p.1 #1 · Kait Dunton and Andrew Synowiec at the Spud October 6th
Since Kait is already putting these out on social media, I guess I can post a few here. It's hard to put into words just how great these four musicians are individually, but as a band just returning from playing the Monterey Jazz Festival, they were as tight as any group I've heard.
Jake Reed is just monster on drums. You won't hear a better jazz, jazz/rock drummer anywhere. His wife, Kait played mostly her Fender Rhodes that night and played a bunch of songs from her recently released CD/LP called Keyboards where she featured many vintage keyboards from the 1960's and 70's. Andrew Synowiec is probably the first call session guitarist in L.A. right now. Hard to overstate his talents on guitar other than do check out his YouTube channel and let your jaw hit the floor. And finally Sean Hurley on both fretted and fretless bass. Both sets were recorded for a future live record, which is why I was there shooting.
The Baked Potato jazz club is affectionately known as The Spud by the musician who play there and by frequent audience members and they have a spectacular selection of some of the biggest and best baked potatoes you'll find anywhere outside of Idaho. The club was started in 1970 by Don Randi, famous L.A. session player who at times was musical director for Nancy Sinatra, among others. The sound is impeccable and the food is great and there is only room for about 75 people, so you're always close.
These were all shot with the Fuji GFX 100s and 100sII with a range of Fuji and non Fuji lenses. The cameras performed flawlessly (aside from the MKII running out of battery sooner than I expected) and they nailed the autofocus shooting at ISO 3200 and 6400.
Andrew Synowiec with his Les Paul
GFX100 IISIGMA 135mm F1.8 DG HSM A017 lens135mmf/2.01/640s3200 ISO0.0 EV
Kait Dunton
GFX100 IISIGMA 135mm F1.8 DG HSM A017 lens135mmf/2.01/500s3200 ISO0.0 EV
GFX100 IIGF20-35mmF4 R WR lens23mmf/4.01/125s3200 ISO0.0 EV
Andrew Synowiec
GFX100 IIGF20-35mmF4 R WR lens27mmf/4.01/125s3200 ISO0.0 EV
Kait Dunton
GFX100SSIGMA 135mm F1.8 DG HSM A017 lens135mmf/2.01/640s3200 ISO0.0 EV
Jake Reed
GFX100SSIGMA 135mm F1.8 DG HSM A017 lens135mmf/2.21/1000s3200 ISO0.0 EV
GFX100SSIGMA 135mm F1.8 DG HSM A017 lens135mmf/2.01/1600s3200 ISO0.0 EV
Kait Dunton w/ Sean Hurley
GFX100SSIGMA 135mm F1.8 DG HSM A017 lens135mmf/2.01/1250s3200 ISO0.0 EV
Andrew Synowiec
GFX100SCanon EF 200mm f/2.8L II USM lens200mmf/2.81/800s3200 ISO0.0 EV
GFX100 IICanon EF 35mm f/1.4L II USM lens35mmf/4.01/125s3200 ISO0.0 EV
GFX100 IICanon EF 35mm f/1.4L II USM lens35mmf/4.01/160s3200 ISO0.0 EV
p.1 #3 · Kait Dunton and Andrew Synowiec at the Spud October 6th
Lee Saxon wrote:
Dang, you weren't kidding about how little space you had to work in there! Great job though!
Yep. I've been there when they squeezed two drum kits, a Hammond B3 and three guitars on that tiny stage, plus I really wanted to twist a couple of their lights around for better light on Kait but they kinda frown on that.
p.1 #5 · Kait Dunton and Andrew Synowiec at the Spud October 6th
static age wrote:
Great set! That must've been tough to work around that crowd.
The first set I was pretty much stuffed into a corner with no easy way out but at least it was a good general angle and I was able to swap from 20mm to 250mm with various lenses across two bodies. It thinned out quite a bit for the second set and it was a bit easier to move then. I was pretty much soaked in sweat the whole time. It was 85 degrees out when I got there at 6pm and there's not much of any A/C in there.
p.1 #9 · Kait Dunton and Andrew Synowiec at the Spud October 6th
newyork wrote:
Man!!!! Such great work Peter! My goodness. Cheers!
Thanks Rick. Working with Kait is always fun. We just sort of have an understanding after ten years of doing it together. I left after the second song of the second set as I had a huge day the next day and as I left between songs and had to walk past Kait, she halfway got up to say goodbye to me and as I made my way to the door, the audience started chanting Peter. Peter. Peter. as I made my way to the door. Only slightly embarrassing, and recorded tool.
p.1 #10 · Kait Dunton and Andrew Synowiec at the Spud October 6th
Fantastic images Peter! The cameras now take such crisp clear images when in the hands of a pro!
My image of a very old Duran Duran concert posted was a real "charliefoxtrot" to shoot. I could not "roam" around like a photographer should be able despite the space and all the smoke dulled the clarity of the images.
Now, today, you dont have the "smoke factor" to deal with...cigarette wise anyway..
p.1 #11 · Kait Dunton and Andrew Synowiec at the Spud October 6th
That is fantastic!!!!
Peter Figen wrote:
Thanks Rick. Working with Kait is always fun. We just sort of have an understanding after ten years of doing it together. I left after the second song of the second set as I had a huge day the next day and as I left between songs and had to walk past Kait, she halfway got up to say goodbye to me and as I made my way to the door, the audience started chanting Peter. Peter. Peter. as I made my way to the door. Only slightly embarrassing, and recorded tool.
p.1 #12 · Kait Dunton and Andrew Synowiec at the Spud October 6th
Danpbphoto wrote:
Fantastic images Peter! The cameras now take such crisp clear images when in the hands of a pro!
My image of a very old Duran Duran concert posted was a real "charliefoxtrot" to shoot. I could not "roam" around like a photographer should be able despite the space and all the smoke dulled the clarity of the images.
Now, today, you dont have the "smoke factor" to deal with...cigarette wise anyway..
Again well done Peter!
Dan
Thanks Dan. I know you would appreciate, being a bass player, the complete mastery of Sean Hurley. But, yes, no smoke of any kind there at all.
p.1 #16 · Kait Dunton and Andrew Synowiec at the Spud October 6th
gmccroskery wrote:
Some of the best in-club band photos I've seen. That's a good looking 4 piece, I bet they are super in person.
Greg
Thanks so much Greg. These are the best of the best here in L.A. and are so tight with the highest level of musicianship all around. There are YouTube clips of them and they just played Monterey Jazz last month, but holy hell, Andrew is one of the best guitar players I've ever heard and just blows me away. Jake, when he was still in the jazz program at USC would take over Peter Erskine's classes whenever Peter couldn't be there and is just the most meticulous and tasty drummer around, and Kait playing the Rhodes is as good as anybody I've ever heard on that instrument. Anchor that with Hurley who is so great on bass that you don't realize it until later because he just disappears into the music while holding down the bottom, and you've got something unique and special.
I hope this record recorded that night comes out relatively soon.
p.1 #20 · Kait Dunton and Andrew Synowiec at the Spud October 6th
Charles Loy wrote:
Fantastic series
Thank you Charles. The Spud is one of the smallest, most cramped but best places to hear live music in L.A., and they have great food too. And above all else, the sound is impeccable.
