HBC features Scott Henderson, Dennis Chambers and Jeff Babko playing the Baked Potato May 21 and 22.
Jazz Fusion super group, HBC, will be playing a very rare two-night engagement at the Baked Potato in Studio City May 21 and 22. HBC stands for the last names of each powerhouse player in this dynamic trio that is guitarist Scott Henderson (Joe Zawinul, Chick Corea, Tribal Tech), Bassist Jeff Babko (Jimmy Kimmel Live, Larry Carlton, Robben Ford) and Drummer Dennis Chambers (Steely Dan, Carlos Santana, Parliament).
“I don’t really like the Super Group Syndrome we are normally billed as,” said Henderson. “Jeff and Dennis are just really fun people to hang out with, and it transfers to the music when we play together.”
The group as been playing together worldwide for the last five and a half years off their only self-titled album of 1970s’ Super Group covers, but this is the first time the group has played together in Southern California. The album as well as the live shows feature songs from what Henderson called 2nd generation jazz music like Wealthy Report, Herbie Hancock’s Headhunters and Wayne Shorter.
“I like to call the songs we play the Jazz Standards of our generation,” explains Henderson. “We do more funk jazz, although we like to mix it up and add in some swing tunes too. Dennis is an amazing funk drummer, but both he and Babko can swing great too.”
Each of these musicians play in a variety of other groups with original music, but according to Henderson, with himself based in Los Angeles, Chambers in Baltimore and Babko in Florida there is just no time to get together, learn and rehearse each other’s original tunes. Instead, they pick some covers that they want to jam together on and rehearse those, then play them live.
“Our live shows are not for the jazz purists, we really let loose and give each tune our own voice,” says Henderson. “Playing one style or genre of music is just not me, I don’t like to pigeon hole myself and I like players who can play a large variety of styles like Dennis and Jeff.
I like to pick and play songs that originally do not have guitar players and I add my own interpretation to a keyboard or horn part on the guitar. Being a guitar player, I do not like playing other great guitar players music. I just would feel like a poor imitation of that great musicians work.”
The group does not want to limit themselves to classic funk and jazz tunes since they are all so well versed on their instruments they can pretty much play any kind of music. They have even integrated a few Beatles tunes into this tour and knock around the idea of covering big pop hits like ‘What is Hip’ at some point into their set list.
“These guys are such great musicians to play with that as a group we can really stretch the boundaries of any music we play,” Henderson added. “Dennis is such an amazing drummer he adds his own technique and style to any form of music. I will be the first to admit that sometimes Dennis loses me in all his grooves. Any musician would get lost with Dennis, he is just throwing so many grooves all over the place it’s amazing.
Basically, we just like to come together as musicians, play and have a good time with the music.”