THE GREYBOY ALLSTARS
''INLAND EMPEROR''
APRIL 16 2013
47:39
1 /Profundo Grosso
Michael Andrews / Karl Denson / Chris Stillwell / Robert Walter/3:53
2 /Bitch Inside Me
Michael Andrews / Robert Walter/2:34
3 /Multiplier
Robert Walter/4:35
4 /Old Crow
Michael Andrews / Robert Walter/3:52
5 /Bomb Pop
Michael Andrews / Karl Denson / Redfield / Chris Stillwell / Robert Walter/6:26
6 /Better Get a Jump on It
Michael Andrews / Karl Denson / Redfield / Chris Stillwell / Robert Walter/3:36
7 /Breaking Blood
Michael Andrews/3:35
8 /Inland Emperor
Robert Walter/3:39
9 /Wandering
Michael Andrews / Robert Walter/4:15
10 /Diminishing Blackness
Michael Andrews / Chris Stillwell / Robert Walter/6:54
11 /Trashtruck
Robert Walter/4:20
John Bigham /Vocals
Davey Chegwidden /Percussion
Karl Denson /Flute, Saxophone, Vocals
Elgin Park /Guitar, Vocals
Aaron Redfield /Drums
Chris Stillwell /Bass, Vocals
Robert Walter /Keyboards
REVIEW
by Matt Collar
While The Greyboy Allstars have showcased their ceaselessly creative take on jazz, funk, and dance music since their 1995 debut, West Coast Boogaloo, with 2013's Inland Emperor they raise the bar for themselves by delving into even more funky, stylistically varied sounds than on past recordings. This time out, minus DJ Greyboy, the band is stripped down to the core members of saxophonist/flutist Karl Denson, keyboardist Robert Walter, guitarist/vocalist Elgin Park, bassist/vocalist Chris Stillwell, and drummer Aaron Redfield. The Greyboy Allstars tend to take their time between releasing albums (it was ten years between 1997's A Town Called Earth and 2007's What Happened to Television?) and clearly that has given them time to develop all sorts of musical interests and influences. Here we get a menagerie of sounds that are so evocative and mood-setting, they almost work as a soundtrack to a film. There is the creepy, psychedelic opening number "Profundo Grosso"; with its languid organ and fuzz guitar it could easily be the theme to a '60s Italian horror movie. We also get the '90s acid jazz synth funk of "Multiplier" with its crisp, percussive guitar riff, 8-bit-inspired keyboard hits, and synthesizer strings set against a soulful saxophone melody. The Greyboy Allstars also deliver several cuts with vocals, including the '70s folk-soul number "Old Crow" and the '70s deep funk-inspired "Bitch Inside Me." Later in the album, the band leaves room for several far-reaching, exploratory songs including the hypnotic "Diminishing Blackness," which sounds like a Doors instrumental B-side, and the grungy saxophone skronkfest "Trashtruck." Ultimately, Inland Emperor is an engaging, cinematic album that never fails to grab your attention.
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? and in 2013, the Greyboy Allstars delivered the album Inland Emperor.
''INLAND EMPEROR''
APRIL 16 2013
47:39
1 /Profundo Grosso
Michael Andrews / Karl Denson / Chris Stillwell / Robert Walter/3:53
2 /Bitch Inside Me
Michael Andrews / Robert Walter/2:34
3 /Multiplier
Robert Walter/4:35
4 /Old Crow
Michael Andrews / Robert Walter/3:52
5 /Bomb Pop
Michael Andrews / Karl Denson / Redfield / Chris Stillwell / Robert Walter/6:26
6 /Better Get a Jump on It
Michael Andrews / Karl Denson / Redfield / Chris Stillwell / Robert Walter/3:36
7 /Breaking Blood
Michael Andrews/3:35
8 /Inland Emperor
Robert Walter/3:39
9 /Wandering
Michael Andrews / Robert Walter/4:15
10 /Diminishing Blackness
Michael Andrews / Chris Stillwell / Robert Walter/6:54
11 /Trashtruck
Robert Walter/4:20
John Bigham /Vocals
Davey Chegwidden /Percussion
Karl Denson /Flute, Saxophone, Vocals
Elgin Park /Guitar, Vocals
Aaron Redfield /Drums
Chris Stillwell /Bass, Vocals
Robert Walter /Keyboards
REVIEW
by Matt Collar
While The Greyboy Allstars have showcased their ceaselessly creative take on jazz, funk, and dance music since their 1995 debut, West Coast Boogaloo, with 2013's Inland Emperor they raise the bar for themselves by delving into even more funky, stylistically varied sounds than on past recordings. This time out, minus DJ Greyboy, the band is stripped down to the core members of saxophonist/flutist Karl Denson, keyboardist Robert Walter, guitarist/vocalist Elgin Park, bassist/vocalist Chris Stillwell, and drummer Aaron Redfield. The Greyboy Allstars tend to take their time between releasing albums (it was ten years between 1997's A Town Called Earth and 2007's What Happened to Television?) and clearly that has given them time to develop all sorts of musical interests and influences. Here we get a menagerie of sounds that are so evocative and mood-setting, they almost work as a soundtrack to a film. There is the creepy, psychedelic opening number "Profundo Grosso"; with its languid organ and fuzz guitar it could easily be the theme to a '60s Italian horror movie. We also get the '90s acid jazz synth funk of "Multiplier" with its crisp, percussive guitar riff, 8-bit-inspired keyboard hits, and synthesizer strings set against a soulful saxophone melody. The Greyboy Allstars also deliver several cuts with vocals, including the '70s folk-soul number "Old Crow" and the '70s deep funk-inspired "Bitch Inside Me." Later in the album, the band leaves room for several far-reaching, exploratory songs including the hypnotic "Diminishing Blackness," which sounds like a Doors instrumental B-side, and the grungy saxophone skronkfest "Trashtruck." Ultimately, Inland Emperor is an engaging, cinematic album that never fails to grab your attention.
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? and in 2013, the Greyboy Allstars delivered the album Inland Emperor.
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