THE GREYBOY ALLSTARS
''A TOWN CALLED EARTH''
JUNE 10 1997
73:09
1/Turnip's Big Move
Karl Denson/4:22
2/Planet of the Superkids
Robert Walter/5:29
3/Happy Friends
Michael Andrews / Zak Najor / Chris Stillwell / Robert Walter/9:46
4/The Many Moods of Erik Newson
Zak Najor / Chris Stillwell/7:43
5/Quantico, Va
Karl Denson/10:16
6/Toys R Us
M. Andrews / Karl Denson / Zak Najor/4:10
7/A Town Called Earth
M. Andrews / Zak Najor / Chris Stillwell / Robert Walter/15:20
8/Decembers Bicycle
M. Andrews/6:00
9/Blues for Celia (Cee Cee's Blues)
Karl Denson/7:33
10/Sportscaster
M. Andrews/2:30
Karl Denson /Flute, Percussion, Saxophone
Elgin Park /Bass, Guitar
A.B. Navarez /Percussion
Chris Stillwell /Bass
Robert Walter /Keyboards
REVIEW
by Ryan Randall Goble
A Town Called Earth is a fresh combination of jazz, R&B, soul, and funk that reminds us of the vitality of live funk in an era dominated by pre-packaged samples. Zak Najor (drums), Robert Walter (keys), Karl Denson (sax and flute), and Elgin Park (guitars and bass) embrace their musical history and cover a diverse range of styles. Denson's flute on "Blues for Celia" recalls Herbie Mann's progressive flute work of the late '60s, when he worked with a Memphis-based horn section. "The Many Moods of Erik Newson" and "A Town Called Earth" pull from Miles Davis' Bitches Brew work as well as alt-rockers like the Smashing Pumpkins. Some songs, like "Sportscaster," may seem pithy unless you give the tracks a careful listen, so please do.
BIOGRAPHY
by John Bush
An acid jazz band that focuses more on jazz than groove-oriented dance music, the Greyboy Allstars came together in 1993 when noted rare-groove DJ Greyboy (aka Andreas Stevens) met up with Karl Denson, a saxophone player who was then touring with Lenny Kravitz. The pair collaborated on two tracks for Ubiquity Records' Home Cookin' compilation, and then worked on Greyboy's 1994 solo album for Ubiquity, Freestylin'. After forming their own label, Greyboy Records, the duo gradually amassed members for a house band -- guitarist Michael Andrews (formerly with the Origin), bassist Chris Stillwell, drummer Zak Najor, and keyboard player Robert Walter. the Greyboy Allstars toured around the area and in 1995 released their debut album, West Coast Boogaloo (with contributions from groove legend Fred Wesley). Tours throughout Europe and the States followed that year (as well as a second solo album from Greyboy himself), and the group released a concert document, Live, in April 1997. Two months later, the Greyboy Allstars released their second studio LP, Town Called Earth, recorded with a recent recruit, guitarist Elgin Park. Apart from Greyboy, Karl Denson and Robert Walter have each recorded solo LPs as well. As a group, Greyboy returned in 2007 with What Happened to Television?
''A TOWN CALLED EARTH''
JUNE 10 1997
73:09
1/Turnip's Big Move
Karl Denson/4:22
2/Planet of the Superkids
Robert Walter/5:29
3/Happy Friends
Michael Andrews / Zak Najor / Chris Stillwell / Robert Walter/9:46
4/The Many Moods of Erik Newson
Zak Najor / Chris Stillwell/7:43
5/Quantico, Va
Karl Denson/10:16
6/Toys R Us
M. Andrews / Karl Denson / Zak Najor/4:10
7/A Town Called Earth
M. Andrews / Zak Najor / Chris Stillwell / Robert Walter/15:20
8/Decembers Bicycle
M. Andrews/6:00
9/Blues for Celia (Cee Cee's Blues)
Karl Denson/7:33
10/Sportscaster
M. Andrews/2:30
Karl Denson /Flute, Percussion, Saxophone
Elgin Park /Bass, Guitar
A.B. Navarez /Percussion
Chris Stillwell /Bass
Robert Walter /Keyboards
REVIEW
by Ryan Randall Goble
A Town Called Earth is a fresh combination of jazz, R&B, soul, and funk that reminds us of the vitality of live funk in an era dominated by pre-packaged samples. Zak Najor (drums), Robert Walter (keys), Karl Denson (sax and flute), and Elgin Park (guitars and bass) embrace their musical history and cover a diverse range of styles. Denson's flute on "Blues for Celia" recalls Herbie Mann's progressive flute work of the late '60s, when he worked with a Memphis-based horn section. "The Many Moods of Erik Newson" and "A Town Called Earth" pull from Miles Davis' Bitches Brew work as well as alt-rockers like the Smashing Pumpkins. Some songs, like "Sportscaster," may seem pithy unless you give the tracks a careful listen, so please do.
BIOGRAPHY
by John Bush
An acid jazz band that focuses more on jazz than groove-oriented dance music, the Greyboy Allstars came together in 1993 when noted rare-groove DJ Greyboy (aka Andreas Stevens) met up with Karl Denson, a saxophone player who was then touring with Lenny Kravitz. The pair collaborated on two tracks for Ubiquity Records' Home Cookin' compilation, and then worked on Greyboy's 1994 solo album for Ubiquity, Freestylin'. After forming their own label, Greyboy Records, the duo gradually amassed members for a house band -- guitarist Michael Andrews (formerly with the Origin), bassist Chris Stillwell, drummer Zak Najor, and keyboard player Robert Walter. the Greyboy Allstars toured around the area and in 1995 released their debut album, West Coast Boogaloo (with contributions from groove legend Fred Wesley). Tours throughout Europe and the States followed that year (as well as a second solo album from Greyboy himself), and the group released a concert document, Live, in April 1997. Two months later, the Greyboy Allstars released their second studio LP, Town Called Earth, recorded with a recent recruit, guitarist Elgin Park. Apart from Greyboy, Karl Denson and Robert Walter have each recorded solo LPs as well. As a group, Greyboy returned in 2007 with What Happened to Television?
