UK RELEASE: MONDAY 28th JANUARY 2013
With its reboot of classic ’70s /‘80s jazz-funk,
Rock Candy Funk Party (RCFP)
delivers a sound that’s as celebratory as the name suggests. The
group is powered by a line-up of world renowned players—album producer
Tal Bergman (drums),
Joe Bonamassa (guitar),
Ron DeJesus (guitar),
Mike Merritt (bass) and
Renato Neto (keyboards)—who came together for the sheer fun of making music, and a mutual love of genre-blurring grooves.
RCFP’s first album
We Want Groove is released in the UK by
Provogue Records on
Monday January 28, 2013 (US release is Tuesday January 29). Fans can get their first taste of the album by obtaining a
free download of the single
“Octopus-e” HERE
The album, featuring nine tracks, eight originals and one cover, is
full of space and texture, mashed up funk, jazz, rock and virtuoso
musicianship. The album includes a bonus DVD that comprises a
making-of featurette, two in-the-studio featurettes and the official
music video for “Octopus-e.”
While the album is instrumental, the interplay between
RCFP’s
members—whose collective credits include Joe Zawinul, Hugh Masekela,
Prince, LL Cool J, Ruth Brown, Chaka Khan, Simples Minds, Billy Idol,
Tito Puente, Bruce Springsteen, Rod Stewart, Levon Helm, Conan O’Brien,
Luther Vandross, Sheila E. and
many more—is a riveting conversation all its own.
“It really was the definition of collaboration, one of those records
where you want to bottle the vibe and save it for all albums,” says
Bonamassa.
That improvisational nature comes through on
We Want Groove,
which was recorded live over the course of ten straight days at Tal
Bergman’s studio in LA. The environment was egalitarian and
ego-neutral, with each player sharing equally in creating the music.
“The concept of this record had everything do with interplay,” says Bergman
. “Everybody fed off each other, reacted, and captured the moment.”
In title and spirit, the album tips its hat to Miles Davis’ classic 1982 live instrumental LP
We Want Miles, which Mike Merritt says “was kind of a template for our project.” Its influence is one of many echoing through
RCFP’s re-imagination of jazz-funk—the album opener,
“Octopus-e,” boasts a sinewy funk groove that suggests a meeting between Jeff Beck and the Average White Band.
The gorgeously atmospheric
“The Best Ten Minutes Of Your Life”
has an early ’70s Temptations-style groove that just “lays there for
late night.” The album closes with the lush and soulful melodies of
“New York Song.”
“All flavors went into making this album,” says Bergman, citing other
influences including Herbie Hancock, James Brown, Weather Report,
Earth, Wind & Fire, Led Zeppelin, Sly Stone, and, of course, Miles
Davis.
“Tal did a great job making sure the album didn’t become over
indulgent,” says Bonamassa. “The challenge was to keep it fresh
without our influences overwhelming the music—to keep the band vibe
without it becoming too many ideas from too many people. It was
important to commit to the moment and keep it fresh, and fun. There is
a fine line.”
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, (currently a member of The Basic Cable Band on
Conan) and Neto (who toured with Prince from 2002-2011) 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 sold out shows on
January 23 and
24 at
The Baked Potato in
Los Angeles.
We Want Groove – Album Track Listing
CD
1. “Octopus-e”
2. “Spaztastic”
3. “Ode To Gee”
4. “We Want Groove”
5. “The Best Ten Minutes of Your Life”
6. “Animal/Work”
7. “Dope On A Rope”
8. “Root Down (and Get It)”
9. “New York Song”
DVD
1. “The Making of We Want Groove”
2. “In the Studio – Episode 1”
3. “In the Studio – Episode 2”
4. “Official Music Video for Octopus-e”
Rock Candy Funk Party - Essential Web Links
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