Diesel Goes Global: See Karl Denson Perform 1st Concert With The Rolling Stones In 2014

Today marks Karl Denson’s 66th birthday. The renowned saxophonist/flutist is perhaps most well known as a founding member in the key Southern Califonia funk-soul revival group The Greyboy Allstars and leading his own Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe. But the man known as Diesel has also been trucking with The Rolling Stones as a touring member since 2014. In celebration of Karl D’s birthday today, JamBase looks at his first show with The Stones — which took place on October 25, 2014 at the brand new Adelaide Oval in Adelaide, Australia.

Denson stepped into The Rolling Stones organization at a tough time for the band. The Australia/New Zealand leg of the 14 On Fire Tour was supposed to take place in March/April 2014 but was postponed due to Mick Jagger’s partner L’Wren Scott’s tragic death. The Stones were already in Australia prepping for the tour when the sad news of her suicide arrived.

The rockers would return to Australia in Fall 2014 to make good on the dates. But this time there was another rift in the band as longtime saxophonist and close friend to Stones guitarist Keith Richards, Bobby Keys, was very ill and could not tour. Bobby passed away on December 2, 2014 not long after The Rolling Stones concluded the 14 On Fire Tour. Karl Denson joined The Stones as a touring saxophonist to kick off the Down Under edition of the trek beginning on October 25 in Adelaide, Australia and continues to tour with the band to this day.

The Stones opened with a string of classics like “Jumping Jack Flash,” “Let’s Spend The Night Together,” “It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll (but I Like It),” “Tumbling Dice” and “Wild Horses.” The early stages of the concert also included the 2012 release “Doom And Gloom” as well as a by-request cover of Bob Dylan’s “Like A Rolling Stone.” Mick Jagger introduced the band after “Honky Tonk Women” and noted “playing his first gig with us tonight Mr. Karl Denson!”

But Diesel really stepped into the spotlight on set-closer “Brown Sugar.” Karl D crushed perhaps Bobby Keys’ most iconic Stones sax solo. Recorded in Muscle Shoals in 1969, “Brown Sugar” later appeared on The Stones’ 1971 album Sticky Fingers — a record Denson was very familiar with having previously played it in its entirety on tour with KDTU and Anders Osbourne. Denson’s first show with The Rolling Stones also ended eventfully when someone rushed the stage ahead of encore closer “Satisfaction” — which featured former Stones guitarist Mick Taylor — and was tackled by security. “All part of the act, some Aussies Rules tackling!” Jagger quipped.

To celebrate Karl Denson’s birthday today, watch his first concert with The Rolling Stones in 2014 below:

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Setlist

Source: JamBase.com