Record of the Day – “Love Thing” by The Soul Motivators

The Soul Motivators are the hottest new portal to Canadian Funk: a sound mined from soul power breakdance culture and inspired by the multi-cultural urban lifestyle of Toronto, their repertoire blends funk, soul, and psychedelic beat. Their highly anticipated debut album ‘Free To Believe’ will be released on Do Right Music in May 2015. In the mean time, they have been receiving viral buzz from the gritty, live-recorded Dirt On The Floor EP launched in February on their Soundcloud.

The Soul Motivators are a heavy-hitting 9-piece funk ensemble that offer a Northern equivalent to contemporaries like Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, Menahan Street Band and Antibalas. Featuring numerous veterans of Toronto’s thriving live music scene, with members who play everything from jazz and reggae to soul and folk, their version of metropolitan music cross-pollinates and creates something new and unique.They have shared the stage with the likes of Afrika Bambaataa, Grandmaster Flash, Lee Fields, Bernie Worrell, and the Slackers as well as moving masses at the TD Jazz, Beaches Jazz Festival and more recently at Yonge & Dundas Square in downtown Toronto.

The Soul Motivators’ core consists of Marc Shapiro (bass), Voltaire Ramos (guitar), James Robinson (keys), and Doug Melville (drums), and Nigel Pitt (percussion). Their hard funk grooves are balanced by the sweet soul of Lydia Persaud and authenticated by the raw horn arrangements of Nathan Dell-Vandenberg (trombone), Tom Moffett (trumpet) and Dominique Morier (tenor sax). Here you find a chemistry that can only be accomplished by a band breathing in sync and flexing chops earned from years of live experience.

The Soul Motivators bring to mind classic Blaxploitation soundtracks, b-boy dance battles, and car-chase funk. If undeniable grooves rooted in soulful, expressive playing and infectious melody are your thing, then tune in and let yourself be motivated.