A Funk, Rock Splash in DaKrash’s Concert by Sea

In answer to the (barely) time-honored question “What Time is it?” arrives a new funk group called DaKrash, whose time just might be coming. The moves may be borrowed, but Friday--in the first of seven weekend shows at Concerts by the Sea--DaKrash borrowed them with enough hard-edged pizazz to suggest that it could become the first young band to grab funk and rock audiences since the dawning of the Minneapolis sound.

Credit much of that to lefty guitar hero Dee Dee James, who generated a steady stream of funk licks as clean and concise as they come, then resorted enjoyably to twang-bar heavy-metal solos.

Lead singer Robert Jordan may have studied a bit too diligently at the U. of Morris Day, but the occasional choreography joining him with the players was good and goofy--and warmer than Day’s perfectionist preening.

That the show was indeed a crashing success came as a slight surprise after DaKrash’s recent debut album, a mostly anonymous piece of R&B; product produced by none other than ex-Time guitarist Jesse Johnson--who, for whatever reason, opted to play down both the Time resemblances and the band’s strengths. DaKrash might do better to let the guy at the concert mixing board--who had the right idea in turning the guitar way up--produce the next album.