Wednesday, March 18, 2009

GOOD FOOD



"The Soul Investigators, a Finnish funk collective, was formed in 1998 by producer and drummer Jukka Sarapää, guitarist Pete Toikkanen, bassist Sami Kantelinen and organist Antti Määttänen. The group’s initial 7” ('Calypso Strut' b/w 'Party Food') was released under the moniker Calypso King & the Soul Investigators and received such a positive reaction from the international deep funk community that it led the band to issue two additional 45s — 'Investigators Testifying' b/w 'C’mon Boot-it!' in 1999, and 'Compin’ & Smokin'” b/w 'Damper Down Popcorn' in 2000.

Prior to recording their debut full-length LP, Soul Strike!, in 2000, the group added acclaimed funk DJ and sound engineer Didier Selin on percussion and guitar. In 2001, the band formed Timmion Records for the release of Soul Strike! and pressed four more 45s over the next year before issuing its sophomore LP, Home Cooking, which featured the addition of a horn section...

'I like working with these guys and have a great appreciation for what they do,' says [singer Nicole] Willis says about the Soul Investigators [Willis began collaborating with the Soul Investigators in 2003]. 'They’re kind of raw. They don’t ever get polished in a way that would ever compromise the style of the music. I love hearing the horns and the sound of real drums rather than a drum machine. I think that’s super important. People do not want to sit and watch musicians using drum machines and laptops, and we don’t want to make records like that. We don’t want to make perfect music. We want to make soul music.'"
(Quotes courtesy of Andy Tennille @ Harp Magazine)

Below, the track "Good Food" which sounds like a rough, greasy, somewhat experimental Meters B-side (that never was.)

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