The Soul Brothers Inc.

The Story Of (Tramp Records)

In the 1960s and `70s hundreds of teenage funk & soul bands across the USA independently recorded and released their music. Most of them achieved only local success with their recordings, almost none of them ever made it onto the charts. But often this wasn’t even their main goal. Young kids have other priorities than adults, so most of them simply found it cool and hip to have a 7” single of their own recording to sell wherever they played or even to give away for free to friends and fellows. What they weren’t aware of was that they were a part of a unique movement which created one of the most important legacies in American music history.

It’s been a hard time for black people in the United States, especially in the 1960s when a series of unbelievable events took place that shocked not only the entire nation but the whole world. Musically it was James Brown who represented best what the black nation felt. His screams and shouts, his moans and groans helped to release the pressure in a peaceful way. Music itself was actually one of the very few opportunities for Afro-Americans to express their feelings in a raw and uncut way. The music simply translated the conditions of the country that existed in those days. Listen to James Brown’s powerful ‘Cold Sweat’ and you can still feel it today. Thousands of musicians around the country followed Brown’s example and offered their own artistic contributions to spread confidence, hope, and peace for the black nation.

One of those many bands were the Soul Brothers Inc. out of Houston, Texas. They were likely one of the most important funk/soul groups in the city in the late 1960s until they broke up in the mid `70s. I had the pleasure of spending hours on the phone talking to Henry Boatwright. Boatwright played flute, saxophone and sang on many songs as well as composing many of the releases for the band’s own S.B.I. Records label. (S.B.I. stands for Soul Brothers Inc.) Now it’s time for me to pass the word to Mr. Boatwright. He is eager to share the story of the Soul Brothers Inc. with you to preserve their legacy for the next 40 years at least.

tracklisting:

1. Slow motion
2. Bimbo knows
3. African slide
4. Git it
5. That loving feeling
6. The devil made me do it
7. Girl in the hot pants
8. Put it on him
9. Go on and have your fun
10. Soul train part 1&2
11. Pyramid
12. Long dark night for prejudice
13. I saw forever my love
14. Find his way back home
15. I’m not going to be the one
16. I don’t think we going back again
17. The broken hip

http://www.tramprecords.com/

The Qualitons

Panoramic Tymes

The story of The Qualitons began in 2007 when DJ/producer Kanada Káosz was invited to DJ at the Berlin Soul Ascension Festival (SAF). When he saw some of the greatest funk/soul/beat bands playing at the SAF (incl. The Soul Investigators, Afrobeat Academy, Whitefield Brothers) he went back to Budapest inspired to organize such a band in Hungary. He went to dozens of concerts to hand-pick musicians for this project.

The band were named after the living memory of the former Hungarian Recording Company „Qualiton” – a record label which existed from the late 50s up to the 70s. At first the band’s repertoire consisted of cover-versions from rare Hungarian 7″ singles but soon started to write their own songs. They released two 7″ singles on Munich’s Tramp Records and were featured on a compilation entitled Contemporary Funk (TR-9005).

The Qualitons’ first big break through came when Kaosz produced shows with the veteran Hungarian soul-rock singer Kati Kovács. They rehearsed her best songs and went on tour around Hungary. This brought a great deal of attention from the Hungarian media, as this was dubbed by them as « The Comeback of Kati Kovács« . The strength behind Kati’s big comeback was, of course, The Qualitons!

Recently legendary Japanese DJ Muro placed “Mellbimbo” by The Qualitons right at the beginning of his Afro-Funk mixtape Super Afro Funky Breaks. Furthermore in May this year Gil-Scott Heron and his band shared stage with The Qualitons at the Mediawave festival in Szombathely, Hungary. Heron and the guys enjoyed themselves so much that they congratulated The Qualitons personally for their authentic music and great performance.

The band consists of: Barna Szőke – guitar, Mátyás Premecz – Hammond/vocals, Ernő Hock – bass/vocals, Hunor G. Szabó – drums/vocals and Kanada Káosz – tambourine/claps/producer.

The Qualitons will be touring Europe in fall/winter of 2010, promoting their debut album « Panoramic Tymes ». Watch out for upcoming dates in your city!

tracklisting:
1. C’mon baby get heavy with me (vocal)
2. Overdose
3. Ejjel a sotetben (vocal)
4. Bodzarelll
5. Wandering will (vocal)
6. One man song
7. A.C. blues
8. Kekfeny
9. Slowman
10. Kulmi
11. Mellbimbo
12. More plutonium
13. Aua

http://www.tramprecords.com/

THE QUALITONS

Mellbimbo / Kulmi (Tramp Records)

The band was named after the living memory of the Hungarian Recording Company „Qualiton” – a label which exsisted between the late 1950’s and 1970’s. Those records were able to bear the spirit of the Eastern block along with the Western impacts of the language of dance music. The band was founded to cultivate the musical heritage of the authentic instrumental sounds of those ages.

Mellbimbo, the title track of their second 7inch on Tramp, is a stone-cold killer from beginning to end. The band members show once again their skills on each instrument, especially Matyas Premecz gets down on the Organ. For this recording they assembled a bright, tight horn section which arrangement is obviously influenced by the psychadelic afro-sounds of the 1970s.

Kulmi with its hypnotic midtempo groove is another original composition of the band. Barna Szőke is grooves along on his guitar, using the wah-wah pedal in a very decent way. Drummer Hunor G. Szabo does a great job too and even delivers a short but tight drum break right after the bridge.

http://www.tramprecords.com/

The Funk Revolution

Izzy come, izzy go / Deal with it Pt.1

(7″ Sunstreet Records/Tramp Records)

Izzy Come, Izzy Go was written as a tribute to friend and comrade Isaac Weiser when he left the Westsound Union to perform and record in Africa. He returned home and is now featured as the rock solid Bass Guitar man for these essential « Chez Jojo » sessions!

Deal With It was first recorded by Joel Ricci as a demo in the spring of ‘07. Ricci took the track to Germany for an audience with one of his contemporary funk heroes: Tobias Kirmayer. The meeting encouraged Ricci to go back to America where he assembled The Funk Revolution and became Lucky Brown. The track is an edit of an 8 minute workout intended to let each of the members of The Funk Revolution « Deal with it » for a little while. Notable is Delvon Lamarr’s minimalist and soulful hammond B3 work on this track. Drop this 45 and turn it up loud so your whole neighborhood can « Deal With It! »

Written, arranged, recorded & produced by Lucky Brown at Chez Jojo. Features Olli Klomp on drums, Ben Bloom on guitar, with Mars and Thomas on trombone and saxophone, respectively. Special guest percussionist Karl Olson. Mixed at Sleng Teng USA by Patrick Gay

http://www.tramprecords.com/

Contemporary Jazz

(Tramp Records)

It was not long ago when Tramp Records founder Tobias Kirmayer discovered his love for Jazz and its colorful varieties. His general affection for the analog recording technique is as evident as on the compilations predecessor‚ ‘Contemporary Funk.’ If you are familiar with the aforementioned album, you know that the focus is not only about the production/sound of the late 1960s but in at least the same extent on bands which have not yet had much musical output, if any. This, however, has nothing to do with the quality of the songs or the abilities of the musicians. For example, the Cultures of Rhythm was nominated as Jazz ambassadors of the United States in 2007. Or The Sugarman 3 have been professionally working in the music business for more than 15 years. Connecting all bands is the deeply rooted love for Jazz. What counts for them is that it all comes from the heart. Therefore it is not surprising that despite the rich history of Jazz recordings, their creativity and songwriting skills lead them to beautiful musical endeavors. Indeed, they come close to touching the garment of Jazz giants like John & Alice Coltrane, Pharaoh Sanders or Jimmy Smith. So the goal is quite obvious, this compilation is about to present a fine selection of handpicked songs to accomplish an even more unique mission: to prove that creative  minds are still on this planet to keep real Jazz alive – and ‘Contemporary Jazz’ is a testament to that.

Tracklisting:
1. The Cultures of Rhythm – Bodhisvattva Wonderful Sound
2. Das Goldene Zeitalter feat. Bajka – A Vision Part1
3. Eli Sundelson – Rockridge Kids
4. Deep Jazz – Starlings Talk
5. Wayne Bartlett – Sènor Blues
6. Primo and the Groupe – A Child Runs Free
7. Sugarman 3 – Sugar’s Boogaloo
8. Nick Rossi Set – Sweet Tater Pie
9. The Hi-Fly Orchestra – Getting’ Down
10. Hipnosis – Hier kommt die Laterne

http://www.tramprecords.com/
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