"Deeply funky and gritty album from the long established and highly acclaimed superstars of the US jam band scene"
2009 marks Soulive's 10th Anniversary and over the past 10 years, Soulive have covered a lot of ground musically and literally. Not many bands can say they have recorded with Chaka Khan, Dave Matthews, Talib Kweli and John Scofield. Nor can many bands open for The Rolling Stones on one tour and have Stevie Wonder sit in with them on the next tour, and who else has recorded for legendary labels such as Blue Note, Concorde AND Stax Records? Pedigree indeed!
Of this brand new album founding member, drummer Alan Evans says "This is the Soulive album I've always wanted to record. It's what I've been hearing in my head for years, like when people say "if I could go back in time knowing what I know now" Well, that's what we did with Up Here. The session had the vibe and energy of Get Down but with all of our experiences from the past 10 years put down on tape in a very meaningful way"
The record's opening track "Upright" immediately sets the tone with a completely infectious hook featuring keyboard maestro Neal Evans on an old upright piano. There are some nods to the "old-school" on the record. "For Granted" is a tip of the hat to Grant Green, and Eric plays licks reminiscent of his early solos on Get Down and Turn It Out. Guest vocalist Nigel Hall tears it up on "Too Much" (also released as a killer Freestyle funk 45 FSR7059) while Eric's guitar sings like D'Angelo on the laid-back grind of "Put on Yo Pajamas" (P J's)
The entire record features tight horn arrangements from long-time Soulive collaborators and friends, Sam Kininger and Ryan Zoidis otherwise know as The Shady Horns
No matter how you listen to Up Here, it sounds like you're listening to vintage vinyl. One of the most difficult things about making a record with a great live band is capturing all that live energy while still making the record that's about songs. Up Here does as good a job as any record could in accomplishing this. "Straight up", says Alan, "this is the first Soulive album that I can say every tune on it is my favorites on the album".
Reviews
"Up Here" announces itself as the tight, furious Soulive record fans have been waiting for. Metromix (Matt Pais)
As great as their Blue Note albums were, Up Here puts them to shame! Okayplayer (John Book)
'Simultaneously traditional and perfectly contemporary' All About Jazz (Doug Collette)
'Will have longtime fans nodding their heads to the familiar groove and tight improv that Soulive does so well. (Patrick Varine)
WOW! They have grown and evolved into something HUGE Mystic Vybes Radio Show (Michael Stukes)
Damn good quality lp!! Basic Soul radio show (Simon Harrison)
Timeless and fresh but not ready chewed sound of the 21st century Radio Helsinki (DJ Bunuel)
Funky as hell! "this is FUNKAHOLIC!" (DJ FUNKAHOLIC)
An amazing, funky gritty, jazzy sound that sounds as though it was recorded years ago, and is full of energy! BBC Three Counties radio (Paul Miller)
Wow! What is goin'on in the Freeestyle Valley?A 100% diamond! SPRAWL ZONE RADIO SHOW (Savvas Hantzaridis)
Tight as a duck's ass bluesy funk, with some serious floor fillers... and very nice cover of Outkast's "Prototype" THE JOINT SESSIONS (Roger Cowell)
Brillant Urban-Funk album!!! Jazz It Up Radio (Simone Vimercati)
How to came back to the good times of 'Get Down!' and 'Turn It Ou't but with the experience of those first ten years. 'Up Here' is a great way to celebrate an impressive anniversary. www.acidjazzhispano.com (Santiago Tadeo Cervera)
From the get go, the sound is strutting, stomping mix of Memphis soul, JBs style horn workouts, hammond pounding flair and slick jazz stylings. Invigoratingly uptempo, and passionate throughout, Up Here's fierce swagger us hard to resist! Metro Life (Siobhan Murphy)
