Bamboos, The

Step It Up [Electronic / Dance]

RELEASE: 10.03.2006

LABEL: Tru Thoughts

VERTRIEB: Groove Attack

"Step It Up" by The Bamboos is the latest full-length from Tru Thoughts, 2005 'Label of the Year' winner at the Gilles Peterson Worldwide Awards.

Heavyweight funk act The Bamboos hail from Australia. Their first 7" single was limited to a pressing of only 300 copies, but the tracks "Eel Oil" b/w "Blackfoot" quickly made waves around the world. Based on this first piece of limited-edition wax, funk-connoisseurs and producers Kenny Dope and Keb Darge signed The Bamboos for a single on their Kay Dee record label. "Tighten Up" b/w "Voodoo Doll" cemented their reputation amongst the global funk community and saw the band make new friends with fans of heavy dance floor beats.

"I sense in our music, and music from bands like Breakestra and The Quantic Soul Orchestra, that a subtle shift has taken place. A few years ago all the new funk bands were dubbed 'retro'. But I think as time has progressed and we have all been performing live that, new elements have become standard for live 'new' funk bands to get across to a contemporary audience", says bandleader and producer Lance Ferguson. "Things like really extended drum breaks, segueing whole sets of music together (DJ-style), employing MC's etc. It's raw funk played with an aesthetic to get over with the hip hop crowd. I think this 'style' makes what we do actually fresh and in some ways is a progression of the funk style."

The Bamboos' "Step It Up" album collects the first single, as well as new versions of the Kay Dee-released tracks. Also featured are exclusive tracks featuring Tru Thoughts artist Alice Russell including a cover version of the UK Broken Beat anthem "Transcend Me" (originally by Afronaught). The Bamboos sound is most heavily influenced by The Meters, James Brown, Eddie Bo, Grant Green, Melvin Sparks, Jimmy Smith, Reuben Wilson, Boogaloo Joe Jones, Idris Muhummad and other funk originators from the late 1960s through the early 1970s.

Led by guitarist Lance Ferguson, other members include Ben Grayson (Hammond organ), Danny Farrugia (drums), Yuri Pavlinov (bass), Anton Delecca (sax/flute) and Ross Irwin (trumpet). The band performed as backing musicians for the Quantic Soul Orchestra and Alice Russell in Australia, and have played many solo shows there, too. "The Bamboos are most often booked to play on nights that are more hip hop-oriented. I think drawing this link between funk and hip hop is important, and it has been a good way for us to get the music out to a broader audience", says Ferguson.


Tracklisting:

1. Step it Up (feat. Alice Russell) (3.36)
2. Tighten Up (Album Version) (3.52)
3. In the Bamboo Grove (7.56)
4. Golden Rough (3.38)
5. Black Foot (3.44)
6. Transcend Me (feat. Alice Russell) (4.40)
7. Tobago Strut (4.23)
8. Another Day in the Life of Mr Jones (3.12)
9. Crooked Cop (3.40)
10. Eel Oil (3.08)
11. Voodoo Doll (Album Version) (3.33)