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Soulive

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Soulive
Soulive performing at the Rochester International Jazz Festival in 2006
Soulive performing at the Rochester International Jazz Festival in 2006
Background information
OriginBuffalo, New York, USA
GenresSoul jazz, jazz funk, jazz fusion, soul music
Years active1999 – present
LabelsVelour Recordings, Blue Note, Concord, Stax Records
MembersAlan Evans
Neal Evans
Eric Krasno
Past membersToussaint Yeshua
Websiteroyalfamilyrecords.com

Soulive is a funk/jazz trio that originated in Woodstock, New York, and is known for its solos and catchy, upbeat songs. The band consists of Eric Krasno (guitar), Alan Evans (drums) and Neal Evans (Hammond B3 organ, bass keys, clavinet). Although they originated as a trio, the band has worked extensively with different horn sections, which have included Sam Kininger (saxophone)[1]from 2000 to 2003, Rashawn Ross (trumpet), and Ryan Zoidis (saxophone) from 2003 to 2006.[2] The band also worked with vocalist Toussaint Yeshua from 2006 to 2007.[3] Soulive is currently touring in the original trio lineup of Eric Krasno, Alan Evans, and Neal Evans.[4]

History

In the 90s, brothers Alan and Neal Evans had been the rhythm section for the Northeastern jam band Moon Boot Lover with front man Peter Prince. After a brief foray into rap with Edreys aka Billy Drease Williams under the name The Elements, the brothers looked to form a traditional jazz organ trio. On March 2, 1999, Alan and Neal invited guitarist Eric Krasno to record some tracks with them in their home studio in Woodstock, New York. That jam session became their first EP, Get Down! and the band shortly thereafter hit the road to begin touring. It was during that first summer together that the band recorded their first LP, Turn It Out, for Velour Recordings. Turn It Out featured various guest musicians, including John Scofield, Oteil Burbridge, and Sam Kininger. The independently produced album went on to sell 65,000 copies, enabling Soulive to gain recognition in the jazz/funk scene.

In the next three years, Soulive embarked on five national tours. The band opened for The Rolling Stones,[5] Dave Matthews Band, The Roots, Common, John Mayer, and others. The band also continued to play at various festivals, including the Monterey Jazz Festival and Bonnaroo. Overseas, Soulive played shows in Japan and all over Europe.[6]

In the fall of 2000, Soulive signed a record deal with Blue Note Records. The following spring, Soulive released its first Blue Note album, Doin' Something, which featured horn arrangements by Fred Wesley, the trombonist from James Brown's band. The band's second Blue Note record, Next, featured guest vocalists Dave Matthews and Amel Larrieux, and rappers Talib Kweli and Black Thought. During this time, the band also recorded with singer-songwriter Goapele Mohlabane.

In 2003, Soulive released a self-titled live album, Soulive (Live), and a collection of remixes, Turn It Out Remixed, which featured guests Jurassic 5, DJ Spinna, DJ Krush, J-Live, Wordsworth, and the Beatnuts.

In the Summer of 2005, Soulive left Blue Note Records and signed a new contract with the jazz label Concord Records.

On September 13, 2005, Soulive released its first album with Concord Records, Break Out. On this release the band eschewed extended jams for beat-driven instrumentals and collaborations with Chaka Khan (featured on "Back Again"), Ivan Neville (featured on "Got Soul" and "Take It Easy"), Corey Glover (featured on "Freedom"), Robert Randolph (featured on the Jimi Hendrix cover "Crosstown Traffic" and also on "Interlude II"), and Reggie Watts (featured on "She's Hooked" and "What Can You Do?"). Late in 2006 the group recorded No Place Like Soul with producer Stewart Lerman at his studio in Greenwich Village, The Shinebox.

In the summer of 2007, Boston based reggae/soul artist Toussaint was invited by the band to permanently fill the position of lead vocalist. However, after the tour, the band decided to become a trio yet again. In a post to the Soulive messageboard,[7] Alan Evans explained: "we just want to have fun. no more chasing the pop thing or whatever that is. We just want to go out and rage, no setlists, no huge venues, no tour buses. Just have fun. This is not to say we didn't have fun with tours, we did but we realized that in looking at our past... We have had the most success and most fun when it was just the trio."

In 2008, Soulive performed at the Newport Jazz Festival.[8]

On March 12, 2009, Soulive announced that they would be releasing a new album, "Up Here," on April 14, 2009. The album marked somewhat of a return to form for the group, as many of the songs are solely instrumentals. For this album, they were joined once again by Ryan Zoidis on Tenor Sax, Sam Kininger on Alto Sax - who are now under the alias "The Shady Horns" - as well as appearances by Rashawn Ross on trumpet. Nigel Hall also guests on the track "Too Much".

On July 28, 2009, played the pre-game festivities for the 2009 MLS All-Star Game at The Canyons in Park City, Utah.[9]

Bowlive

Starting in 2010, Soulive has held an annual two-week, ten-night residency at the Brooklyn Bowl.[10] The shows run from Tuesday to Saturday, each night involving a different opening act consisting of a myriad of both announced and unannounced guest musicians. Rarely has Soulive played as a trio during these shows—a horn section called "The Shady Horns," has almost always joined them on stage. The players have changed slightly over the years, but the section usually includes Ryan Zoidis on tenor and baritone saxophones and Sam Kinninger on alto saxophone.

Some of the guest musicians have included:

Bowlive I (2010) – Oteil Burbridge, ?uestlove, Marco Benevento, Derek Trucks, Susan Tedeschi, Talib Kweli, The London Souls, Lettuce (band)
Bowlive II (2011) – Robert Randolph, John Scofield, Karl Denson, Ivan Neville, Matisyahu, Bernie Worrell, Taylor Hicks, Kofi Burbridge, Lettuce (band), Corey Glover
Bowlive III (2012) – John Scofield, Karl Denson, George Porter, Jr., Marco Benevento, Citizen Cope, Allen Stone, Derek Trucks, Lettuce (band), ?uestlove, Luther Dickinson
Bowlive IV (2013) - Luther Dickinson, Robert Randolph, Lee Fields, Marco Benevento, David Hidalgo (Los Lobos), George Porter, Jr.
Bowlive V (2014) - George Porter, Jr., Nicki Bluhm, John Scofield, Susan Tedeschi, Joe Russo, Darryl McDaniels (Run-D.M.C.), Talib Kweli,

See also

Discography

Studio albums

Title Year Label
Get Down! 1999 Velour Recordings
Turn It Out 1999 Velour Recordings
Doin' Something 2001 Blue Note
Next 2002 Blue Note
Soulive 2003 Blue Note
Turn It Out Remixed 2003 Velour Recordings
Steady Groovin' (compilation) 2005 Blue Note
Break Out 2005 Concord
No Place Like Soul 2007 Stax Records
Up Here 2009 Royal Family Records
Live in San Francisco 2009 Royal Family Records
Live at the Blue Note Tokyo 2010 Royal Family Records
Rubber Soulive 2010 Royal Family Records
Spark 2012 Royal Family Records

Instant live series

Stage Location Recording date
Beachland Ballroom and Tavern Cleveland, OH 28 September 2004
Blind Pig Ann Arbor, MI 29 September 2004
Fine Line Café Minneapolis, MN 2 October 2004
Iowa State University Ames, IA 3 October 2004
Garanda Lawrence, KS 4 October 2004
Aggie Theatre Fort Collins, CO 6 October 2004
32 Bleu Colorado Springs, CO 7 October 2004
Shaggy's Velvet Room Salt Lake City, UT 10 October 2004
Conga Room Los Angeles, CA 13 October 2004
Higher Ground South Burlington, VT 9 December 2004

References

  1. ^ "Sam Kininger Biography". Retrieved 5 January 2014. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |booktitle= ignored (help)
  2. ^ "The Shady Horns (artist bio)". Retrieved 5 January 2014. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |booktitle= ignored (help)
  3. ^ "Artist Guide: Soulive". Retrieved 5 January 2014. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |booktitle= ignored (help)
  4. ^ "Soulive (artist bio)". Retrieved 5 January 2014. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |booktitle= ignored (help)
  5. ^ "Soulive to Open for Rolling Stones". 3 September 2006. Retrieved 5 January 2014. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |booktitle= ignored (help)
  6. ^ "Soulive on MSG". 28 June 2012. Retrieved 5 January 2014. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help); Unknown parameter |booktitle= ignored (help)
  7. ^ "Soulive messageboard".[dead link‍]
  8. ^ "Soulive artist page". NPR Music (National Public Radio). Retrieved 5 January 2014.
  9. ^ "Soulive To Headline MLS All-Star Jam Concert". MLSsoccer.com. 23 January 2010. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
  10. ^ Scheisel, Seth (9 March 2011). "The 10 Night Intergalactic Funk Odyssey". The New York Times. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
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