Is it possible to make an entire band your boyfriend? Wait, I already know the answer to this: I’ve been dating The Deadbeats for over a year now. We’re not exclusive, duh, but it’s been an amazing journey with them. It started a long while back when I saw front-man Harumi Ueda sliding past everyone bootie-shaking and grinding on the dance floor at The Living Room very late at night on a Saturday in, like, 2005. I was squeezed in a table with a bunch of strangers, experiencing the whole chilled-Crown-with-Pineapple-back thing for the first time when a tall skinny Japanese kid with a hoodie over his head walked by our table. That was before it was cool to dress down to go out, and he totally stuck out like a sore thumb. There was so much confidence coming out of him as he lazily swayed around the dance floor, throwing in some quick moves that made it obvious he was better than anyone out there. I was instantly intrigued and couldn’t stop staring. He grabbed a microphone from the DJ booth and started free flowing. Oh, he was a MC! And, whoa, a good one at that. I could understand every word speeding out of his mouth. He was delivering speeches about politics and life and philosophy that I wouldn’t be able to write in three days, let alone say in 30 seconds. It’s like his brain is some kind of water faucet–and he can make it rhyme too? Jeez. Of course that night I was all up on him, getting his name and his number, never really trying to see it through. I was more interested in just crawling into his brain. I would see him around over the next few years, but it was just for hellos (and silent obsessing from across the room). Then Jake the Snake was promoting a show at thirtyninehotel and there’s Harumi the Hymn’s grin on the Myspace bulletin. Oh, he’s formed a band. Awesome. I was there, front row, loving the vibe. Jazz and hip-hop go together so amazingly–hello, The Roots, The Spacifics, even De La Soul. Those fundamental sounds meld at this basic, classic level where you’re nodding your head like it’s second nature. Anyway, the next time I saw The Deadbeats in its Wednesday home at Jazz Minds was mind-blowing. The band’s keyboard player looks like a surfer/college kid with an angel face that’s all laid back and smiley. Then he gets behind the keys and just destroys it, better than some legendary professional types I’ve seen. I just sat there drooling. Add equally young surfer-looking Matty Wong on the sax and a bassist who’s obviously more rock-influenced, seeming very much at home with Rage Against the Machine-sounding rapper K-Love from Know Black Box when he jumps on the stage. God, these guys rule. Since the first time I’ve seen them, they’ve headlined shows in Chinatown, stolen hearts at Pipeline (opening for Mos Def) and continued to pack the place for their regular Wednesday gig at Jazz Minds. This weekend they’ll be back at Loft opening for Blue Scholars. If you missed their show this past weekend, consider going. The Deadbeats have all the right stuff to warm up a crowd, and, I don’t care who you are, the new Blue Scholars album is something you can really move to. If you’d rather spend the $20 on drinks, see The Deadbeats any Wednesday at Jazz Minds. Everyone I’ve ever taken has walked out of there totally in love. And that’s OK–I can share.

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