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| Boston Horns Release New Album, "Shibuya Gumbo" Shibuya Gumbo, the new album by The Boston Horns, was released in December. The new album features tracks with Barrence Whitfield on vocals, Sam Kininger on alto sax, and Yahuba Garcia on percussion. The Boston Horns is led by Garret Savluk and Henley Douglas Jr., former front men of the Heavy Metal Horns. Over the course of 20 years, they've collaborated and toured with a wide range of artists including Tower of Power, Extreme, Johnny A., Shawn Mullins, Laverne Baker, Susan Tedeschi, James Montgomery, Los Lobos and the Del Fuegos, to name a few. Their compelling mix of funk, jazz and soul has kept them busy performing in clubs in New England, at the New Orleans Jazz Festival and beyond. The band is planning on a few international tour stops to promote the new album, potentially to include a trip to Japan, where the fans have demonstrated a ravenous appetite for the Horns' music. The new album, titled Shibuya Gumbo, is a reference to their popularity in Japan but also touches on their New Orleans-style funk and soul sound. Henley Douglas Jr. explains, “Shibuya City was the first city we played in Japan, so the album title is a nod to that experience. There's a photo of the Shibuya fans on the album cover." “You can see that it was a sold out show. That's such an incredible thing to happen to any band playing in a new country for the first time." And as for the Gumbo, Douglas says it “refers to the Traditional New Orleans dish. It's a mix of a lot of different ingredients that come together to create one fantastic flavor. The Boston Horns music is made the same way. It's a combination of many different styles of music - jazz, blues, soul and rock - and we mix it up with instrumentals and vocals. Our music has its own unique flavor," says Douglas. Guest musicians on the new album are long-time friends and collaborators Barrence Whitfield and Sam Kininger. Whitfield is a legend in the Boston area, and has toured internationally with acts like Tina Turner, Bo Diddley, Robert Cray and many more. Sam Kininger is a well-known sax player who has played with funk and soul bands Lettuce, the Brotherhood of Groove and the internationally renowned Soulive. He currently fronts the Sam Kininger Band. Says Savluk, “This is the album we've always wanted to make. Our favorite new originals mixed in with a few covers to feature Barrence's amazing vocals and the funky talents of Sam Kininger on alto. I dare you not to groove!" The Boston Horns kicked off a series of CD release parties with a show at Johnny D's in Somerville, MA on December 1. They also celebrated at the Acton Jazz Cafe in Acton, MA on December 15 with Barrence Whitfield on vocals, and wrapped up 2007 with a New Year's Eve party at Ryles Jazz Club in Cambridge, MA. write your comments about the article :: © 2008 Jazz News :: home page |