Soulive

Alright, time for a first "real" post. We are planning on periodically showcasing bands that we enjoy listening too and think that you (the reader) might be interested in checking out. Some of them may be well known and others (especially from Nolan) you might have never heard of.

We're going to start off with Soulive. Soulive is an Jazz/Funk trio from upstate New York. Neal and Alan Evans hold down the drums and organ/bass respectively while Eric Krasno plays a mean guitar. They also often use horn sections which currently consists of longtime collaborator Sam Kininger (who is probably one of my favorite sax players) and Ryan Zoidis. Rashawn Ross (who now plays with the Dave Matthews Band) used to play trumpet with the band.

Their music is pretty unique and it features a fair amount of improv, though they rarely wander far from the the songs general structure. They are mostly an instrumental group, though one of their albums features a full time vocalist, and many other songs feature guest vocals (IE - Joyful Girl feat. Dave Matthews). A good starting point is their first album Get Down! which they famously composed in one studio session. It does not feature any horns and it's a good way to get a feel for the band.

I have not had the privilege of seeing Soulive in concert but I am hoping that will change soon following the release of their new album in April.

Soulive - El Ron