's entire set.

However, this is not to say that the music didn't have feeling. Quite the contrary. From the pulsing undercurrent of "Cool" to the rock infused "Skillet," the band played with passion and purpose. Drummer Jellybean Johnson kept things in the pocket on every song, anchoring the groove. Guitarist Jesse Johnson was blazing all night long; his riffs incendiary but never superficial or unnecessary. The keyboard wizardry of Jam and Moir made one feel as if a whole horn section was at times performing with the group. Terry Lewis moved the groove along with his expert, slinky bass playing. You could almost feel the heat emanating from the stage from every band member. Day's funky, soulful and smooth vocals are the perfect match to the band's cohesion. He is both an excellent singer and a master showman. And, of course, where would things be without Jerome Benton? His energy, dancing and infectious interaction with the crowd helped fuel the celebratory atmosphere. By the time the band closed the main set with "The Bird" the entire room was shaking. It was evident that the audience came to party, but they also came to hear real musicians playing real music. The Time certainly didn't disappoint.

In addition to The Time's original songs, the band members had some of their solo projects showcased. Jam and Lewis had a fantastic take on their "What Have You Done For Me Lately" (from Janet Jackson's Control album) performed by the beautiful and talented singer Heidi Marie, who also performed a rocking cover of "Black Cat," another Janet Jackson hit penned by Jellybean Johnson. And Monte Moir did a gorgeous and soulful take on Alexander O'Neal's "If You Were Here Tonight," which Moir wrote. But perhaps the moment that the audience was craving most came via the guitar and vocals of Jesse Johnson. When Johnson performed a medley of his hits "Be Your Man," Can You Help Me" and "Free World" the jubilation from the crowd was palpable. Their guitar hero had returned.

Whether or not the original members of The Time perform together as a group again is not known. If this was indeed a one time engagement, then those fortunate enough to attend one of the shows truly witnessed, as Jam said at one point "history in the making." The Time performed all of their familiar hits; but by performing a new Time song, "See Through," the "ultimate party band" and "the masters of cool" offered the faithful a glimmer of hope that the clock will start ticking again.

Oh, and in regard to that phrase, "Ain't nothing changed but the date?" Indeed things have changed. The Time just made the musical landscape a whole lot better.

J David Silva, Sr.

Great review JD

JD:

Good review. Great to meet you and your wife ! Hope you both had fun. My son is still talking about the show.

- JD

thanx

Thanks for the review!

Good review. Very eloquently written. Thanks for sharing with us.

jds311 said:

By chance, was it this Heidi Marie?

BlaqueKnight said:

Yeah that's her

Rhastus said:

IMO the Time is a waste of my time. I saw them in Detroit last year....a clear disappointment.

IMO the Time is a waste of my time. I saw them in Detroit last year....a clear disappointment.[/quote]

Well, I can respect the fact that you are entitled to your opinion, but The Time put on a fantastic show. The music was tight, the grooves were hot and it was refreshing to see real musicians play real music. Plus, just to see the original members perform together was just unbelievable.

4bjb said:

it was probably "part-time" and not the "magnificent seven"

4bjb said:

What you saw in Detroit was not The Time. That was Morris Day and The Time--two totally different bands.