All Jazz/Funk/Soul/R&B Episodes

While we've had Moon Hooch on the show before, their new album "Life on Other Planets" created an opportunity to once again explore this trio of musicians, who are making incredibly impressive music that is certainly undefinable. There are odes to Jazz, R&B, rock and EDM, but when you put that all in a blender, the sound is more robust than those genres. Then when you think about the instrumentation of the band, which includes two horn players and a drummer, not to mention a whole bunch of synths and midi sequences being fired, well, there is a lot to discuss. So we got in touch with Mike Wilbur, a third of the trio and half of the writing team, to discuss Moon Hooch, where they are at and where they are headed.

The Kudrachrone EP marks a rebirth of sorts for Turkuaz, taking the band back to a more soulful R&B sound more similar to the Stereochrome EP.  In fact, they’ve also shelved the colorful outfits of the last several album cycles in favor of just four colors for their on stage presence; white, black, tan and grey.  Dave Brandwein has always been really great about joining us on the podcast to explain what is going on with Turkuaz, but this time we also invited Dani, his wife, and the band’s creative director on to help explain this new chapter. 

The New Mastersounds are a Funk/Soul/Blues/Rock outfit that blend all of those sounds and more into a really brilliant mix that you have to hear. The band has always added extra pieces here and there from horns to extra percussion, and this album seems them add vocalist Lamar Williams Jr.20 years in, this four piece continues to evolve and led by Eddie Roberts there is no end in sight. We caught up with Eddie to talk about New Mastersounds, Shake It and his label Color Red, based in Denver, Colorado. To learn more about New Mastersounds visit newmastersounds.com, and do yourself a favor and check out Color Red Records at color-red.co

The Adam Deitch Quartet is a side project for one of the busiest drummers on the go. Aside from his work in Lettuce and Break Science, Deitch is always matching up with other players, and in fact producing music. We get into some of those details during our conversation, but suffice it to say, this dude is talented beyond measure. Perhaps the only thing that is bigger than his talent, is his appetite to play music that inspires him. Such is certainly the case with the Adam Deitch Quartet's debut record Egyptian Secrets. Is it a hip-hop record, a jazz record, a soul record, or straight ahead funk. The answer is "yes" to all of the above. For more information on the Adam Deitch Quartet and all things Adam Deitch visit deitchbeatsdontquit.com or or fanlink.to/egyptiansecrets.

We’re big fans of Holly since her debut of Tahoe Tweezer piano composition. For the uninitiated, Holly takes songs by both Phish and The Grateful Dead, transcribes each members parts and then builds out a new composition where she plays everyone’s parts. It’s phenomenal stuff. Aside from her solo work, Holly plays keyboards in Ghost Light another band we love, and is always around for guest spots. To say she’s busy doesn’t do her calendar justice. So we're delighted that she made time to chat about Live at the Old Church and much more. Our conversation started when I asked Holly how she keeps up with everything she’s up to. You can learn more about Holly’s solo work at hollybowling.com and for Ghost Light info visit ghostlightband.com.

Turkuaz recently released Afterlife Vol. 2, a collection of songs that didn't make their last album, Life in the City or the first EP Afterlife Vol. 1 and it features tracks that continue to see the band evolve and experiment. "Better Get Ready" as an example stretches the boundries of funk into what can only be described as a rock sound. We're impressed that they are bold enough to take chances and try new things. Thats brave. So we caught up with Dave "Blue" Brandwein to talk about the second volume of Afterlife to see what the band has going on, and what their plans are for the future. Our conversation started when I suggested to Dave that this final Afterlife EP puts a nice two year bow on all the band has been working on. To find out more visit turkuazband.com. 

Wanted to tell you about a new Jazz trio called Spaga.  They make interesting stripped down acoustic jazz music, and feature Aron Magner on piano. Of course, you know Aron from his other prominent project The Disco Biscuits, but as luck would have it, he has carved out some time to get back to his original passion, jazz piano. He created this project as an ode, to his humble beginnings, and wanted to test the limits of his abilities and those of his co-horts on this project. For my ears at least, sounds like they've done a great job. For more on Spaga, visit spagaband.com.

To describe Lettuce, in any specific genre would in itself be as silly as their name. They are a genre-busting six-member funk/jazz/soul/jam/psychedelic/hip-hop/art rock/ambient/avant-garde/experimental collective formed in 1992 by four alumni of the prestigious Berklee College of Music. But you probably knew that already. They've released a series of a records, but it's been a while since 2017's Witch's Stew a tribute to Miles Davis came out. They are constantly on the road, trying out new jams, and even played some Jerry Garcia Band tunes at Lockin' festival last summer. So with all that in mind, we wanted to catch up with Ryan Zoidis the sax wielding maniac of the band, to get some insight into Elevate and more. Elevate is going to blow the roof off your car, home, or frankly your noggin' once you hear it. I can tell you, first hand, it's a burner, and you'll love it all. Good thing it's out June 14th. For more on Lettuce and their tour schedule visit lettucefunk.com. 

Gnomes and Badgers is the forthcoming record from Karl Denson due out March 8th. This record, is a significant departure for Denson in that it has very strong political overtones, something he truly has stayed away from until now. Aside from the usual Tiny Universe players, Chuck Leavell, Anders Osborne, Ivan Neville and Lukas Nelson also contributed in parts to the making of Gnomes and Badgers. It’s a powerful record both sonically and thematically, one that we were excited to talk to Karl about. Gnomes and Badgers is a poignant turning point perhaps for him, one that may see him sing more in the future, and one that may inspire more great writing. For tour dates, and more visit karldenson.com.

We’ve been big fans of Galactic dating back to 1998 and Crazy Horse Mongoose. They’ve always been a band that’s hard to describe blending New Orleans funk with R&B, soul, rock and several other sounds. In fact it’s almost impossible. What we appreciate most, aside from the music though, is the ambassadorship for New Orleans this band has taken on, no matter where they go, or what they do. They not only share the passion for the music from that town, but they’ve put their name behind the notion of curating music from all around North America with their recent acquisition of the famed Tipitina’s. With Already Ready Already Galactic continues to push both music boundaries while maintaining a very authentic funk sound. Stanton Moore the drummer of the band, who himself comes with a great degree of pedigree and prowess has always been one of our favorite personalities in the scene. Luckily we had the opportunity to chat with him about Already Ready Already, and way more. You can check out…

When I first met Phil Tessis at a Jam Labs event here in Toronto at a local bar, he was a quiet, unassuming, gifted guitar player. What I didn’t know at the time, or rather immediately is that Phil is indeed part of an amazing Funk quartet that although local to Toronto has found some success across Canada and indeed the United States. So when we heard After Funk was releasing a new record, we had to get him on the show to talk about the band, their success to date, and where they are headed, figuratively and literally. For more on After Funk including tour dates all over North America and to pre-order Santa Barbara visit afterfunk.ca.

We’ve all been listening to the Disco Biscuits forever. We always keep an eye out for Marc Brownstein’s work, since we appreciate his work on bass, and he has similar taste in music. So when we read that he started this new project called Star Kitchen, a Funk type thing, we were jonesing to hear exactly what was going on. Luckily there is some music floating around, and we’re fortunate that tapers like Eric McRoberts who make awesome live recordings was at Stageone in Fairfield, Connecticut to catch Star Kitchen last week. Once we heard the music, we had to get Brownie on the line, to ask what was going on with Star Kitchen.

The Motet have been on our radar for a long time. We like their version of Funk, Soul and R&B quite a bit. They have a new record "Death or Devotion" which is dropping January 25th, so it just made sense to sit down and talk with someone from the band before they hit the road. Luckily, we tracked down Lyle Divinsky a fairly new member to the group. In fact in 2016 three new members were added to the line-up, Lyle, Parris and Drew. The Motet also have an extensive tour coming up, and you should definitely check them out on the road at themotet.com.

While John Medeski fronts Mad Skillet, an interesting four piece borne out of New Orleans jams, the project is certainly a sum of its of it’s parts. The band includes the under appreciated Will Bernard on guitar and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band rhythm section featuring sousaphonist Kirk Joseph and Terence Higgins on Drums. It’s a very cool project, one that I certainly would love to see live. I caught up with John Medeski fresh off a stint in Japan. I can’t begin to tell you what a thrill it was to talk to John, who is a freaking musical genius. Like you, I have been listening to Medeski, Martin and Wood since day one. Mad Skillet’s debut is a tremendous record, and when you do listen to it, make sure you tune everything else out, and pay close attention to the production, the instruments, and the passion with which each of the players play. Oh, and I know you will want to get up and dance. For Mad Skillet tour dates visit johnmedeski.com or find the band on Facebook.

If you’ve part of the jam band scene for a while, you’ve no doubt heard the name Erik Deutsch. He’s been somewhat of a fixture dating back to his days with Fat Mama, solo pursuits and now part of Leftover Salmon. He is an extremely talented keyboard player and lends his talents to a multitude of projects. We recently caught up with Erik to talk about his solo record Falling Flowers.

Attempting to define the kind of music Ghost Note plays, would be near impossible. They are a jazz hybrid that play funk, r&b, soul, hip-hop and yes, they rock. Started by Snarky Puppy’s drummer Robert “Sput” Searight and percussionist Nate Werth. Rather than just telling you about this band that has complete blown my mind, we got in touch with Sput to talk about the Ghost Note Project. For more on Ghost Note check out Ghost-Note-Official.com.

Magic in the Other is the brainchild of drummer Ezra Lipp, who’s name may be familiar from the San Francisco Jam Band scene. He’s toiled with Phil Lesh and Friends, often hangs at Terrapin Crossroads and plays with ALO as well. Actually ALO bassist Steve Adams is also in the band, as well as guitar wizard Roger Reidlbauer. It’s an interesting project, blending solid instrumentals, with thought provoking songs. For more on release information, tour dates, and some cool videos, check out magicintheother.net.

MMW’s forthcoming release Omnisphere featuring Alarm Will Sound, is something definitely a little different for our audience and those that love Medeski Martin and Wood, but certainly not for guys themselves. Both John Medeski and Billy Martin are classically trained musicians who while dabbling in the jazz music we’ve been accustomed to hearing from them, always have sought opportunities to work on more complex arrangements. Alarm Will Sound is a chamber orchestra that focuses on contemporary pieces. Since I’m not even close to an expert on Classical music, we asked Billy Martin to come on the show and talk about the project since we’re big MMW fans, and give us an update on other MMW goings on. For more information on MMW visit medeskimartinandwood.com. You can also check our our MMW playlist at tsp.show/ECMMW or our MMW playlist on youtube at youtube.com/thesoundpodcast.

Though the record won't be out until September 28th, I did have a chance to sample it, and have to tell, you it might be their best to date. You can tell that the band, fronted by Dave Brandwein has really coming together and matured on this record. As you'll soon hear, this record was more collaborative then past efforts, and sonically you can tell that this band is hitting their studio stride. Long known for awesome live performances, I suspect Turkuaz will take another giant leap forward with their brand of funk, R&B, rock, and psychedelia. We chatted with Dave Brandwein about recording the new record, the song writing process and some other cool things. You should definitely check out turkuazband.com for tour dates, to pre-order Life in the City and much more.

The thing about being a talented musician is that you are often are in demand to play with many different people, and doing so, you aren’t necessarily afforded the time to work on your own projects. Such is the case for keyboard wiz, Robert Walter. He’s been touring extensively and making records with Mike Gordon, and is always is ready to jam with whomever asks. So when I heard that he had a new project inspired by space, comic books and science fiction I was psyched to check out. Robert and the 20th Congress will be playing a select number of dates around Spacesuit’s release, and to learn more visit robertwalter.com.

We’re big fans of all of Cory’s projects including his work with Vulfpeck, and had no idea until recently the physical and indeed mental crossroad he faced when he was just sixteen. Almost two decades ago, Cory suffered a concussive head injury which created a scenario where his right arm kept going numb. Unsure of what exactly was causing the numbness, doctors suggested that it was a blood clot that could potentially reach his brain, and ultimately kill him. His diagnosis was an ominous one, either he would die in a short amount of time or he would be fine. Luckily, his own gumption and perseverance guided him, and eventually the numbness and any thought of a blood clot faded. To learn more about The Optimist, and Cory’s upcoming tour schedule visit corywongmusic.com.

Hailing from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, Five Alarm Funk has just one thing on their mind, creating music that makes you get up and dance, and SWEAT a lot. With a wide variety of influences from Antibalas to Zappa, this organically shaped funk outfit brings more than just the traditional sounds of James Brown and Tower of Power to the party. We caught up with drummer, vocalist and original member Tayo Branston to get the low down on the band, and their various collaborations. There is no disputing that Five Alarm brings the funk, and they do it all over the continent. Their shows are a party, one, you don’t want to miss. For more on Five Alarm Funk visit fivealarmfunk.com

Nolatet a jazz quartet from New Orleans, that features vibraphonist Mike Dillon, pianist Brian Haas, bassist James Singleton and drummer Johnny Vidacovich. Blacksheep is actually taken to their sophomore release, No Revenge Necessary, but these musicians are hardly just getting around to making a second record. Each have individual resumes that are significant, and the blending of rhythms, and sounds is quite evident on this record. I’ve always wanted to chat with Johnny Vidacovich the accomplished big easy drummer who has toiled on the scene for over 40 years. He’s about as New Orleans as beignes, crawfish and mardi-gras. With the world famous Jazz Festival well underway, we caught up with Johnny to talk about his drumming, Nolatet and much more. For more info about Nolatet and “No Revenge Necessary”, please visit Nolatet.com and for more info on Mr.Vidacovich’s universe, visit facebook.com/neworleansdrummer.

One of the things I enjoy most about The Sound Podcast project is bringing you new artists and bands that are on the cusp of really big things. I spend a lot of time reading about up and coming bands on-line, and listening to all kinds of music. I’m kind of your filter for whats good, and what isn’t so strong. As for what’s good, I recently came across Ripe, a band based out of Boston, that combine rock, funk, and fun into a tight little package of lively songs. They also feature a small but powerful horns section, which contributes mightily to the band’s overall sound. Ripe recently began a 30 city plus North American tour, and have also released their first full length record, Joy in the Wild Unknown. I caught up with Robbie Wulfshon the band’s lead singer, to get the scoop on their sound, their aspirations, and much more. For more on Ripe visit ripetheband.com and if you plan to see one of their shows, don’t forget to take a toy to the show for their toy drive.