In solo gig, Gordon is no Phish out of water October 20, 2003 - Boston Herald By Christopher Blagg Vaudeville is not dead. Phish bassist Mike Gordon resurrected the antiquated art form while touring in support of his solo debut album Wednesday night at Avalon. Accompanying his seven-piece band was Jeannie Hill, a tap dancer and singer whose percussive feet and old-fashioned theatrics threatened to steal the show from Gordon. Not that he minded. Gordon and his band delighted the Phish-friendly crowd with a healthy mix of Caribbean grooves, bluegrassy stomps and spacey funk from his new solo record, "Inside In." Known as the oddball in his regular gig with Phish, Gordon did more than just jump through seemingly contradictory genres. He blended them together. The greasy funk of "Soulfood Man" was given a country flavor by Gordon Stone's weeping pedal steel, and later, Julee Avallone's flute trills added an Asian seasoning to an extended banjo hoedown. Surprisingly, these unorthodox instrumental pairings never sounded forced or contrived, even when Josh Roseman's squawking trombone solo turned the banjo-fueled gospel bluegrass standard "Where the Soul Never Dies" into a New Orleans second-line funeral parade. Throughout the night, Hill's toe-tapping never ceased, wowing the crowd with her stamina. Of course, in the noisier parts, as in the free jazz explorations of "The Lesson," her dancing inevitably became more visual than audible. But more often than not, the sharp snap of her manic feet rose above the electrified din. Hill's feet rang especially loud and clear during a hilarious call-and-response segment in which band members tried to imitate her dazzling foot music. As the band stepped out for its encore, numerous pleas were made for Phish songs, to no avail. Gordon wanted the focus on his current project, opening the encore with the elegant ballad "Exit Wound" before tearing into an island calypso jam worthy of Carnivale. In keeping with the night's theme, the Caribbean mood was altered slightly by an Appalachian banjo and a jazzy piccolo solo. Just like the old vaudeville shows, you've got to keep them guessing. Guitarist Kaki King opened the show with a jaw-dropping display of technical virtuosity, her fingers crawling over the fret board with spidery dexterity. When her songwriting skills approach those of her talented fingers, she'll be one to watch. Copyright © 2003 Boston Herald