Marc Arnould, Lisa Bell, Natalie Bell, Steven Broadhurst, Kevin Curtis, Christian Dugas, Aaron Edgar, Dylan Hermiston, David Landreth, Joe Landreth, Chris Sutherland, Kevin Torgalson, Paul Yee
Influences
the music i listen to , the places i go, the people i love, and unemployment.
Winnipeg, Canada is never mentioned as a hotbed of soul music. So it stands to reason that vocalist and songwriter Erik Athavale – who performs simply under his family name (pronounced "Ah-Tuv-Lay") – brings a unique spin to the R&B genre.
Athavale’s debut album Devoted teases multiple genres – with electro funk, rock and jazz sensibilities – while staying firmly rooted in soul. For the recording sessions, Athavale enlisted some of the strongest players in Winnipeg, a scene renowned for its musicianship. As a result, Devoted has a live, off-the-floor foundation, resulting in an unselfconscious groove that rides nicely in the pocket behind his distinctive vocals.
Athavale’s arresting tone, clear and controlled, can stop you in your tracks. You think you’ve heard it before – Adam Levine, Daryl Hall, Mick Hucknall, classic – but then you’ve never heard it like this. He owns it. His art is his voice. The songs connect. The lyrics are personal. They humanize the singer and forge a relationship with the listener. No word is wasted. Athavale’s style can be playful, pensive,funky and charming, but above all, it doesn’t follow a template. It’s timeless, and anything but disposable.
Two tracks from the album, “Bounce” and “The Night We Met”, enjoy wide rotation on contemporary radio in Winnipeg. Athavale is also currently working on a video treatment for “Bounce” – a tune about falling down and getting back up again – for release in early 2009.
With multiple performances logged in Winnipeg, the national release of Devoted has Athavale looking beyond his hometown borders. The past year's schedule included a performance at the New Music West Festival in Vancouver, and the singer looks to become a fixture on the Canadian jazz festival circuit in the near future.
October 2008 Playlist New & Upfront 1. Evelyn "Champagne" King - Standing On the Rock of Love 2. Don-E - Stay - A While 3. Eric Benet - Weekend Girl 4. Classic Detroit Style R&B - Perfect Mix 5. DJ Spen & The Muthafunkas presents Marc Evans - The Promise 6. Cool Million Feat Aaron Washington - Pride 7. Darien - Composure 8. D'Aquela - Shining Star 9. Sowfi - Your Own Good 10. LaSonya Gunter - Go 11. Dre T Turner - Oh Baby Baby
Flashback 12. Eric Gable - For Your Love 13. Chante Moore - I Want to Thank You 14. Solo - Where Do U Want Me to Put It 15. Damel Carayol - Heaven 16. BLU - Out Of The Blu 17. Dazz Band - Heartbeat 18. Chantelle Duncan - Memories 19. Jeff Cascaro - Summer Love 20. Donald Harrison Jr - Love Me Back New & Upfront 21. George Duke - Listen Baby 22. Raphael Saadiq & Stevie Wonder - Never Give U Up 23. Lenora Jaye - Taking Over 24. Glendora Woodward - Heavenly 25. Leigh Jones - Free Fall 26. YAMAMA'NYM - Love Takes All Over 27. Marz Jukebox - Muzik 28. Bennson - I Need Music 29. Sly & Robbie - Amp Fiddler - I believe In You To listen, please check out the monthly schedule on http://www. soulchoonz. com/MyRadio
