Spoons full of magic

Lorenzo Spoons Brown at the Mudpuppy reunion

Anyone who doubts the power of music should have been at Callahan’s Music Hall Saturday for the Mudpuppy reunion that doubled as a benefit for ailing band percussionist Lorenzo Spoons Brown.

Spoons needed a cane and assistance from a friend just to make it up on the bandstand, but played the entire lengthy set that earned the band rousing applause at the end of the evening.

“He didn’t want it to stop, I don’t think any of us did, for obvious reasons,” said Mudpuppy guitarist Mark “Pazman” Pasman. “I know that he felt 20 years younger leaving than when he came in. I know that he was truly humbled the way everybody rallied around him and how much joy we had.”

Mark "Pazman" Pasman and Paul Randolph

In addition to Spoons and Pazman, the reunion concert featured Paul Randolph (Jazzanova) on vocals and bass and Darryl Pierce (Betty LaVette)  on drums. Also joining in on the fun were “unofficial” Mudpuppy members Jimmy “Pickles” Nicholls on vocals and harmonica and Barb Davis on percussion.

Darryl Pierce

Pazman said that the band members used to have a standing bet on how long it would take Spoons to get up in front of the crowd and dance.

“Sure enough, by the second song he was up there with his slap sticks,” Pazman said.

The event raised money for medical expenses for Spoons, who has kidney failure and must undergo dialysis treatments three times a week.

“The money, obviously, was wonderful,” Pazman said. “But for a cat like Zo, the event itself was really magic. Not to mention, the music was pretty dang good.”

To contact JB Blues, please email Joe.Ballor@dailytribune.com.