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For those of us too old to look forward to Santa…make plans to see Frank McComb this Friday at the Apache Café. This is a special artist that brings to mind two greats, Donny Hathaway and Stevie Wonder as he is a brilliant composer, vocalist and musician.
The first time I saw Frank McComb play was at the Apache on a Wednesday night during an “open mic” performance. He had a show the next night and wanted to give our audience a preview. I had never seen him before and didn’t know anything about him. He sat at the keyboard and proceeded to blow the entire club away with his musicianship, I thought he was one of the best young keyboardist that I’d heard. It was definitely rhythm and blues but he played jazz length solos that elevated everyone on stage. When I thought he had finished he excused his soar throat and began to sing. I immediately thought of Donny Hathaway and the club was elevated again to a standing ovation. The next day I bought his ’02 CD release “The Truth” and I have been a fan ever since.
Frank McComb began playing piano in church in 1983 in Cleveland, Ohio and while in high school began gigging around Cleveland on local gigs. From there his musical education journey took him to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to play with the great musical duo of Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff formerly of Philadelphia International Records (The O’Jays). From Philadelphia he traveled to Los Angeles, California and was signed to the Motown jazz label, MoJazz. After leaving MoJazz he was the keyboardist and vocalist in Branford Marsailis’ fusion jazz ensemble “Buckshot LeFonque.” Next McComb signed with Columbia and on March 14, 2000 his debut CD “Love Stories” was released. If you are fortunate enough to have music recorded for MoJazz then you have a “bootleg” as nothing was “officially” released.
More than ten solo projects later including an all instrumental CD and two recorded live in Atlanta, Frank McComb has established himself as a force in rhythm and blues and as a top musician. He is devoted to creating his music for his fans and making accessible to all. McComb’s upcoming performance in the intimate setting of Atlanta’s Apache Café promises to be a very special show you will not want to miss!