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In: ALBUMS, Snarky Puppy

This album is a great finale to the Immigrance 2019 tour in much the same way North Sea was in 2018 for the 2-year Culcha Vulcha tour. The production values are stellar with extra clear engineering nearly on par with studio album. The audience sound is notable in that it is absent from the recording except at precisely the right times – end of solos or end of songs.  Not sure if this is part of the mixing or the audience was actually that in tune. The sound was big since there were thirteen band members instead of the usualContinue Reading

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In: ALBUMS, BANDS, Lettuce

After more than twenty years together, Lettuce is the preeminent funk band on the scene today.  Starting with their friendship at Berklee College of Music, they’ve shaped their sound from classic funkers of yesteryear like James Brown and Tower of Power but put their own new fresh spin on things. Going back 10 years or more the band did not tour very much and released a studio album every few years.  For the last several years, the band has been touring non-stop (pre COVID-19) and has become much more prolific in jam-funk-jazz improvisation and in recording albums.  Resonate is theContinue Reading

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In: BLOG POSTS

Tower of Power, funk and soul legends, greatest horn band ever, 52-year veterans Step Up again with their latest album to be released on March 14, 2020. This album is another beauty, following on the heels of 2018’s Soul Side of Town which was recorded at the same time. In that respect, it again follows one of ToP’s original recipes with some new twists as well. As with SSoT, it opens and closes with a split funky ride, this time East Bay! All the Way! coupled with East Bay! Oaktown All the Way! These bookend tunes are always fun toContinue Reading

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For a few years now, the Brass-A-Holics have been one of my favorite New Orleans bands, playing that unique GoGoBrass Funk style.  Robin Clabby has been 1/3rd of the front line of the high-energy 8 piece funk outfit since 2010. He’s recorded a lot of band albums and been on other people’s records over the years but never found the time to do his own album. Robin probably averaged a gig a day for the last decade or so and was quite happy just playing live for a long time. When his wife completed her PHD a year and aContinue Reading

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In: ALBUMS, BLOG POSTS

Here’s a review of the great retro funk & soul album Bumpin’ On from The Eminent Stars coming November 22nd on Tramp Records. Bumpin’ On is one feel good retro funk and soul album. It brings a lot of old school NOLA funk and Memphis soul together with excellent vocals, thumping horns and all around excellent musicianship. This is a very American sounding album from a Dutch funk band – how great is that? And how did it happen? The Eminent Stars were founded by saxophonist Ben Mendes and drummer Toon Oomen. They both share the love for the greatContinue Reading

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In: ALBUMS, BLOG POSTS

The White Blinds formed in December 2015 and started started doing a monthly at a small Cuban restaurant called Mambos Cafe in Glendale CA, owned by a friend Michael Duffy, the band’s drummer. According to Duffy, “We started with a slew of covers until we found our sound as a trio. From the monthly we started to play around LA, SF and San Diego, opening for bands like Jungle Fire, Sure Fire Soul Ensemble and Matador Soul Sounds. He continued, “In February of 2018 we walked into Rich Uncle Studios in Venice CA and  recorded “Get To Steppin” all liveContinue Reading