Tuxedo [LP]

by Tuxedo

Overview

Before he moved west and became a retro-soul dreamboat, lovers of roller skate disco and electro-funk in his hometown of Ann Arbor, Michigan knew Mayer Hawthorne as DJ Haircut, and his mixtape Shoot the Duck, Vol. 1 was a prized possession. The disco, post-disco, and boogie tracks on that mix provide the inspiration for Tuxedo, a band formed by Hawthorne and Jake One, a fellow lover of those sweet sounds. The two had exchanged similarly smooth and funky disco mixtapes in 2006, then years later decided to make their own version. Unsurprisingly to anyone who's heard Hawthorne's note-perfect take on '60s soul, the duo proves to be masterful at re-creating the feel of the moment in the early '80s when disco began to die out and was replaced by the funkier sounds of boogie and electric funk. The duo conjures up visceral memories of the finest artists of the era, from Atlantic Starr to Zapp, treating the source material with care and making sure to never make jokes or come off even a little bit ironic. From the drum machines to the synth settings, everything is just right. The songs, too, are like lost nuggets of the era; "Lost Lover" is pure Gap Band swagger, "The Right Time" sounds like Billy Ocean getting AM radio funky, and "Two Wrongs" is a lovely quiet storm ballad with a perfect guitar solo. A few could have even been hits back then, and in 2015's post-"Get Lucky" landscape, too. The finger-popping "Do It" and "The Right Time" fit that bill. From beginning to end, the album is a happily reverent trip back to a time that's too often ignored by both disco and funk fans. ~ Tim Sendra

Product Details

Release Date:	03/03/2015
Label:	Stones Throw
UPC:	0659457236014
Rank:	41927

Tracks

1. Lost Lover
2. R U Ready
3. Watch the Dance
4. So Good
5. Two Wrongs
6. Tuxedo Groove
7. I Got You
8. The Right Time
9. Roll Along
10. Get U Home
11. Do It
12. Number One

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Tuxedo   Primary Artist,Bass,Drums,Synthesizer
Amos Miller   Synthesizer
Jake One   Drums,Synthesizer
Dam-Funk   Soloist,Synthesizer
Benji Demps   Drums
David Vaughn   Synthesizer
Quincy McCrary   Piano,Keyboards,Piano (Electric)
Jimi James   Vocals (Background)
Mayer Hawthorne   Bass,Guitar
Nick Brongers   Strings
Swish   Synthesizer
Gavin Turek   Vocals (Background)
Will Sessions   Horn

Technical Credits

Greg Wells   Mixing,Producer
Riley Mackin   Mixing
Jake One   Programming
Benji Demps   Composer
John Morales   Mixing
David Vaughn   Composer
Piper Ferguson   Photography
Mayer Hawthorne   Mastering
Nick Brongers   Composer
Jean Andre   Cover Design
Tuxedo   Mixing,Producer,Programming