‘Turn It Up’ and ‘Boogieman’ from Cam Gallagher and The Tasty Soul
When their manager first sent me an email in October, looking for seasonal coverage of their Boogieman,”I thought that Cam Gallagher and The Tasty Soul were perhaps a little too mainstream for the pages of our distinguished review. I mean, who wants to help a bunch of rich kids from the local Christian private school–they’ve got what they need? Or are they from Utah? (Funk Mormons? mysteries abide). Of course, being the old fool that I am, I was completely wrong—they’ve got what WE NEED. The band is Nashville, but much closer to the Jefferson Street of yore than the Nashvegas that spoils our city’s fine sweet tea. When I was given another chance to cover them this past weekend, I sent Boogieman and Turn it up out to my snowbound writers, asking for a paragraph from each, and below you’ll find their responses. After you read this, I’d suggest you quit dodging those flying barstools over on Broadway and get your ass into some nasty dive like the Tin Roof or the Basement and hear this “funk Spectacle” testify. I wonder if they’d give an old guy a free pass to see them?–Joseph Morgan
Both tracks are everything funk should be, with that classic rhythm section layering of a bass line that lays down the funky groove, a sticky, repetitive guitar part that keeps you hooked, and a killer drum pattern to hold it all together. While Turn It Up is a classic chant-along party track, Boogieman is more thematically sophisticated, with vocals reminiscent of Gary Clark, Jr. and a ripping solo from Gallagher himself. Both tracks feature solid performances by all involved, including a tight horn section that fits right into the groove.–Wyatt Parks
It’s all in the name “The Tasty Soul.” It is “The” Tasty Soul, in that the capitalized definitive article makes it part of the name, a proper noun–this is not just any tasty soul, it is The Tasty Soul. “Tasty,” is powerfully ambiguous. One thinks of pot-smoking Jeff Spicoli’s “tasty waves” or perhaps of the old British slang for “violent, combative, good at fighting…” (see the OED), but I like to combine them, as in “dude, that’s band is quite good and a little dangerous.” Finally, the singular “Soul” is even more powerful in its ambiguity: Is it a reference to the musical genre “soul?” Is it a reference to their collective identity as a band? Is it a reference to the gospel and sacred ancestry of the music they play? Is it a reference to the fact that they may be the last band left with a soul in Nashville?–Eusebius
“Warm keys, soulful winds. Turn it up is a mellow nod to jazz tune staples and modern hitmakers. I especially enjoyed the gradual buildup to the full and powerful ending. Boogieman is a sultry piece that features vocals by Esi. A great accompaniment to the “Turn it up” single.”–Nathan Stone
After listening to the two featured tracks, my feeling is that I’ve heard all the component parts before, whether in 70’s pop-funk party-friendly outfits like the Average White Band, the soul jazz organ riffs of Jimmy Smith, some of the JB Horns’ go-to lines, and even the chill acid jazz grooves of the 80’s that were laid to rest after electronic club music took over in the next decade. The Tasty Soul aren’t mere revivalists or melange-makers, and they never depart from a live, instantly danceable sensibility, as slick as the album production appears to be. They have youth on their side, and we’ll have to see whether this large, layered ensemble will stay together and keep moving forward long enough to move from groove-generators to a distinctive collective voice. –William Levine
With a nod to the traditions of the funk genre and chops for days, on the tracks Turn it Up and Boogieman Cam Gallagher and The Tasty Soul present a neo-soul infused approach to the kind of horn driven R&B that is simultaneously adventurous and instantly idiomatic. These musicians can flat out play – there is no denying that. The arrangements are clean and collaborative, and while the soloists are given a chance to stretch out, I’m not left feeling like either of these tunes is only a vehicle for a display of individual virtuosity. These two tracks led me to look further into the band’s output, and some personal favorites include tunes like Snickelfritz, Funky Stitches, and Punch FUNK (The Chase). These are infectious grooves that suggest the influence of T.O.P. – and to this listener there aren’t many higher compliments than this! As the band continues to develop its own voice, I’ll be eager to hear new takes on the styles they already play so well. –Brad Baumgartner
Turn it Up presents a fun, funky song. With a great brass section, mellow sax solo, and good old electric organ, it’s the perfect mash-up of classic and modern funk. The vocal line’s repetitive call Turn it up evokes “Get Up Offa That Thing” by James Brown. The whole piece is infused with scintillating fresh energy. Boogieman starts with an intro that reminds me of Pink Floyd, complete with synth. The brooding intro is soon transformed into an upbeat, syncopated groove with the entrance of the bass guitar and drums, classic elements of the funk genre of the 70s and 80s. Listen out for a musical breakdown 2/3rds of the way through the piece which includes some creepy surprises well worth hearing. Stay warm! —Sarah Featherston
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Joseph E. Morgan is a father of two, husband, teacher and recovering guitarist in Middle Tennessee.
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Brad Baumgardner is an unapologetic music nerd who listens to Rossini, Reich, and Radiohead with equal joy. As a composer and new music clarinetist, he has a particular soft spot for thoughtfully crafted and well orchestrated contemporary music. He lives in Nashville with his wife and children, none of whom own or wear cowboy boots.
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Sarah Queener is a soprano currently based in Middle Tennessee. Her interest in music began at a young age, starting with taking piano lessons. She later transferred her musical interests to pursuing voice and earned her bachelor’s in Vocal Performance. She currently resides in the Murfreesboro area and is a second-year vocal performance master’s student at Middle Tennessee State University.
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Bill Levine is currently the Director of Graduate English at MTSU, where he has been employed since 1998. Since 1993, he has intermittently published and produced radio segments on jazz and other genres of music for the Houston Press, Nashville Scene, Allaboutjazz.com, American Songwriter, WMOT-FM, and several other venues. He also writes scholarly articles in the emerging field of New Jazz Studies and is completing a book manuscript on the history of jazz influences in all major genres of Nashville music.
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