Touring behind the release of their debut album, the soul-inspired, Los Angeles-based band Fitz and Tantrums makes a stop at Borgata’s Music Box Dec. 30.
Soul is making a comeback. Four years ago, it was Amy Winehouse backed by the Dap Kings who caused a stir. Last year, it was Sharon Jones and those same Dap Kings making a dent with their muscular soul.
Fitz and the Tantrums have taken the next soulful step. The Los Angeles-based band have impressed with its debut album Pickin Up The Pieces. Motown and the Chicago style of soul have had an obvious impact on the 2010 release, which is full of gritty, sexy and stylish tunes.
“We’re definitely influenced by the soul music of the late ’60s,” singer-songwriter-keyboardist Michael “Fitz” Fitzpatrick tells Atlantic City Weekly during a telephone interview from his Los Angeles home. “But I try not to listen to music when I write because it’ll seep into your process subconsciously. You’ll think you came up with this great melody and then you realize that it was from Motown. It’s alright — Motown hit everyone in the group hard. That sound from that era is incredible.”
The sound from Pickin’ Up the Pieces isn’t bad either. There are deep grooves and catchy numbers but the act and the production are smooth as silk.
“It’s not the rawest album, but we made it the way we wanted to make it,” Fitzpatrick says. “It worked out well for us. We’ve been on the road for a year and a half behind it and it’s surpassed our wildest dreams. For us it’s not about being the biggest band in the world. We’re about making the music we love and taking it to the road.”
Fitzpatrick is looking forward to showcasing some of the new material in Atlantic City. “We couldn’t tour for as long as we have without writing new songs,” Fitzpatrick says. “We got a bunch of new songs to play and it’ll be interesting to see how people respond to them. I’m looking forward to doing the show in Atlantic City since we’ve never played around the casinos there. We played at Bader Field at the festival Dave Matthews put together last summer [the Dave Matthews Band Caravan]. But this time I’m excited that we’ll be there in the thick of things because I’m looking forward to gambling. I love to play blackjack and craps. I’m looking forward to hanging around the city and soaking up what it has to offer. It’s not far from Philadelphia, which has a soul thing going on to with Gamble and Huff, and Hall and Oates.”
Fitz and the Tantrums recently played a “Live at Daryl’s House” session with iconic blue-eyed soulster Daryl Hall.
“That was the best thing we’ve done in some ways,” Fitzpatrick says. “Not only is Daryl Hall one of my favorite singers ever, doing his show was huge for us. That performance was more beneficial for us than playing [The Tonight Show With Jay] Leno, Conan [O’Brien] or [Jimmy] Kimmel. So many people, who are really into music have come up to me and told me they caught us there for the first time on Daryl’s show. That worked out and it was so much playing with some incredible musicians. I’m so thankful we were on that show. It helped us quite a bit and now we’re trying to go out there and help ourselves by playing as hard and as best as we can.”
Fitzpatrick and his bandmates, vocalist Noelle Scaggs, saxophonist James King, keyboardist Jeremy Ruzumna, bassist Joseph Karnes and drummer John Wicks, are riding high with the hit single “Moneygrabber.”
“It’s so great to have any kind of a hit,” Fitzpatrick says. “We’re thankful for it but we’ve worked so hard for it. We poured everything we had into this album. We went for it in the studio and then we’ve toured like crazy.”
The best way to experience Fitz and the Tantrums is live. Their sound and style is best served under the lights. “We’re pleased with that because we’re all about bringing it live. If your band is worth anything, you can cut it live.”
Nickolas Ashford, born in South Carolina, on May 4, 1942, was one of the most respected songwriters and performers of the past five-plus decades. He died at age 70 on Monday, Aug. 22, from a battle with throat cancer.
Brand, a comedian, actor, author, multi-media performer and recovered addict, knew that brilliant singer Amy Winehouse was due for the call.
For a while it appeared that Spears was about to tank since she seemed to make one poor choice after another. In 2007 she wrote on her Web site that she hit rock bottom and then she lost custody of her children.
Tracey Miller, who lives and works here in the area, was Amy Winehouse's publicist. She offered this note on Winehouse’s passing. “I am heartbroken and sad. Amy was incredibly sweet, unassuming, funny and caring — a beautiful and amazing artist with exceptional talent, I was privileged to have known her.”
It’s not difficult to see why the pop-music world and beyond is gaga over Lady Gaga. In just over a year the sensual diva has gone from virtual unknown to a superstar, who has sold more than eight million copies of her initial albums, 2008’s 'The Fame' and 2009’s 'The Fame Monster.'
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