https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCQkUfkLAnE
Our new allbum FUNKOLOGY coming out soon in 30th of September 2015th. Stay Tuned!!!
On the 30th of September, exactly five months after Very Cool People’s “Funkology grand concert” during the International jazz day at TV24 studio, the band is releasing their first live album which will feature all the “Funkology” concert series and, therefore, all the “Funkology” guest artists: Evilena Protektore, Dinara Rudan, Oskars Stolse-Semerovs, Kristin Prauliņa, Jānis Stībelis, Aija Vītoliņa and Ralfs Eilands.
The album will include 15 tracks, which once were written by funk music legends as “Parliament/Funkadelic”, Stevie Wonder, “The Meters”, “Tower of Power”, Curtis Mayfield and James Brown.
In the album you will hear extended VCP stuff, where beside the original members Elvijs Grafcovs (guitar), Maris Jēkabsons (tenor sax), Maris Vitkus (keyboards), Valters Sprūdžs (bass) and Andris Buiķis (drums), great young Latvian musicians Oskars Ozoliņs (trumpet), Laura Rosenberga (trombone), Kristaps Lubovs (Baritone sax) and Ritvars Garoza (keyboards) are playing.
“The process of making this album was a fantastic experience!”, says Elvijs. “We performed music by the masters of funk together with our favorite Latvian singers. We learned, rearranged and adapted tunes for us, as well as for our guest artists. After the recording we had a small tour around Latvia, which fulfilled our dream of playing with a large fifteen-piece band on open-air stages. We are glad that we can experience the sixties and seventies style where first the group goes on tour and then releases an album. We are a little bit old school; we first check the tunes by playing them for live audiences, and only then we go in the studio and record them”.
On the 30th of September, a short documentary movie about “Funkology” will be presented – the process of making the album (Funkology concert cycle from September 2014 ‘til April 2015) and the band’s live performances since the recording of “Funkology” in the spring until its release in autumn.
Brief summary of “Funkology”:
“Funkology Vol. 1″ was held in September last year in Riga’s old town club “Pulkvedim neviens neraksta” and was dedicated to the group “The Meters” with the participation of the vocalist Kristīne Prauliņa (Grand Prix of Riga Jazz Stage 2014).
“Funkology Vol. 2” took place in October 2014 and was a tribute to George Clinton’s group “Parliament/Funkadelic” with the participation of the vocalist Evilena Protektore (2nd place in the singers contest “Nomme Jazz 2011”, 3rd place in the singers contest “Riga Jazz Stage 2013” Latvia, Grand Prix of “Jazz Voices 2014” in Lithuania).
“Funkology Vol. 3” was held in November 2014 and was a tribute to the king of funk, James Brown, with the participation of Ralfs Eilands, vocalist of the group “PeR” and one of the most energetic showmen in the Latvian music scene.
“Funkology Vol. 4” took place in January this year and was a tribute to Stevie Wonder with the participation of the vocalist Dinara Rudan and mouth harmonica commander and vocalist, Oskars Stolse-Semerovs.
“Funkology Vol. 5” was held in February 2015 and was dedicated to Curtis Mayfield with the participation of the vocalist Aija Vītoliņa (star of the Latvian musical show “Cabaret Palladium”).
“Funkology Vol. 6” was held in March. It was a tribute to the group “Tower of Power” with the participation of the Latvian soul singer Jānis Stībelis.
On the 30th of April, “Funkology“ concert series summary was held at TV24 studio and was recorded live. As already mentioned, VCP’s “Funkology” program and guests played in the summer festivals around Latvia.
In May, VCP “Funkology” were the opening act for the British singer Delilah at Daugavas concert hall and three “Funkology” programs were also played in Jurmala’s resort season opening.
In June, the group with an extended horn section was the opening act for the jazz bassist Richard Bona in the castle ruins stage of Sigulda.
In July, VCP with a large fifteen-piece lineup including all the guest artists, played on the open-air stages of “Summer Sound Liepāja 2015” and “Saulkrasti Jazz 2015”.
In August, there were several separate “Funkology” concerts, and then one more “Funkology” grand concert at “Riga Funk Fest 2015”.
All this time the band has been playing its original material in their original five-piece lineup.
In October, the group will have several “Funkology” concerts in Latvia, and in November the “Funkology” family will perform in Estonia.