For Phish fans, a sea change July 16, 2001 - San Francisco Chronicle (Pg. E1) by James Sullivan African rhythms mark Anastasio's inviting new sound The trombone solo, a minute into the gig, made clear what Phish fans already know: Trey Anastasio's got a brand-new bag. The guitarist's three-hour show at Berkeley's Greek Theatre on Friday (the band played a second, sold-out show there Saturday) took much of its inspiration from the big bands of royalty -- B.B. King's, King Sunny Ade's, the Godfather of Soul's. With eight musicians, including a four-piece horn section, the material was more neatly arranged than the footloose improvisation Phish fans have come to expect. But it wasn't as though the musicians were mere servants, politely sitting behind bandstands as on "The Lawrence Welk Show." Most of the highlights occurred when the group set out on -- what else? -- extended jams. Several times the horn players wandered out of sight, leaving Anastasio and his rhythm section to their exploratory diversions. When the horns jumped back in, the songs seemed to rise to new plateaus above the old concrete bowl. "The time has come for you to be alive again," Anastasio sang slyly. The fans, craving any shred of news about their beloved band Phish, which is taking an indefinite hiatus, took the cue and roared. Playing mostly new music -- the band could be releasing an album soon -- Anastasio's group played a few Phish-style ditties and a number of songs that borrowed from the rhythmic African dance music called juju. Anastasio said not a word. At one point, the unassuming bandleader stepped back and squinted up at the fans ringing the lawn atop the venue's steep grade. He poked his glasses in place and hitched up his pants, grinning like a goof. It seemed obvious that Anastasio wants to have some fun with his current ensemble, without so much of the intensity that comes with playing in a close-knit band. (Phish has been together 17 years.) Much of the first set Friday was competent and entertaining, if not earth-shattering: There were straightforward ska and reggae songs, a nonsensical New Orleans soul tune in the style of "Rockin' Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu" and a by-the-numbers big-band blues shuffle ("Done Done It"). The second set featured more open-ended funk grooves, with bassist Tony Markellis, seated at a mounted electric guitar, playing repetitive figures that gained hypnotic power the longer they stretched. Having leaned hard on his wah-wah pedal early on, Anastasio anchored the group on "Money, Love and Change" with a simple, muted scratch guitar part. Unfortunately, that song also featured a problem that dogged the band throughout the night: Ray Paczkowski's B3 organ was mixed so low he might as well have been reading a magazine. Other than that, complaints were few. As the lingering daylight of the first set faded, a vivid light show swirled against the Greek's impressive backdrop, adding an extra sensory element to the show. One song, inspired by the fog of San Francisco, veered closest to typical Phish territory, with the bandleader playing a classic Allman Brothers-style guitar solo. Closing out the set, the horn section -- saxophonists Dave Grippo and Russ Remington, trumpeter Jennifer Hardwick and trombonist Andy Moroz -- each took a turn shaking their booties, much to the crowd's delight. The sole encore, the loping Phish instrumental "First Tube" (written by Anastasio with Markellis and drummer Russ Lawton), ended as abruptly as it began. Suddenly the house lights came up, and Phish fans were on their own again.