Watch What's In My Bag? with Menahan Street Band's Tom Brenneck

Tom Brenneck shows some of his favourite records in the new "Home Edition" of Amoeba's What's In My Bag?

Get a copy of The Exciting Sounds of The Menahan Street Band – with sleeve designed by Ariana Papademetropoulos – right here. 

LaRose Jackson steps up with "How Did I Get Here?"

Brooklyn's LaRose Jackson – last heard duetting with Charles Bradley – released her Dunham label debut single today! 

Here's the scoop from Daptone HQ...

LaRose Jackson, who you may remember from the "Luv Jones" b/w "Change Change Change" single - her 2014 party-certified smash duet double-sider with the incomparable Charles Bradley - steps into the spotlight with her funky solo debut, "How Did I Get Here". Born and raised in Coney Island, Larose's rich timbre and assertive vocal delivery caught the attention of producer Tommy "TNT" Brenneck one night when he was in attendance at Charles Bradley's legendary "Black Velvet" show at Club Essence - where Jackson was a regular performer. 

LaRose's tough-as-nails delivery coupled with the infallible groove and sure-shot horn arrangement courtesy of the Menahan Street Band distills the track down to Soul in its purest form, without sacrificing any of the rawness one comes to expect from a TNT production. 

Get a copy of LaRose Jackson's "How Did I Get Here?" single with an instrumental version on the flipside via Bandcamp right here. Have a listen below. 

 

Tommy "TNT" Brenneck doesn't overthink shit

Guitarist/producer Tommy "TNT" Brenneck gets a big up for his studio savvy on the B-side of the new Menahan Street Band single. 

Menahan Street Band - "There's A New Day Coming" b/w "Tommy Don't"

Originally recorded as a single backing track for Charles Bradley, the tune was ultimately shelved (like many other tracks) after Charles' passing. After some time had gone by the reel made its way back onto the tape machine and producer Tommy "TNT" Brenneck had a eureka moment. He split the track into two sides and wrote some lyrics for the slower portion as a tribute to CB, which became "There's a New Day Coming". He loved the juxtaposition of having the slower, heavy tribute on side A, and the upbeat, lighter track on the flip.

When singers, Saundra Williams (Saun & Starr) & Alecia Chakour showed up for the session TNT played them what was to become "Tommy Don't". While it was playing Saun said "You know why I like working with you, Tommy? Cause you don't overthink shit". And with that Saun started singing "Tommy don't overthink shit." Brenneck started cracking up and said, "We HAVE to record that.". And with that...Voila!...a brand spanking new 45 from the kings of instrumental soul, Menahan Street Band. Get a copy of the new MSB single right here. Listen to both sides below.

Charles Bradley's final album Black Velvet due November 9

Here's the scoop...
November 5th, 2018 would have been Charles Bradley’s 70th birthday. In celebration of his extraordinary life, Daptone imprint Dunham Records will release his fourth and final album, Black Velvet, on November 9th—featuring ten studio recordings never before included on any full length album.

Black Velvet is a celebration of Charles Bradley, lovingly assembled by his friends and family at Dunham/Daptone Records—including four entirely new tracks recorded during sessions from each of his three albums, heard here for the very first time in all their scorching glory. Though chronologically the material spans Charles' entire career, this is no anthology, greatest hits or other shallow rehashing of the songs that already made him famous. Rather, this album is a profound exploration through the less-travelled corners of the soulful universe that Charles and his longtime producer, co-writer and friend Tommy "TNT" Brenneck created in the studio together over their decade-long partnership.

Pre-order Black Velvet right here. Watch the video below for the lead single, "I Feel a Change" directed by Living On Soul’s Jeff Broadway & Cory Bailey.