via TheKey.WXPN.org
Sporting an ear-to-ear grin, Grammy award winning producer/singer-songwriter Eric Krasno took the Free at Noon stage, anxious to play tunes from his 2016 solo debut Blood from a Stone. Humility and art came before anything else, as the band blasted through a 45-minute set jam-packed with constant trades of impeccable musicianship communicated throughout the sextet.
The wonderful thing about Krasno isn’t just his amazing ability to create intense emotion with only six strings and a fervent but powerful voice, but his willingness to pass the musical torch for the sake of musical advancement and collaboration. Keyboardist DeShawn Alexander was on the receiving end for a few tracks, ripping soulful features on “Jezebel” and unreleased track “Blood from a Stone.”
Vocalist Mary Coso almost stole the spotlight from Krasno, taking her powerful range to complement solos from rhythm guitarist Danny Mayer and power through. Although this band has only been performing as a unit for a relatively short period of time, the chemistry between all musicians was undeniable. Freeform jams intertwined throughout the set never lost the interest of the crowd, as onlookers danced like there’s no tomorrow (and vocally approved with a simple “Sounds good!”).
Even though all members had their moments to shine, Krasno proved why his name is on the marquee. At a point in every song, Krasno eyes would shut, and all emotion would be channeled through every note plucked, while each backing members looked on with sparks in their eyes, almost as a visual confirmation that everyone around and on that stage knew how special of a musician Eric Krasno is. Ending the set with past track “Be Alright”, the band stapled their free-flowing vibes into the minds of concertgoers, capping off a great afternoon of unimpeachable proportions.