THE FUNK SESSIONS LIVE

The latest release from internationally award-nominated producer Jade Kerber. Jade recorded a series of live performances in late 2016 as a light-hearted project with friends to blow off some steam, with the recordings gathering dust on a hard drive since then. However with 2020 throwing so many challenges at the world in the way of a global health crisis and a much needed social justice movement around the world in the aftermath of multiple acts of horrifying and discriminatory police brutality against African Americans in the United States, Jade decided to finish of the recordings. The record consists of a number of arrangements of well-known jazz and funk standards and features sublime performance from vocalists Shannen Wick (Fulton Street), Lucy Gill and Joel Christopher alongside a stunning horn section comprising of Tom Sly, Rob Simone and Connor McIndoe. Holding down the fort in the rhythm section is David Ulucay on drums, Simon Best on bass, Jason Rodi and Kelton Hallo on guitar, and Jade on keys/organ.

Jazz, and popular music as a whole, owes so much to African American peoples and cultures and how they have created, performed, influenced, and pioneered Jazz and popular music for more than a century. We would not have the variety and quality of music that we love to experience on a daily basis in this modern era without the passion and creativity shown by so many artists of colour over the decades. Every song on this record was originally composed and performed by black musicians, many of which experienced discrimination during their careers. Unfortunately this prejudice and discrimination is still alive today and we, as patrons of the arts but also as citizens of the world, should not stand by and accept that the artists that create the music that we love must continue to endure these circumstances.

All profits for this record will be donated directly to organisations and groups advocating for change to improve the lives of both African Americans throughout the United States, and Indigenous Cultures within Australia.

This Record is available online via all major distribution services including Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon, and more.

TRACK LIST

Crazy Race - Featuring Shannen Wick // composed by Roy Hargrove, originally performed by The RH Factor
Just Kissed My Baby - Featuring Lucy Gill // composed and Originally Performed by The Meters
Give It Up (The Funk) - Featuring Joel Christopher // composed by George Clinton, originally performed by Parliament Funkadelic
Kansas City Funk // composed by Roy Hargrove, originally performed by The RH Factor
Caravan // composed by Juan Tizol and Duke Ellington, originally performed by Barney Bigard and His Jazzopators

CREDITS

Engineered by Zhaun Woodard, Melbourne, AU
Recorded at Abbey Road Institute Studios, Melbourne, AU
Mixed and Produced by Jade Kerber, Melbourne, AU
Mastered by Jade Kerber, Melbourne, AUS
Artwork & Cover Design by Ryan Haustorfer (Minimum Design)
A Jade Kerber Productions Project