By Jim Reed
FOR decades now, singing guitarist Thomas Claxton has called the greater Savannah area his home base of operations.
Both a gifted and powerful vocalist and a solid and versatile acoustic guitarist, he’s long been a familiar face on the bar, restaurant and festival circuit in and around this famed international tourist destination.
Claxton’s slow-burn of a full-time musical career has always been defined by its blend of raw talent, dogged determination and his relentless drive to succeed in a notoriously fickle and overcrowded industry.
Those attributes coalesced a few years back into an ongoing succession of high-profile showcase gigs he called his Me, Myself & Us Concert Series.
The concept behind the series is deceptively simple: Thomas plays matchmaker, inviting top-shelf session and live backing musicians to join together for special, one-night-only performances here in Savannah ― usually with himself accompanying them onstage as a featured frontman.
While the names of his visiting artists may not be instantly recognizable to average folks, they are routinely legendary among those of us who obsess over album liner notes.
It’s often the case that the licks, riffs, arrangements and vocal parts they created alongside all manner of beloved artists are often embedded in the public’s collective consciousness through those contributions to recording sessions or tours.
In addition to playing together at these Savannah concerts, the guests are also interviewed live on stage beforehand, affording the audience members a rare chance to hear personal anecdotes and firsthand behind-the-scenes memories of iconic records and live gigs from some of the very folks who made them happen.
It's a win-win for all involved. Phenomenal but underappreciated musicians get a chance to meet and play with their peers, often for the first time ― while being celebrated for their often-overlooked accomplishments (sometimes decades after those accomplishments occurred).
At the same time, Thomas and a very small number of top-notch local musicians he invites to participate get to perform alongside legitimate musical legends and heroes, which inspires/forces them to rise to the level of the occasion. And the attendees get to witness a once-in-a-lifetime show that will never be repeated again.
The latest installment of this increasingly popular and highly anticipated series takes place Saturday, April 12 at the District Live concert venue, in Plant Riverside District’s entertainment complex on the far West end of River Street.
The lineup for this show is one of the most diverse to date. Thomas and his recurring local bandmembers electric guitarist and vocalist Craig Johansen (Hot Pink Interior, The Magic Rocks, Monkey Man) and drummer Mark Vaquer (Shut Up & Drive, Sonic Temple) welcome four powerhouse ringers with decades of fame and accomplishments under their belts.
In addition to keyboardist and saxophonist Michael Ghegan (who’s been the first choice for a stunning array of Grammy winners, multi-platinum recording acts and Rock & Roll Hall of Famers including: Elton John, Supertramp, Justin Timberlake, Michael Bolton and Andrea Bocelli), the group that evening will include: drummer Bernard “Pretty” Purdie (who’s played on hits for everyone from James Brown and Aretha Franklin to Steely Dan and Robert Palmer); bassist Carmine Rojas (former Musical Director for both Rod Stewart and Julian Lennon, and bassist for David Bowie, Tina Turner, Joe Bonamassa, Patti Labelle and dozens more); and guitarist and soundtrack composer Lyle Workman (former studio and/or live lead guitarist for Sting, Beck, Todd Rundgren, Michael Buble, Sarah McLachlan, Ziggy Marley, Norah Jones, Bryan Adams, Sheryl Crow, Shakira, They Might Be Giants and Frank Black of Pixies).
The lengthy setlist for this rather epic concert will feature two to three songs each from a variety of well-known artists these brilliant players have worked with in the past ― all of which they created signature parts for, either in the recording studio or during subsequent live tours.
Carmine Rojas, a repeat participant in the Me, Myself & Us series whom many may recognize as the bassist on David Bowie’s seminal 1983 LP Let’s Dance (Bowie’s all-time best-selling album), and the worldwide Serious Moonlight Tour which followed, says Pink Floyd’s saxophonist Scott Page suggested he might be a good fit for Claxton’s undertaking.
“I was not aware of who Thomas Claxton was at that time, but knowing they had worked together before, I trusted Scott's opinion. And so far, it has worked out very well,” says Rojas.
“I truly love the concept of getting to chat with the audience, share some Intel about our personal lives and then play music with some great local musicians. To top it off, I have been very impressed with Thomas's ability as a frontman, vocalist and organizer.”
Lyle Workman says he too was introduced to Claxton through a mutual friend who had been a featured guest of the series. In his case, that was famed session and road guitarist Eddie Martinez (Steve Winwood, Mick Jagger, David Lee Roth, Blondie).
Workman says he was intrigued by the very concept of this one-off gig.
“Thomas’ series differs in that I have not participated in a show where songs I had played on were specifically featured,” explains Workman.
“Unless it was with bands where I was a member. Otherwise, my role was as sideman playing the music solely of the artist I was backing — as was the case with Beck, Sting, Sarah McLachlan, Todd Rundgren, etc.”
The insanely prolific Bernard Purdie ― who is believed to have played on the studio recordings of more than 4,000 different songs by hundreds of different artists since the early 1960s — met Thomas in an altogether different way.
“I met Thomas Claxton through my accountant,” Purdie recalls. “We hit it off and I liked his style and his voice. My wife and I love him for who he is: a very honest and talented musician.”
Claxton says he can’t wait for folks to see what he and the rest of his bandmates for the night have been working on for weeks now, calling it an honor to be able to organize such a unique combination of both local and visiting talent.
“To have worked alongside ― and been bandmates with ― Bernard Purdie and Carmine Rojas as many times as I have so far, and to soon be on stage with Lyle Workman is really nothing short of living a dream. I'm proud to call each of them friends and I look forward to performing with all the band members that night. The audience is in for a very special treat.”
WHAT: Thomas Claxton’s “Me, Myself, & Us” Concert Series, featuring Bernard “Pretty” Purdie, Carmine Rojas, and Lyle Workman
DATE: Saturday, April 12
TIME: 7 p.m. Show / 6 p.m. Doors
WHERE: District Live Savannah at Plant Riverside
AGES: All-Ages Welcome
COST: $75
TICKETS: www.eventbrite.com/e/me-myself-us-bernard-purdie-lyle-workman-carmine-rojas tickets
Below is a t2-hour radio show featuring both popular and little-known tracks by all of the guest musicians featured at this Saturday's "Me, Myself & Us" concert: