It's a sign that you're getting on towards becoming a Chicago institution when you're asked to play at Dennis Rodman's birthday party. "He's just another guy who likes to have a good time." says avant-garde reedman Mars Williams, leader of the president's favorite acid jazz band. "He just happens to be a lot taller." The hundreds of shows they've played over the past few years have also included Clinton's inaugural in Washington D.C., Austin's august South by Southwest Music Festival, opened for Sting, and made and the first acid jazz performance ever at the Newport Jazz Festival. Their most recent album, Here's the Deal (Shanachie, 2000) was Grammy-nominated.
AP says, "Liquid Soul rules. The Thunderous groove this band lays down, topped with smoking horns, makes it pretty much impossible to sit still... a mix of jazz, funk, latin and world music that just has to be heard to be believed." The Chicago Tribune says "Liquid Soul makes jazz dance again. In Mars Williams, Liquid Soul has a fiercely inventive soloist... [who] has earned the right to wear his sunglasses indoors.
This 10-piece funk/jazz/blues band which formed in 1993, performed at President Clinton's D.C. Inaugural Parade. Apparently the act was seen by some cool folks attending last year's Democratic National Convention. We talked to the band about the experience.
LS shares a number of members with Cassius Clay and Zo (well, now, Sumo), and they have the same type of fun-loving energy when they play with Liquid Soul. A very loyal following can be found dancing in front at every show -- Liquid Soul is great good-time party music. The musicians are all very talented and they put everything together very nicely. They have horns, percussion, drums, bass, guitar, and (surprisingly) turntable samples. Most people come to dance, but the band also attracts a significant number of people who just chill out and enjoy the tunes.
New members include vocalists Dirty MF & Omega, a trombonist, and guitarist Tom Sanchez (replacing Tommy Klein), and vocalist Simone (daughter of Nina Simone), who joined the group after sitting in on their weekly Double Door sessions while she was in the cast of Rent. DJ Ajax replaced Jesse De La Pena during the recording of the new album.
Their eponymous release, originally out on their own Soul What Records (and abroad on Germany's ZYX Musik), has done well in NYC, LA & Michigan, and was been picked up by a new label ARK 21 (a label run by IRS Records ex-head Miles Copeland -- yes, the brother of Police drummer Stewart -- the guy who signed REM & the Go-Gos), though the band and label have now parted ways. The self-titled disc has been reissued, and their new disc, Make Some Noise is now out.
For years, they played every Sunday night at the Double Door. Previously, they had filled the Elbo Room during that weekly spot. Since October 2001, they've apparently been taking some time off to work on side projects.
For more information, visit their website: http://www.liquidsoul.com/
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