Little Joe and the Pandas

June 12th, 2004 · No Comments

Inspired by the recent fashion spread he did in this month’s Boston Magazine, we paid a visit to Little Joe Cook and the Thrillers at the The Cantab. I hadn’t been there in a few years, and hadn’t seen Little Joe, now 82 years old, since he’d had a stroke and had to cut back on his exhausting performance schedule a year or two ago. We got in pre-cover, around 8:30, after a wonderful picnic in the park on Broadway, and watched the Sox game as the Thrillers came in and unceremoniously set up their own equipment for the performance. Little Joe was making some phone calls, talking to the crowd, and shuffling around. I was impressed by the three sets we stayed for; we got a nice “Georgia” tribute to the late Ray Charles, two rousing renditions of “It’s a Holdup, Stick ‘Em Up (Give Me, Give Me All of Your Love),” plus the classic “Hot Nuts” (during which I was lucky enough to be singled out: “You see that guy, sittin’ against the wall, well ain’t got no nuts at all…” – classic) and of course, “Peanut.” For he is the Peanut Man. This profile from 2001 provides some more details on the man and what it takes to be a legend, day in and day out.

Oh, and there were some guys with sketch pads filled with strange panda drawings that were talking to Little Joe between sets, looking like they were trying to sell him on some sort of idea. Can’t wait to see that collaboration.

Tags: Cambridge