Brooklyn Funk Essentials release their fifth album – Funk Ain’t Ova
Soul, jazz, Latin, house, drum & bass, ska, afrobeat and Anatolian melodies all rolled into one
Brooklyn Funk Essentials 2015 album, ‘Funk Ain’t Ova’, sees the band going back to its roots in more ways than one. Brimming with classic seventies’ vocal group soul and instrumental funk, the album was recorded live in studios in Brooklyn, Birmingham and Stockholm.
Since 1994, Brooklyn Funk Essentials have been presenting their unique brand of eclectic funk to ecstatic audiences, the world over. Made up of musicians, singers and poets from around the globe, the group famously mixes styles like soul, jazz, Latin, house, drum & bass, ska, afrobeat and Anatolian melodies all rolled into one.
Four studio albums later their latest album brings together many of the original and past members of the band, such as Joi Cardwell, Papa Dee, Stephanie McKay, Everton Sylvester and Hanifah Walidah on lead vocals. The horn playing of Anna Brooks (saxes) and Iwan VanHetten (trumpet), who also handles all keyboards, with added cameos by Josh Roseman, (trombone) Bob Brockmann (trumpet) and Paul Shapiro (sax and flute). The drumming of Yancy Drew and Hux Nettermalm coupled with Danny Sadownick’s percussions. The guitars of Masa Shimizu and Desmond Foster, who also does lead vocals on ‘Brooklyn Love’(Listen below) and ‘Blast It!’
The 11 track album, which has a funky cover sleeve includes this gem – ‘Prepare’.
Funk Ain’t Ova is released on vinyl by Dorado Records, who were the first label to sign the band, back in 1994. The album is also available on CD, streaming and digital download.
