And in finer record stores everywhere including the following:
dustygroove.com
Influences
Booker T and the MG's, John Patton, Curtis Mayfield, Baby Face Willette, Bill Jennings, Willis Jackson, Jimmy Smith, Jimmy McGriff, George Benson, Wild Bill Davis, Grant Green, Bill Doggitt, Lou Donldson, Ennio Morricone, Ogami Itto, Mulatu Astake, Fela Kuti, The Shaw Brothers, Willie Mitchell, Hodges Brothers, Elvin Jones & Levon Helm.
The City Champs are the latest in a long lineage of Memphis musicians to grab the
mantle of funky, soul-jazz instrumentals pioneered by acts like Booker T & the
MGs, Willie Mitchell and The Bar-Kays.
“The Safecracker” features 7 prime cuts of Stax, Hi Records and Blue Note
inspired soul-jazz and funk, produced and engineered by Memphis producer and
film composer, Scott Bomar (the Bo-Keys, “Hustle & Flow” & “Soul Men”) at his
Electraphonic Recording studio. The sessions were tracked and mixed entirely on
analog tape—Bomar used his Scully 1” 8-track machine, which was the same
model used at Stax,Muscle Shoals Sound, and Chip’s Moman’s American Studio.
The City Champs are led by guitarist, Joe Restivo, who also penned the original
material on the album. Joe is one of the premier R&B/Jazz guitarists in Memphis
and holds a BFA in Jazz Studies from the prestigious New School in New York City,
where he studied with jazz greats Jack Wilkins, Junior Mance, Cecil Bridgewater,
and Phil Markowitz.
Organist Al Gamble, hails from the Muscle Shoals, Alabama region, and has
performed live and on recordings with such notables as Rufus Thomas, Syl Johnson,
Alex Chilton, and the Memphis Horns.
Drummer George Sluppick is a native Memphian who has spent most of his life on
the road performing live and recording with may notables, including Albert King,
Robert Walter's 20th Congress, Melvin Sparks, Ruthie Foster and JJ Grey and
MOFRO.
Mastered straight off analog tapes, directly to disc by mastering engineer Larry
Nix on the same equipment he used daily at Stax Records.
The City Champs have music featured in the new Craig Brewer series from MTV New Media- $5 COVER
The group also has music featured in the new documentary, "I AM A MAN"
You can watch the trailer and stream the film here: iamamanthemovie.com
Povo / City Blues / Ricky-Tick Records (12") Orquesta Esencia / Carnaval / Jazzman (12") Phuture Motion presenta El Ladron / Carne Negra / Freestyle Records (12") Yosaku / Nao Tem Nada Nao / Bstrd Boots (12"-track: Virtual Brasil EP) unknown / Deepest / Djazz (12"-track: Djazz Vol.7) Siegfried Schwab / High Snobiety / Sonorama (LP-track: V/A - Colours Of Funk) The City Champs / Poppin' / Electraphonic Recordings (LP-track: The Safecracker) The City Champs / The Wap-A-Dang / Electraphonic Recordings (LP-track: The Safecracker) The City Champs / The Safecracker / Electraphonic Recordings (LP-track: The Safecracker) The Perceptions / Smoke It / Freestyle Records (12") El Michels Affair / Shaft / Truth & Soul (LP-track: Walk On By - A Tribute To Black Moses) The Phenomenal Handclap Band / Baby / Truth & Soul (7") Mr.Day feat. Yarah Bravo / If I Can't Lave You (DJ Vadim Remix) / Favorite (7") Mr. President feat. Mr. Day / Meet Again / Favorite (7") ... Listen & more at www.soulunlimited.de
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