This recording represents an uncharted journey, one that took six musicians into the nether regions that might, in retrospect, be defined as funk, art rock, electronica, psychedelia, the avant garde and jazz.
The circumstances: A collaboration between Florida-based Ghetto Love Sugar (bassist Philip Booth, guitarist Joel Lisi, drummer Jonathan Priest, and keyboardist Raulton Reichel) and two fast-rising New York musicians - trumpeter/sample master Jonathan Powell and saxophonist/clarinetist Jeremy Powell.
The setting: A beautiful wooden courtyard, inside a studio nestled among evergreen tropical foliage. The slight winter chill added to the sense of edginess and urgency associated with the proceedings, as the musicians sought to capture musical magic akin to that experienced the evening before, during a public performance in Ybor City.
For “The Uncertainty Principle," Ghetto Love Sugar and the Powells have explored the possibilities of a genre called “the sound of surprise" by New Yorker magazine critic Whitney Balliett in 1959. The intention was to absolutely live in the moment, as it were, to cast aside preconceived notions about form and content as honestly as possible in the quest for something new, a living thing.
Philip Booth, a native of Florida, is the leader of long-running jazz group Greenwich Blue, and has performed alongside Kenny Drew, Jr., Larry Coryell, Lucky Peterson, and Nat Adderley sidemen Jimmy Cobb and Larry Willis. He has played acoustic and/or electric bass for a wide variety of jazz, blues, rock, world music and altcountry ensembles and recordings, and jazz/spoken word collective the Irritable Tribe of Poets. Booth also produced “Monk in the Sun," a Thelonious Monk tribute disc. His early brush with fame: A gig backing pioneering rocker Bo Diddley. [email protected]
Jonathan Priest, born in Massachusetts, began playing drums at age 7. While still in his late teens, he was called on to back notable blues artists James Peterson, Sonny Rhodes, P.W. Fenton and Johnny Gilmore. In recent years, he has spent time honing his improvisational sensibilities with jazz- and funk-influenced bands Tibetan Sound Orgy, Stinky Jones and the Jonathan Powell Quartet (along with Booth and Reichel). Priest, who co-leads durable reggae outfit Rocksteady@8, also performs with the Irritable Tribe of Poets, and studies with Indian tabla master Shantilal Shah. [email protected]
Jonathan Powell attended the North Carolina School of the Arts, and has applied his talents on trumpets, turntables, samplers and tablas to a wide variety of projects. Now based in Brooklyn, N.Y., the Florida-bred musician has worked at the Knitting Factory and other Manhattan venues with hip-hop artist Kelvyn Sholar and Esoterica, avant-jazz quartet Quantum and Latin-influenced ensemble Mr. Vivo, among others. While in Florida, he led the Jonathan Powell Quartet, and played with SHIM, Rocksteady@8, Tibetan Sound Orgy and the Irritable Tribe of Poets. Powell has studied with Dave Douglas, Kenny Werner and tabla master Vijay Ghate. [email protected]
Jeremy Powell studies saxophone with Seamus Blake and Dave Glasser, and drums with Amir Ziv (of Droid) at the New School University in New York. Jeremy and younger brother Jonathan have performed together in a variety of bands, including their latest project, hip-hop/drum and bass duo the Ghosts. Jeremy relocated to the New York area from Florida in 1998, and has played Newark Symphony Hall and other venues with Shadow Call. He cites Wayne Shorter, John Coltrane and Joe Henderson as his chief influences. [email protected]
Joel Lisi gained acclaim as a member of funk-fusion trio Beanstalk; the band released several popular CDs and toured extensively. Lisi, a native of New Haven, Conn., began playing guitar at age 15 and studied jazz and composition with saxophone great Jackie McLean at the Hart Conservatory of Music. Lisi attributes his personal musical vision to the influence of Jimi Hendrix, Pat Metheny and Carlos Santana, and to lessons learned during a formative 20-year stint with the San Quentin Funk Farm, a prison band. www.beanstalkjams.com
Raulton Reichel, born in Florida, leads Funk Like Whoa and the Funky Plumbers, and has played with the Jonathan Powell Quartet and the Irritable Tribe of Poets, among other bands. A former classical piano student, he played trumpet in high school and later turned his attention to organ, electric piano, and other keyboards and electronic effects. Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, early hip-hop artists, Jimmy Smith, Jimmy McGriff, Richard “Groove" Holmes and John Medeski are among Reichel's chief influences. He recently announced his engagement to pop star Alicia Keys. [email protected]
Thanks to Jonathan and Jeremy Powell; Henry Hsiao and Jim Beckwith at Puretone Productions; Tracy Copes; Andrew Clarke; Don and Jerry Barco, Joe, Jose, Samantha and all our loyal fans at King Corona Cigars; Phil Benito; Matt Z.; Tom White, Vince M. and all at Skipper's Smokehouse; Tony Rifugiato and Dave Hundley at the Orpheum; Jeff Allison at Yeoman's Road Pub; Rob Douglas at Jannus Landing; Flee, Randy Wynne, Cheryl Mogul, Nick Lagos, Jimmy Lyons and all the fine folks at WMNF-FM; Bob Seymour, Curtis Hayes and the overnight DJs at WUSF-FM; Hardy Wallace (for help with the song titles); George Weiss; Joel Welin at the Sarasota Herald-Tribune; and our friends at the St. Petersburg Times, the Tampa Tribune, the Weekly Planet and Focus.
We're thankful for the love and support of our significant others: Callie, Chase and Carly Booth; Sandi and Kyle; the Priest family; the Lisis; the Reichels; Shelley Powell and the Powell Family; and Yayoi.
This CD was made possible by a grant from the Arts Council of Hillsborough County.
What They're Saying About “The Uncertainty Principle"
“'Uncertainty Principle' is a spacey, dreamy collection of fusion and free jazz . in the right situation this can be incredible to wrap your mind around and really explore . a worthwhile investment that creates a pleasant sonic bubble that doesn't pop easily." - Bradley Torreano, All Music Guide www.allmusic.com
“One of the finest CDs I have ever heard in my life. The music takes me on my journeys to wherever that may be (emotionally and mentally) and it flows so well and seamlessly from the very beginning to the very end" - “Deadhead" Ed Greene, “The Freak Show," WMNF-FM, Tampa
“Just aural pleasure flooding my headphones -- sort of Jon Hassell meets King Crimson, yet not quite. Moving wallscapes of sound, around, surround . and penetrate the inner seeing eye." - Jeff Franklin, DJ, WUSF-FM, Tampa
For more information on Ghetto Love Sugar, go to: http://www.groovewell.com/bands/gls; e-mail [email protected] or [email protected]; call (813) 831-3189. For booking, contact Phil Benito at (813) 545-8631.
Personnel:
Ghetto Love Sugar
Philip Booth: acoustic bass
Joel Lisi: electric guitar, effects
Jonathan Priest: drums
Raulton Reichel: keyboards, effects
with
Jonathan Powell: trumpet, effects
Jeremy Powell: tenor saxophone, clarinet, melodica, effects
Visit us at www.groovewell.com
For more information contact All About Jazz.
