Soulive is a band whose time has come. They're the soul-jazz organ trio whose raucous live performances earned them a devoted legion of fans few of their contemporaries can brag about. The group whose Blue Note debut “Doin' Something" captured that live energy and combined it with Fred Wesley's signature horn arrangements, ushering in a new sound. But just when you thought you knew these guys, they recorded their follow-up record, entitled “NEXT", and reinvented themselves in the process.
Soulive is no longer an organ trio. In fact they're not a trio at all. Alto saxophonist Sam Kininger, an old friend and collaborator is now a full time member of the band. He joins drummer Alan Evans, keyboardist Neal Evans and guitarist Eric Krasno in the new Soulive.
“NEXT" is a largely collaborative affair. Self produced by the band, it features appearances from artists as diverse as hip-hop trailblazers like Black Thought of The Roots and Talib Kweli, the angelic soul songstress Amel Larrieux, and new friend Dave Matthews.
This is Soulive's first modern record. While the band's organic live essence still exists, the sounds and compositions on “NEXT" are very much those of a band trying to create something new. Earlier comparisons to Jimmy Smith no longer apply. Now we hear the collective influences of four musicians. Angular funk meets modern R&B. Slow plaintive ballads meet banging hip-hop beats and rhymes. It may be soulful and jazzy, but it's not soul jazz.
Neal Evans is no longer playing organ bass, an element that was previously at the heart of Soulive's sound. The new thick bass lines that we hear on “NEXT" are being played on a Roland sound module. While his talents were never in question, the clarity of the bass this time around affirms once and for all that Neal Evans' left hand is one of the baddest bass players around.
Eric Krasno's signature amalgamation of George Benson, Grant Green, Jimmy Hendrix and “Wah-Wah" Watson isn't as ubiquitous either. Now we hear Eric digging into the rhythm more, using texture to convey the point.
Kininger's alto is a strong new presence. Adding new definition to the band's ever expanding vocabulary. “Sam is just an incredible musician," Neal tells me. “He inspires us out on the road night after night. It's just incredible." His playing is equal parts Maceo Parker and Benny Maupin with a splash of the electric musings of Eddie Harris.
Perhaps the one thing that remains constant however is Alan Evan's drumming. With a sense of time you could set a clock to and a pocket deeper than Bill Gates', he lays down the funk with a big band jazz drummer's bombast and an 808 drum machine's punch.
While Soulive's previous two records “Doin' Something" and their debut “Turn It Out" were a collection of songs culled directly from their live set, the songs on “NEXT" were written specifically for the studio. None of these compositions were performed live until after they had been recorded. This new approach lends the record its fresh quality. The band is discovering the tunes for the first time.
“We met Tariq (Black Thought) on the road where we played together at an awards show," says Neal. “We had wanted to do a straight up hip-hop joint on the new album and when the opportunity presented itself and the timing was right we did it."
While on the road last year Eric and Neal had written a song that needed a good vocalist. “When we were brainstorming on who we'd like to sing it we thought about Amel Larrieux. We all dug the stuff she's done and loved her voice so we sent her the song." The result is a beautiful, D'Angelo inspired ballad pairing Larrieux's delicate vocal and lyrics with Soulive's deft accompaniment.
But without a doubt, the most interesting collaboration on “NEXT" is that of Soulive with Dave Matthews. When the band were offered the coveted opening slot on his US tour last year, Matthews immediately became a fan. He took to introducing them each night as “the greatest band in the world". While some may see the two acts as a somewhat disparate pairing, Neal disagrees. “Human beings inherently feel the need to label stuff so that they can make sense of it. I understand why, but it creates boundaries. There's such a large pallet of sounds, why not paint with all the colors?" The outcome is a unique interpretation of Anni DiFranco's Joyful Girl. “Five guys playing an Ani DiFranco tune is kind of cool," states Neal.
“NEXT" is perhaps the perfect title for this record. It at once announces the newest offering from a versatile band intent on evolving at its own furious pace, but also serves as an answer to those who may question their new sounds and directions. Soulive has once again rewritten their own history blazing the trail for believers and non- believers alike. “Soulive has never been any one thing," Neal says. “We've always shunned the opportunity of being pigeonholed. It's great now to have the freedom to expand and contract."
—David Wallace
Soulive is no longer an organ trio. In fact they're not a trio at all. Alto saxophonist Sam Kininger, an old friend and collaborator is now a full time member of the band. He joins drummer Alan Evans, keyboardist Neal Evans and guitarist Eric Krasno in the new Soulive.
“NEXT" is a largely collaborative affair. Self produced by the band, it features appearances from artists as diverse as hip-hop trailblazers like Black Thought of The Roots and Talib Kweli, the angelic soul songstress Amel Larrieux, and new friend Dave Matthews.
This is Soulive's first modern record. While the band's organic live essence still exists, the sounds and compositions on “NEXT" are very much those of a band trying to create something new. Earlier comparisons to Jimmy Smith no longer apply. Now we hear the collective influences of four musicians. Angular funk meets modern R&B. Slow plaintive ballads meet banging hip-hop beats and rhymes. It may be soulful and jazzy, but it's not soul jazz.
Neal Evans is no longer playing organ bass, an element that was previously at the heart of Soulive's sound. The new thick bass lines that we hear on “NEXT" are being played on a Roland sound module. While his talents were never in question, the clarity of the bass this time around affirms once and for all that Neal Evans' left hand is one of the baddest bass players around.
Eric Krasno's signature amalgamation of George Benson, Grant Green, Jimmy Hendrix and “Wah-Wah" Watson isn't as ubiquitous either. Now we hear Eric digging into the rhythm more, using texture to convey the point.
Kininger's alto is a strong new presence. Adding new definition to the band's ever expanding vocabulary. “Sam is just an incredible musician," Neal tells me. “He inspires us out on the road night after night. It's just incredible." His playing is equal parts Maceo Parker and Benny Maupin with a splash of the electric musings of Eddie Harris.
Perhaps the one thing that remains constant however is Alan Evan's drumming. With a sense of time you could set a clock to and a pocket deeper than Bill Gates', he lays down the funk with a big band jazz drummer's bombast and an 808 drum machine's punch.
While Soulive's previous two records “Doin' Something" and their debut “Turn It Out" were a collection of songs culled directly from their live set, the songs on “NEXT" were written specifically for the studio. None of these compositions were performed live until after they had been recorded. This new approach lends the record its fresh quality. The band is discovering the tunes for the first time.
“We met Tariq (Black Thought) on the road where we played together at an awards show," says Neal. “We had wanted to do a straight up hip-hop joint on the new album and when the opportunity presented itself and the timing was right we did it."
While on the road last year Eric and Neal had written a song that needed a good vocalist. “When we were brainstorming on who we'd like to sing it we thought about Amel Larrieux. We all dug the stuff she's done and loved her voice so we sent her the song." The result is a beautiful, D'Angelo inspired ballad pairing Larrieux's delicate vocal and lyrics with Soulive's deft accompaniment.
But without a doubt, the most interesting collaboration on “NEXT" is that of Soulive with Dave Matthews. When the band were offered the coveted opening slot on his US tour last year, Matthews immediately became a fan. He took to introducing them each night as “the greatest band in the world". While some may see the two acts as a somewhat disparate pairing, Neal disagrees. “Human beings inherently feel the need to label stuff so that they can make sense of it. I understand why, but it creates boundaries. There's such a large pallet of sounds, why not paint with all the colors?" The outcome is a unique interpretation of Anni DiFranco's Joyful Girl. “Five guys playing an Ani DiFranco tune is kind of cool," states Neal.
“NEXT" is perhaps the perfect title for this record. It at once announces the newest offering from a versatile band intent on evolving at its own furious pace, but also serves as an answer to those who may question their new sounds and directions. Soulive has once again rewritten their own history blazing the trail for believers and non- believers alike. “Soulive has never been any one thing," Neal says. “We've always shunned the opportunity of being pigeonholed. It's great now to have the freedom to expand and contract."
—David Wallace
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