Euforquestra - Soup

Reviews

Soup, the new album from Eufórquestra captures a band at peak performance in terms of songwriting, musicianship and energy. The album features 11 tracks (10 songs and 1 dub remix) that showcase how the group’s songwriting/arranging skills have grown in the last three and a half years. In classic Eufórquestra fashion, Soup jumps seamlessly between genres, creating a diverse but cohesive ride for the listener. Long time fans will enjoy a well-produced batch of many of their favorite songs, while new listeners will have stumbled upon one of the most eclectic and musically competent bands on the scene today.

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Recent Fort Collins via Iowa City transplants Euforquestra have done everything an ambitious yet humble band needs to do right, for the better half of this decade. Expanding their sound and fan base (and, presumably, their minds) by going west, the seven-piece has added flourishes of dub, a logical conclusion after dalliances in Afrobeat, salsa, samba, and funk. Soup, the band's third full length, is slick and smooth Saturday night party jams laden with lyrics reflective of the Midwestern dreadie zeitgeist.

The record storms in with "Cause A Reaction," everything pushed to eleven before settling into a hypnotic groove that doesn't let up until the reprise "Cause a Dub," expertly produced by the band’s alto saxophonist Ryan Jeter. The African-tinged interplay between guitarist Mike Tallman and the dual percussionists on the title track's warped middle section shows a lot of promise. "The Events of December 11" features a hook that compels the listener to Google the 2007 ice storm that left the boys powerless and scared. The lyrics obliquely evoke images of the more infamous -ember 11th, whether the intent was witty irreverence or frustration, one recalls George W. Bush using a similar phrase as the sole reason for the unprovoked invasion of a Iraq.

The band is most at home on the instrumentals, as their vocal harmonies can't possibly keep up with their hands. Fortunately, the non-Western influences shine enough to ensure repeated listens. The lyric-heavy tracks, long the bane of bands with Euforquestra's caliber chops, never weigh the band down. At nearly 63 minutes, the record is never short on ideas. With new surroundings, they should have no trouble concocting another Soup, which is good news for anyone craving a second bowl.

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Similar to a 5 year old on Christmas morning, I tore through the plastic wrapping that surrounded the gem I was about to blessed with hearing. Eufoquestra's latest CD, Soup, is scheduled to be released October 6th , and will be the bands third studio creation following their last studio release, Explorations in Afrobeat in March of 2006. Having successfully toured relentlessly for the last 2 years, which has included 300 live performances, it is remarkable that the band has had time to create new music. Even more shocking, the band created an amazing album, not just a new content within those constraints.

From the first track, “Cause A Reaction”, you are immediately captured by the melodic rhythms and power message in their lyrics. As the horns blew and the drums beat, the song quick dropped into sequence that reminded me of Sublime. Not only relating to the melody of a style I enjoy, the lyrics resonated closely to my personal beliefs. The words conveyed a message about a collective awakening of the current societal issues that are present. More importantly, the song talks about unity and creating change from that bond of an awakening consciousness.

Finding it hard to sit still in my seat, “Melody Truck” provides an uplifting sound that simply brings a smile to your face. It is tracks like this that remind us why we all love the music of the Jam Community, positive energy. It was during “Soup” that Mike Tallman's soothing guitar brings you back to happy places in your mind, the kind that leave you feeling refreshed and alive. The reggae styles during “Called You” show the true diversity and talent of the band, switching from styles of Funk to Samba to Afrobeat to Afrocuban, the band's self proclaimed style “Afro-Caribbean-Barnyard-Funk” is well suited considering the bands diversity throughout the album.

Returning to the theme of deeper meaning and dynamic lyrics, “Change Me” speaks to individuality and personal responsibility. It is not only the lyrics that grab your soul, but the hard line drums of Adam Grosso and Josten Foley. Diverse lyrics and enchanting sounds, it is songs like “Feel Together” that get you off your feet and moving madly across the room in blissful state of mind. After all, as the song tells us,

...The energy of life pushing forward like it is meant to be...
...We can be the change we want our children to see...

It is the flowing rhythms and musical diversity that will bring this CD to the top of your rotation list. If you are looking to turn on CD and uplift your spirit, look no further, Soup is here. Thank you to the band for putting out music that conveys such a powerful and positive message, just what the world needs to hear.

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Tracklist

1. Cause A Reaction
2. Melody Truck
3. Soup
4. The Events of December 11
5. Called You
6. Ochosi
7. Backbone
8. Change Me
9. Dr. Standby
10. Feel Together
11. Cause A Dub

The album can be downloaded for free here.

Euforquestra - Explorations In Afrobeat

Band

Originally from Iowa City, IA, recently relocated to Fort Collins, CO, Eufórquestra has been touring more than ever and is continuing to take its cutting edge music in different directions. Their self-proclaimed “Afro-Caribbean-Barnyard-Funk” brings a rhythmic wall of sound, integrating such genres as Afrobeat, Reggae, Afro-Cuban, Samba, Soca, Funk, Salsa, and Dub. This is music that ignites dance floors across the country with a sound that “explodes, dances and melts in your ear with sheer bliss” (Chris M. Slawecki; www.allaboutjazz.com).

With two full-length albums to their name and a relentless tour schedule (over 300 shows in the last two and a half years), the 7-piece band has become one of the hottest bands on Colorado’s live music circuit and has created a national presence with performances all over the U.S. at clubs, concert halls, community events, and festivals, including Wakarusa (Lawrence, KS and Ozark, AR), moe. Summer Camp (Chillicothe, IL), 80/35 (Des Moines, IA), Sweet Pea Festival (Bozeman, MT), NedFest (Nederland, CO), Groovefest (Cedar City, UT), Montana Beer Festival (Bozeman, MT), and the Iowa City Jazz Festival.

In July 2006, an original Eufórquestra song , “Ochun,” from the group’s second studio album Explorations In Afrobeat, was selected for Global Rhythm Magazine’s monthly compilation disc. In early 2008, Eufórquestra was asked to collaborate with an all-star lineup including Page McConnell (Phish), Russell Batiste (Funky Meters, PBS), Reed Mathis (Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey, Teal Leaf Green) and Papa Mali at the Big Easy Blowout, a three-day tour of shows across Colorado’s Front Range, benefiting the New Orleans Musicians’ Clinic and the Tipitina’s Foundation.

With great expectations, 2009 promises to be an exciting year for Eufórquestra, as the group prepares to release a highly anticipated third studio album (recorded at Backbone Studios in Loveland, CO, www.backbonestudio.com). This project brings Eufórquestra’s sound to soaring new heights with a collection of songs that captures a band in peak performance in terms of songwriting, arranging and energy.

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Reviews

::World Music Central::
Think hard... when was the last time you heard a bunch of guys from the midwestern US combine Fela Kuti-style Afrobeat with chants in praise of the Yoruba pantheon of dieties honored in the Afro-Cuban Lucumi religion? If it's been longer than you're comfortable with, get ahold of this offering from Iowa-based Euforquestra.

Taking a cue from both the long, tight, funky structures of Afrobeat and deeply traditional Cuban ensembles like Los Munequitos de Mantanzas, they've come up with a very good best-of-both-worlds. The instrumental arrangements sport that familiar combination of African rhythm and James Brown funk that Fela Kuti pioneered and American bands like Antibalas continue to champion, but instead of lyrics ridiculing government incompetence or urging you to shake it on the dance floor, praises are chanted to the Orishas (spiritual beings) who represent and oversee humans and nature.

-Tom Orr


::Star Pulse::
Fusing the sounds of Nigerian Afrobeat music with the rich traditional sounds of Cuba in a musical interplay that connects these two branches of a vast multicultural tree, Iowa City, IA's Euforquestra has been offering up the best of the current Afrobeat craze to the Midwest and beyond since 2004; But don't let their youth fool you-there is a virility and an "inclusive, 'everyone get in here' sense of humor, (Jim Musser, music critic)" to their music and stage presence, not to mention a massive respect for their elders (check out their liner notes for a brief history of Fela Kuti's life in music), that has primed this 7-piece ensemble to become one of the most prolific and exciting Afrobeat sound machines on the scene-in fact, Euforquestra have already been hosting their own "Camp Euforia," an annual celebration of community and music, for three years.

Explorations in Afrobeat, the band's latest release, is a synthesis of West African and Cuban music rooted in the Yoruba tradition (The Yoruba are the largest single ethno-linguistic group in Nigeria and the second largest in Africa). Euforquestra also boasts two members who have studied traditional music in Cuba, the influence of which plunges the band deep into a full-bodied tradition of Cuban Rhythms, with the added elements of Afro-Cuban, Samba, Soca, Funk, Reggae and at times, even a bit of Bluegrass.

Listening to Explorations in Afrobeat is a wonderful journey through a rich multicultural past, a roots-anchored present and a global,integrated future. You will hear the familiar as well as the new, truly illustrating the Euforquestra's mission statement.


::Sea of Tranquility::
Euforquestra: Explorations in Afrobeat
Explorations in Afrobeat, the second album from Iowa's Euforquestra, is a synthesis of West African and Cuban music rooted in the Yoruba tradition (The Yoruba are the largest single ethno-linguistic group in Nigeria and the second largest in Africa). Two of the band members have studied traditional Cuban music, which helps give the music of Euforquestra their varied sound, combining Afro-Cuban elements with Samba, Soca, Funk, Jazz, Reggae, and of course rock. Think Santana meets Osibisa meets Bob Marley and you have some idea of the musical concoction here. The band gets a rich sound by using tenor and alto sax, guitar, keyboards, bass, vibes, drums, percussion, and vocals. Much of the lyrical content is based on the Lucumi religion and its spiritual beings called the Orisha, which represents different elements of nature and the human condition such as fire, water, mental disease, motherhood, wisdom, lightning, etc. Quite a bit of information on this culture is given in the CD booklet, and it's an interesting read for those who are new to the subject. All seven members of the band have a love for Afro-Cuban music and culture, and it really shows through the music.

Half the songs here are of epic length and surpass the nine-minute mark, which allows for plenty of fiery and groove laden jams featuring soaring sax, gritty guitar, tight percussion, and lofty keyboard sounds. Eric Quiner lays down some fat electric piano tones on the scorching "Obatala", a rumbling jazz-funk-rocker with kick ass rhythms and plenty of hot sax and guitar interplay. Again, think Osibisa meets Santana with a healthy dose of jazz and reggae thrown in for good measure. Other hot tracks include the driving funk beats of "Ogun", the sophisticated grooves of "Elegua", and the heavily jazzed-up
"Chango", which features some wonderful sax work from Ryan Jeter and Austin Zaletel. I dare anyone to not get up on their feet and start dancing to the upbeat sounds of "Ochun", a song with a strong Latin feel thanks to the vibes, percussion, and sax work.

This CD was a complete surprise, and will easily appeal to those who have an interest in African or Cuban music, jazz, World, prog rock, or any of the bands mentioned above.

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Tracklist

01. Elegua
02. Ogun
03. Obatala
04. Intro to Chango
05. Chango
06. Intro to Ochun
07. Ochun (Click song to hear a sample)
08. Elegua Outro