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2 x CD |
| 4.731 Ft
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| 1. CD tartalma: |
| 1. | Funk is the Final Frontier
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| 2. | Your Body's Hot
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| 3. | Color Me Funky
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| 4. | Constant Things
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| 5. | Party Time
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| 6. | I Can't Stop
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| 7. | Curtis
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| 8. | York Chops
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| 9. | Wouldn't You Rather Get Down?
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| 10. | Big Bad
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| 2. CD tartalma: |
| 1. | Introduction by BB King
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| 2. | Funk is the Final Frontier
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| 3. | Your Body's Hot
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| 4. | "Hard Hittin" Drums
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| 5. | Leroys' Funky Spoons
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| 6. | Hangin' with BB
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Jazz / Funky
Featuring the Chops Horns, Aja Emmanuel and Joel Parisien
Includes bonus DVD from BB Kings 80th Birthday Tour
You know, it's funny what can happen when you just throw out an idea.
In the winter of 2003, while hard at work on their previous recording Universal Soul, Mark suddenly had a thought. Or you might say he experienced a moment of divine inspiration. He turned to Leroy and said "I think it's time for us to go to Europe." And almost as instantly, I received a phone call from the band telling me the good news; later that year, LMT Connection would be embarking on their first European tour and releasing their album overseas.
As you can imagine, I myself had a thought:
"Uh-oh, the Old World's about to get funkified!"
But let me back up, lest you miss some of the incredible synchronicity of this story.
First, the band shared their vision with our friend Paul Milner, a producer/engineer whose long list of credits includes Keith Richards and Eddy Grant. Through Paul, "Universal Soul" found its way to Germany and into the hands of Jimi Wunderlich, who was later responsible for signing LMT Connection to a distribution deal with Berlin-based label United One. Then by way of Jimi, LMT's live album Outta Control found its way to Austria and into the hands of Hubert Moser, an agent/promoter from Salzburg. Site unseen, Hubert and his company Miracle Dread Productions took a chance on this unknown funk/soul/R&B trio from Canada and committed to booking dates across Germany and Austria.
In one cosmic minute, John, Leroy and Mark went from the studio to the airport, on their way to kick off the Universal Soul World Tour. It would be the first of six trips to Europe they would ultimately make between 2003 and 2005 to promote that release.
On November 15, 2003, on a stop in Krefeld, Germany at Jazzkellar, LMT Connection were introduced to producer King Brain, who at the time was working on a record with Chrissie Hynde that would eventually reach number 1 on two Billboard Music charts. Brain had come by to check out this funk band from Canada.
What? From Canada?
Now, since I've only known this group to be the institution in soul music that they truly are back home, this is obviously quite humorous to me. However, for a producer from Germany, I can see why that billing peaked his curiosity. And for those who have seen LMT Connection perform live, one would not be surprised that King Brain suggested they work together on their next recording.
Buzzing from the experience of their first "expedition" abroad, the band returned home with stories to tell and presents for the kids. From that point forward, making music would never again be 'business-as-usual' for one of the hardest working bands in the world. Not only were they still promoting "Universal Soul" but now plans were being made to start production on a new album.
In 2004, they returned to Europe twice, not only to support their budding fan base but to get reconnected with King Brain at his lab in Monchengladbach , Germany. Joining them on tour and in the first recording session was Leroy's son Aja Emmanuel, adding his rhymes and youthful energy to the mix. Right from the start, it was clear LMT would be exploring new sonic territory. Up to that point, they had always approached production in the classic way, perfecting arrangements over time in front of an audience and using vintage gear and recording techniques. But Brain had a different idea. He wanted to re-interpret their vast experience and musicianship for the digital age. So while the band continued to play jazz clubs, split shows with funk deejays and heat up music festivals, King Brain had his eyes on the dance floor.
Now back in Toronto, Canada, agent/promoter Abby Tobias met the world-renowned Chops Horns while they were in town touring with Alicia Keys. Abby, one of LMT Connection's most loyal supporters was certain there would be instant chemistry between these two musical forces and made the introduction. (There isn't nearly enough space here to list their extensive credits, but it is sufficient to say that not only are Chops the original hip-hop horn section (Sugarhill Records) but they have also played with the P-Funk, the Police and most recently, Keys.)
Well, Abby's hunch paid off and in 2005, Dave Watson (tenor and baritone saxophone, flute) and Darryl Dixon (alto saxophone, flute) contributed to the yet-untitled Brain production. The first session happened in Fanwood, New Jersey. Keeping with the spirit of the entire project, the Chops were given virtually no direction, allowing them to come up with their own greasy, rapid-fire arrangements in response to the protean future-funk they were hearing in their headphones for the first time.
Ever a thinking man, this collaboration got Hubert Moser's wheels turning. By this point, LMT had been back to Europe five times, each trip making new fans and breaking more ground in the studio with King Brain. So what about a joint tour with the Chops Horns?
Yet another stroke of imagination…
This is the point of the story where I come in. Over the years, I had sat in a number of times on Hammond Organ with the band at their Wednesday night residency at the legendary Orbit Room in Toronto. In addition, I'd also contributed back-up vocals to the "Universal Soul" CD. When Mark invited me to be a part of their sixth tour of Europe, I naturally accepted. What musician would turn down the opportunity to share the stage nightly with five players of such caliber? I also learned we would all be going in the studio to finish tracking their new album.
Fall 2005: After a long flight and a maiden performance at the Roxy in Ulm, Germany, we got straight to work in Brain's lab. It was then that I got a real glimpse of the method behind the all madness of the preceding two years. Brain was sampling them! Just as hip-hop producers lift bars from old records, he would send each musician into the room, record their streams of improvisation and assemble his favorite breaks and sections into a seamless groove. Then Leroy would let the lyrics just come to him and as quickly as they were composed, he'd get on the mic and lay them down in one take. Pure freestyle. I should mention all of this creativity was fueled by John's fine cuisine, which endeared him to King Brain early in their relationship.
During this final tracking session, while free styling lyrics for the track with the same name, Leroy came up with the title for the album: Color Me Funky. (Yet again, more divine inspiration.) There we all were: black dudes, white dudes, Europeans, Canadians and Americans, speaking English, German and French. It was a multi-cultural, multi-national meeting of minds and music and we were united by one common cause: FUNK.
In closing, I could talk about the success of that tour in 2005. I could also wax poetically about the bonds of friendship that were forged. But instead, I'd rather meditate on the power of a thought. It's truly amazing how one thought can set so many events in motion.
And if there is a band that understands how to make things move (you know, like people, speakers, walls, ceilings, foundations…) it's LMT Connection.
If you would like to peek into the future of funk music, just press play.
---Joel Parisien, September 2006, Toronto |
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