Charlotte funk ensemble AKITA is set to release their debut EP GO! on May 15th.
For their debut offering, the band tracked everything at Old House Recording Studio in Charlotte with venerable owner/engineer Chris Garges and producer/guitarist Dan Hood. The duo’s expertise was critical to bringing the AKITA sound to the next level for this release.
“As a new group in the studio, musically speaking, you’re out there naked. If we hit a fat note or our timing is off, they’ll pick up on it. Dan and Chris did a great job of keeping everyone comfortable in the studio while making sure the project continued to move forward,” AKITA Founder Patrick Buckley explains.
The sextet is comprised of Buckley (drums), Zak Ferrell (bass), Tomi Gulden (keys), Sam Farnham (guitar), Charlie Lamprecht (sax), and Dan Hamalainen (trombone). The band has been polishing their songs in live settings over the past year and have been well received by their fanbase. This has allowed the band to be much more efficient in the studio as all of the songs were composed and arranged by the band members collectively, with the majority of the horn arrangements being handled by sax player Charlie Lamprecht.
“Paul Rudd” – GO! EP
The title of the EP depicts the lives of the band over the past 12 months. Between a relentless show schedule, practice, work responsibilities and personal lives, the band members were in constant motion. But they put their heads down and worked tirelessly, opening for prominent acts like Dumpstaphunk, Andy Frasco & The U.N., Chris Dave and the Drumhedz, Roosevelt Collier, and Funk You.
That relentless drive and passion for their craft has begun to bear fruit and opened some influential doors in the music industry. “The goal is to create music people really love and want to move to. We just want people to enjoy themselves and each other, “ says Buckley.
The key to great funk music lies within the groove and that tight rhythm is the foundation for everything else that joins in the mix. On this EP, the rhythm section shines and allows for the tastefully arranged melodies to lock into that “in-the-pocket” feel while adding a playfulness to the arrangements.
The EP opens with “Tomi’s Tune”, matching the newest member, Tomi Gulden. Gulden has only been with the group about 6 months but has more than solidified his position and staying power on and off stage for the band. The organ intro sets the stage and foundation for the entire song and finds Gulden really stretching his chops with a nicely done call-and-response at one point with the trombone. They also add a smooth 8-bar breakdown with some tasty lead fills by the organ and bass.
“Bailando” is the longest track on the album and leads off with a gorgeous Spanish-style opening bass line that finds Ferrell leaning into a flamenco mode for his opening notes. His bass line is a constant force throughout the track that relies heavily on the use of well balanced horn lines that move from staccato to legato effortlessly throughout the piece.
The title track opens with the horns upfront but is quickly joined by the remainder of the rhythm section. Farnham shines throughout this particular track with a few tastefully done solos and slick rhythm guitar playing. Another notable highlight is the single-bar breakdown that occurs as they work their way to the completion of the track and is reminiscent of something you would hear at a Ghost-Note show.
Fan favorite “Paul Rudd” continues to carry the album forward with familiar horn lines, with Ferrell leaning on some synthy-style bass pedals that add a particular dynamic to the arrangement.
They close out the EP with “The Bounce” where the band brings the tempo down for this slow burner that finds Buckley locking in a groove with Ferrell and Farnham during the opening frame. The tight horn lines in this arrangement shine throughout, along with the nicely placed solo by Farnham.
AKITA’s debut EP shines and is filled with impeccable timing, greasy riffs and tight horn lines reminiscent of their funk forefathers The Meters, Lettuce, and Earth, Wind & Fire.
GO! puts the band’s compositions and arrangements on full display as they leave their fans tapping their feet to the onslaught of funky, danceable grooves.
AKITA embarks on their EP release tour Saturday, April 13th which finds them hitting 10 cities across the Southeast over the coming months. A hometown EP release show (Culture Shift 4) is set for Saturday 6/1 at Snug Harbor with support from The Hawthornes (Charlotte) and Doctor Ocular (Johnson City, TN). Get your tickets HERE.