Transistor Sound Organic Grooves 8 Items

There’s a moment before each Con Brio show — before the backflips, the guitar solos, the buoyant horn lines over bass, drum and synth — when all seven band members come in for a huddle. It's a way to say grace; an acknowledgment of live music as a team sport; a moment of stillness before they explode. "Let's work," they say, their heads bowed together. And then they do.

Named for an Italian musical direction meaning "with spirit," Con Brio is a San Francisco Bay Area band that plays soul, psych-rock and R&B as fresh and freethinking as the place they call home. With charismatic singer Ziek McCarter bringing "the dance moves, splits and all, of James Brown" (KQED) and a band that "comes across like a party punk version of Sly and the Family Stone" (Consequence of Sound), Con Brio is known to convert anyone who sees their electric live show.

Founded in 2013 by veteran players with vastly different musical backgrounds*, the band quickly became a favorite up and down the West Coast, then across the U.S., and then overseas in places like Japan and the Netherlands.

Explorer, out on July 6th, both builds on the success of Paradise and serves as a travelogue of sorts — a reflection on the two years of nearly nonstop touring that followed their first record's success.

Having proved themselves on an international stage, Con Brio breaks new ground on Explorer, expanding beyond raw energy and retro sounds toward a more contemporary, layered production style, all delivered with road-tested confidence. On "I Wanna" — a lusty, mischievous ode to the art of catching a stranger's eye across a crowded club — McCarter pours his voice, richer than ever, over a thick, irresistibly danceable rhythm from Jonathan Kirchner (bass) and Andrew Laubacher (drums).

"Body Language" slows that theme to a simmer, with a nimble, lyrical horn line from Marcus Stephens (saxophone) and Brendan Liu (trumpet) front and center. Songs like "United State of Mind" and "Royal Rage," meanwhile, reflect on America's current moment, urging strength and perspective in the face of cynicism and apathy. Over a cheerful guitar lick from Andrews, the former track sings the praises of travel, the ways it can make the world feel bigger and smaller all at once — and how sometimes you have to leave home to see it with fresh eyes. "Rage" is a rally cry, a call to resistance, with Laubacher's kick drum leading the march: "Feeling the world pulling apart, where is the we in who we are?" asks McCarter. "When will it end, where do we start?"

Then there's Con Brio's tendency to upend expectations: they've never been afraid of a little genre-bending. "Heart Shaped Box" began as a fun cover the band arranged on a whim on a rare day off on tour; within weeks it became one of the most exciting moments in the band's live show. On the record, it's a playful yet potent tribute, served surprisingly well by horns and a smart, slinky synth line from Patrick Glynn.

Ultimately, Explorer is a leap for Con Brio in more ways than one. It's a big record, with plenty of joy, a few growing pains, and more questions than answers. What does it mean to be an American band traveling the world in the year 2018 with a message of hope and tolerance? The record sounds, unsurprisingly, like a band on the verge. Wherever Explorer takes them, they go with open eyes. They're ready to huddle up, take the stage, and get to work — where they've found that, night after night, the things that divide us don't stand a chance on the dance floor.

In between steadily touring as a hired gun for psych-soul LA staple, Chicano Batman, Nicky Egan has been stealthily plugging away with her New York based producer and Dap-Kings guitarist Joe Crispiano to complete her forthcoming LP "This Life". Driven by honest confessional songwriting and influenced by your favorite classic soul sounds, the record features a who's who of NY's most sought after players including Homer Steinweiss, Victor Axelrod, Brian Wolfe & Elizabeth Pupo-Walker, to name a few and will be released via Transistor Sound Records, headed up in part by Colemine Record's soulster, Kelly Finnigan. Flood Magazine premiered Egan's debut 7" single, `Back To You', a fresh take on that classic 70's soul cruiser sound, with B side "Run Run" in March. With a few more singles to follow, including the heavy hitting, fuzz guitar driven opening track, `Changes', the full LP is slated for release late summer/early fall. `This Life' is an album that tells the tale of just that, life's journey. The moments of transience, growth, acceptance, and reflection that we experience throughout our short time here. The 10 song LP will take you on a cinematic ride, headed up by epic fuzz guitar melodies, surrounded by bells, organs & pianos, and guided tightly by Egan's sultry and dynamic vocals.

Terin Moswen Ector grew up in Venice Beach, California soaking in the Afro-Cuban jazz sounds being played by his musician father and uncle. Touring with bands like Orgone, Monophonics, and Bambaata Marley, Moswen has honed his craft and gained valuable experience. Today, these deep roots and solid foundation lend depth and weight to the fresh melodies and rhythms of his own music brought to us on his first Transistor Sound 45 release -with an LP to follow soon.

“Rise” features a rock-solid rhythm section and heavy horn arrangement supporting Moswen’s seemingly effortless vocal, reminding us: “don’t look down now, keep your head up.”

The instrumental B-side, “Tobacco and Sage,” continues with an infectious groove that harkens back to Moswen’s Afro-Cuban roots, with rhythm section and horns again working as one to deliver a soul message to mind, body, and spirit.

Moswen’s release was co-produced, recorded and mixed by Sergio Rios at Killion Sound in North Hollywood, California. Rios’ name will be familiar to anyone who has enjoyed records by Orgone, Jungle Fire, Neal Francis, or hitmakers like Alicia Keys & CeeLo. This organic musical marriage is a perfect way to spotlight Moswen’s sound. His voice is an undeniable force, rich and soulful, built on his Topanga roots and the culture he wallowed in while growing up.
There’s something new and different coming out of LA today!

The So Ons core is comprised of a trio of friends who met in the fertile underground scene of the early 1980s. The sound is sparse, textural music rooted in 70s afro-psych and Ethiopian Jazz, filtered through Southern California soul, that is equal parts driving and dreamy. Produced and recorded entirely at the incomparable Transistor Sound Studio, these first few sides feature collaborations with a wicked horn section made up of former Antibalas trombonist AJ, the crack Extraordinaires (Charles Bradley) horn squad, and Kelly Finnigan on keys.

Monophonics are back with a 45 cover of a Frankie Valli and the Four Season’s “Beggin’” that fuses the complimentary and explosive soul, rock and funk influences, proving themselves to be the rightful inheritors of the Bay Area’s impressive psychedelic soul sound.