News

9.22.09

Ripa Records Announces The Release of Greg Adams Newest "East Bay Soul"

The 11 song CD, an incredible mix of soul funk jazz and rhythm and blues vocals produced by Greg Adams.

Featuring vocals by Tom Bowes, Darryl Walker, Sean Holt and Lee Thornburg.

Greg Adams, founding member of Tower of Power and legendary arranger, his signature sound made the Tower of Power horn section a sought out entity all it's own. Greg has made an urbane, soulful and lush recording that showcases his stylishly soulful arrangements. As a trumpet player, Adams alternates between a powerful open horn and sexy muted trumpet revealing the breadth and elegance he embodies.

The sound has it’s root’s in the uniquely soul based genre associated with the San Francisco East Bay Area. It is however, R&B for our time. Watch and hear this band and you will find yourself in front of the stage, and people will be moving with the music. The timeless quality of the East Bay Soul sound knows no age limits.

Emmy and Grammy nominated Adams co wrote several songs with Nick Milo, his former band mate from Tower of Power and now Music Director for Joe Cocker. The opening track "Survival of the Hippest" unfolds with the epitome of cool, it’s horn laden track swells with complete commitment before Tom Bowes delivers a rap that is almost biographical as the title implies.

Balancing the sultry and robust, the hopeful and the absolute. East Bay Soul excels on the west coast straight ahead "Bop Drop" that literally drops into "Reading Lips" jazz infused R&B soul drenched vocals of love in bloom.

Lee Thornburg emerges with his interpretation on Howard Tate’s 1960’s chestnut, "Stop", and Adams’ arrangement is just what the song needed to bring the "full funk" of the track to life.

Drawing on the inspirations of our times and awareness of new ideas, "iHope" asks the question of promise and possibilities, a message delivered with tremendous style by Darryl Walker. "Someone New" a stirring closing to the disc about emotional distances we must overcome to keep love alive and questions "Am I losing you?"

Adams trust and confidence in what he has designed, is what makes East Bay Soul so exciting. "It took this much time for me to get here and to finally make this kind of record. I always knew it would happen."

East Bay Soul will remind you of what you loved about music, creating an all new "Metro Jazz", really a new approach of a melting pot of contemporary urban rhythm and a music combining all the sounds from the city. The ethnic sounds of the trials and tribulations, the hard fought, the victories, sweetness and sadness. It comes through in the music in all forms. It's world, it's metro, it's edgy, it’s urban.