Will Donato at Houndstooth Pub May 11, 2015

Houndstooth Pub was the place to be Saturday night as saxophonist Will Donato took the stage.

This was the first time I had seen Will since he performed with fellow saxophonist Elan Trotman a few years ago. Both times, a significant personal event occurred the same day. Then, it was the removal of a curbside tree at my neighbor’s house, one that had been there since I moved to Wantagh in July 1993. Saturday, it was the tenth anniversary of MikeChimeri.com.

I was thrilled to see Will. He’s a ball of energy, winding his way through the crowd, connecting with every audience member, including me. He even has a humorous side, which he displayed when speaking to the audience between songs.

Will was mostly on alto saxophone:

Bill Heller on keyboard:

Kenny Harris on bass:

…and Chris Marshak on drums:

SET LIST
1. Kenny’s Groove (Kenny Harris)

2. New Life
Originally heard on: “Will Power,” 2004

3. I’ll Be Around (The Spinners cover)
Originally heard on: “Will Call,” 2007

4. Italia
Originally heard on: “Will Power,” 2004; “What It Takes,” 2010

5. Funkability
Originally heard on: “What It Takes,” 2010

6. Show and Tell (Al Wilson cover)
Originally heard on: “Universal Groove,” 2014

7. Working Day and Night (Michael Jackson cover)

BREAK

8. Always You
Originally heard on: “What It Takes,” 2010

9. Jaywalkin’
Originally heard on: “Universal Groove,” 2014

10. You’ve Just Been Had (Kenny Harris)

11. Down & Loaded (Bill Heller)
Originally heard on: “Find the Way,” 2014 (Bill Heller)

12. What Is Hip? (Tower of Power cover)

13 (Encore). Play That Funky Music (Wild Cherry cover)
Originally heard on: “Universal Groove,” 2014

Now that you know the set list, let’s move on to various pictures of Will in the audience and on stage:

He switched to tenor sax for “Down & Loaded”…:

…before returning to alto for the last two songs:

Now for pictures of the rest of the band, starting with Bill Heller:

Vocals on “Show and Tell”:

Vocoder on “Working Day and Night”:

…and “Play That Funky Music”:

Kenny Harris:

Vocals on “Kenny’s Groove”:

…and “You’ve Just Been Had”:

Chris Marshak:

Wide shots:
“New Life”:

“Down & Loaded”:

“What Is Hip?”:

“Play That Funky Music”:

What a wild show this turned out to be. I had a blast. I spoke to Will and the band during the break and after the show, and before I left, Will and I posed for a picture:

Thank you to Will, Bill, Kenny, and Chris for making this a night to remember.