On July 31,
funk and jazz band Rock Candy Funk Party (RCFP) will release their sophomore
studio album Groove Is King, an aural kaleidoscope that mashes up funk, rock,
dance, electronica, jazz and R&B into 14 original tracks and 2 covers full
of space, texture, and virtuoso musicianship. Included is a bonus DVD with over
50 minutes of in-studio footage.
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lineup of world-renowned players, the group came together for the sheer fun of
making music—and a mutual love of genre-blurring grooves, they are: album producer Tal Bergman (drums), Joe
Bonamassa (guitar), Ron DeJesus (guitar), and Mike Merritt (bass).
Groove Is
King —due out on Bonamassa's independent label, J&R Adventures— was
recorded at Tal Bergman Studios in Los Angeles, California. Unlike RCFP's debut
album We Want Groove (2013), which tipped its hat to Miles Davis' classic 1982
live instrumental LP We Want Miles, Groove Is King pulls away from the
jazz-funk sounds of the first album into a modern sound, with focused
compositions and arrangements and a slick production. "This time around,
the concept was less jazz and more modern dance with layered grooves. The
rhythm section laid the foundation and then we'd add in strings, synths and an
incredible horn section, all while keeping it funky," says DeJesus.
Also new to
this album are horn arrangements by Grammy-winning trumpeter Randy Brecker, and
contributions from Daniel Sadownick (percussion), James Campagnola (saxophone),
Ada Rovatti (saxophone), and Fred Kron (keys). Renato Neto, who played on
RCFP's debut album, joins the lineup again on keys while ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons
lends his trademark growl to the album as the master of ceremonies aka
"Mr. Funkadamus." Together, these players weave into the mix heavier
dance beats, rock, and pure unadulterated funk, citing influences such as Daft
Punk, the Brecker Brothers, Mark Ronson with Bruno Mars, Massive Attack, Sade,
Prince, and Led Zeppelin.
These
influences can be heard in many of the tracks, including the more rock-driven
"Don't Funk With Me" and "Uber Station," a couple of tight,
funky tunes punctuated with horns that recapture some of that classic Brecker
Brothers sound, while "Low Tide" and "Groove Is King"
feature a more stripped down, guitar-driven funk. "There was a definite
intention of making tracks that are danceable," said Merritt about
"Don't Be Stingy With The SMPTE," "C You On The Flip Side,"
and the EDM mash-up "The Fabulous Tales Of Two Bands," which has
traces of Prodigy's 1997 hit "Firestarter." "East Village"
and "The 6 Train To The Bronx" both feature a cool, relaxed jazz feel
while "Cube's Brick" has a world music groove reminiscent of Weather
Report; a funky yet ethereal treatment can be found on a re-imagining of Peter
Gabriel's "Digging In The Dirt."
RCFP grew
out of Bergman and DeJesus' 2007 instrumental album Grooove Vol. 1, and
subsequent live dates at L.A.'s storied jazz spot The Baked Potato. They
encouraged other musicians to jam with them, including Merritt and Neto, who
joined the line-up early on. Bonamassa made his RCFP debut in early 2012 during
one of his rare breaks from the road when Bergman—who has toured with the
guitarist—invited him to sit in on a pair of gigs.
To celebrate
the release, RCFP will play two exclusive shows each night on July 24 and July
25 at 9:30pm and 11:30pm at The Baked Potato (3787 Cahuenga Boulevard, Studio
City, CA 91604). Buy advance tickets here: http://www.thebakedpotato.com.
Groove Is
King Tracklisting:
1.Introducing
the Master of Ceremonies Mr. Funkadamus
2.Groove Is
King
3.Low Tide
4.Uber
Station
5.East
Village
6.If Six Was
Eight
7.Cube's
Brick
8.And now a
word from our find sponsors with Mr. Funkadamus
9.Don't Be Stingy
With The SMPTE
10.C You On
The Flip Side
11.Digging
In The Dirt
12.Don't
Funk With Me
13.The 6
Train To The Bronx
14.Rock
Candy
15.Mr.
Funkadamus thanks all the senors but especially the senoritas
16.The
Fabulous Tales of Two Bands
Get a free download of the song "Uber Station" here: http://rockcandyfunkparty.com/features/groove-is-king/?id=press
Watch the music video for "Don't Be Stingy With The SMPTE" here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzX5--WkSIY
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