NYS Music 20​14

Tag: freekbass

  • Freekbass and ‘The Bump Assembly’ Turn Up the Heat in Allentown

    freekbass_buffalo1A lot of bands say they have a hard time giving it their all at shows with poor turnouts. Freekbass and his band, The Bump Assembly, do not fall into this category.

    Many local and national artists who have played in Buffalo, NY over the years have learned that competing against a Buffalo Bills game is not an easy task. That being said, when I walked into Duke’s Bohemian Grove Bar (DBGB’s) on Thursday Nov 13 to watch Freekbass lay down his impressive slap bass licks and unmistakable funk sound, I was greeted by an overwhelming crowd of diehard Bills fans who had completely taken over the bar and restaurant, forcing Freekbass and his band to postpone their set until the game’s conclusion. And upon finally starting their first song, they were playing to a crowd of about 15 people, including NYS Music photographer Meredith Snow and myself

    But did this stop them from putting on a captivating live show? Absolutely not.

    The funkadelic three-piece treated the audience to their enraptured stage presence and dance routines, which could only be described as being choreographed by the Blues Brothers themselves. Nothing could stop them from presenting themselves and the music they love the way they wanted to do it. They probably would’ve done the same had they only been performing for the sound guy and bartender.

    http://youtu.be/BjsZU2ceIOo&lt

    It’s work ethic and dedication like that, that makes bands truly stand out. Their musicianship is uncanny and their collective heart is just as apparent and powerful. I would recommend them to any avid funk, r & b, or hip hop listener. Freekbass’ new album is called Everybody’s Feelin’ Real. Its been available online on bandcamp for the last three months – if you’re a fan of anything that falls into the space-groove funktronica category – go download a copy immediately.

  • Freekbass Brings His Special Brand of Funk to Buffalo

    Photo by Sonya Ziegler
    Photo by Sonya Ziegler

    Freekbass has been reinventing funk music for years, cultivating his own sound after having been birthed in Southern Ohio’s already rich funk scene. If you haven’t heard his sound yet, don’t make the mistake of assuming that he’ll turn out to be just another George Clinton and the Parliament Funkadelic. His cutting-edge take on the genre he loves truly sets him apart from his musical touchstones.

    His style of funk bass playing brings an infectious bombardment of super low-end grooves and popping signature slap bass arrangements that ensure his albums and live performances aren’t soon forgotten.

    On Thursday, Nov. 13, Freekbass is bringing his CD release party to DBGBs (Duke’s Bohemian Grove Bar) on Allen St. in downtown Buffalo. His new album is called Everybody’s Feelin’ Real, which is just another testament to his already well-known arsenal of heavy-hitting synthesizers and extreme bass licks, the combination of which can only be described as space-groove funktronica.

    So, if you find yourself craving a generous helping of new age funk this Thursday night, the likes of which will make you believe you’re watching Frank Zappa, David Bowie, Sly and the Family Stone all performing at the same time, along with Freekbass’s incomparable style of electric bass playing, get yourself down to DBGBs! The show starts at 9 pm.

  • Hearing Aide: Freekbass ‘Everybody’s Feelin’ Real’

    The name Freekbass is startling and inviting all at once. Is this a a  freak with a bass? A bass that sounds freaky? From the first time I heard Freekbass and saw Heaadtronics perform at The Big Up in 2010, I was wholly impressed, not because Bernie Worrell was on keys and DJ Logic was spinning, but because Freekbass was stealing the show and made his presence on the stage known, complementing the others while not overshadowing them. This studious and exemplary approach by Freekbass has led to Everybody’s Feelin’ Real, his latest album and one that features special guests and a wide array of bass-fueled funk.

    freekbass everybody's feelin' realThe result of a successful Kickstarter campaign, Sherman says Everybody’s Feelin’ Real “ended up being way above and beyond what I expected.” Sherman notes that the crowd-sourcing method for funding the album was a great success and the backers who supported him hold greater weight than the funding itself.  “The real special part was having this community of folks who are emotionally invested into the project like you are. It brings a new kind of intensity and energy to the project. I highly recommend it for any artist.”

    This summer, Freekbass heads out on the road for Particle-Freekbass Tour with Headtronics/Particle keyboardist Steve Molitz, and fans of both can expect some sit-ins during each band’s set. They’ll be on the road from April 10th through the 23rd playing shows throughout the Midwest. More dates can be found on Freekbass.com. Headtronics, always a fun show to see, particularly at festivals, and there should be some dates later in festival season with the trio. Click over to see footage of Headtronics from The Big Up 2010. 

    Now about that album. Everybody’s Feelin’ Real takes a commanding lead out of the gate with the blaring horns of “Rise”, a party starting groove, plus synthesizer courtesy of  Razor Sharp Johnson from Parliament-Funkadelic and Bootsy Collins’ Rubberband and vocals from Kim Manning, Jennifer Hartswick and Freekbass. “Victoria Thunder” and thick 70s funk from Johnson’s keys recalls Sly Stone with a Red Bull chaser, giving it some extra kick. The title track has a slower paced groove with a deep grind to it, followed by Skerik’s signature horns on “Mama’s Like a Cowboy”. The instrumental “Fish Like a Man” is full of thick, heavy bass and carries over to “Never Enough”, with whispered lyrics from Jennifer Hartswick that accentuate the gritty sound, repeating “Stop the pain, don’t hurt the game, it’ll never be enough”, a great mantra with heavy bass augmentation.

    “Battery”, with JHa’s voice creates a very pleasant ear worm as she stretches out every letter of “Baaaa-Terr-Eeee’, smooth and sultry like Adeline Michèle of Escort. Fans of Bernie Worrell will love  “Go Up”, driven by synth via Johnson, making Everybody’s Feelin Real a family reunion of sorts for P-Funk members, including Kim Manning and Executive Producer of the album, Bootsy Collins. The short instrumental “John” bridges “Go Up” and the final track “Fly”, the latter of which blasts off with a cosmic groove, a great cap to a top notch funk album. Over 10 tracks, Freekbass is both a freak with a bass and plays a bass that gets freaky. Enjoy yourself some of Freekbass’ funk on Everybody’s Feelin’ Real.

    Key Tracks: Rise, Victoria Thunder, Battery

    [bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=4287692792 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small]