MENAHAN STREET BAND ANNOUNCE NEW ALBUM ILLUSIONS OUT NOVEMBER 13
DIAMOND WEST RECORDS
Twenty years ago, Tom Brenneck first rigged a studio in his tiny Bushwick apartment on Menahan Street and rallied his Daptone Records cohorts Dave Guy, Nick Movshon, Leon Michels, and Homer Steinweiss to start making music together.
The result became a supergroup of sorts, combining various musical disciplines and explorations to create three defining and universally beloved albums.
Two decades later, and with a new label home and studio, Diamond West Records, run by Brenneck himself, this virtuoso super group has come back together for their fourth full length album, Illusions.
Blending the signature Menahan sound of prolific guitar, extraordinary horn lines and hallmark drums, Brenneck, who also produced the record, widened the soundscape by bringing in Brazilian legend Arthur Verocai.
“The combination of Verocai’s arrangements with Menahan Street Band horn melodies was a total dream for me,” says Brenneck. “I think it took the music to another level of sophistication that we’ve never had before.”
While Tom is often busy with his other production projects (Baby Rose, Rogê, Kirby), touring with The Budos Band, and running Diamond West Records and studio, the other members’ ventures are equally as impressive: Dave Guy plays trumpet with The Roots as a touring member and in the house band for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and has released his own solo album. Homer Steinweiss has also made his own solo record, while he and one of the most in demand bassists around, Nick Movshon, have joined up to record and perform together as part of multiple platinum album projects. Leon Michels continues to create under his artist project, El Michels Affair, runs his own record label Big Crown and has recently produced Grammy winning and nominated albums for Clairo and Norah Jones. It is easy to see how MSB could be put on the back burner. “This time the energy was incredible,” Brenneck adds. “These songs were written and recorded very fast, without any time for second guessing, and something about it brought out the best in the band. ”If there is one theme to Illusions, it’s this unbelievable travelogue that the listener gets to enjoy too, says Brenneck. “Instrumental music can really let the mind wander because there are no lyrics to tell the story”.
To compliment the illusive enchantment of the music, supernaturally talented artist Ariana Papademetropoulos contributed an original artwork, a fitting addition to an already otherworldly collection of music.
Fantasy aside, the real pulse of Illusions is Menahan Street Band recapturing the magic that brought them together in the first place. “Homer kept saying while making this record that the energy felt like the first time. Like we tapped into the excitement of playing together and the chemistry we all had,” Brenneck explains. “And I think he’s right.”
Tour Dates
10/4 – The Ford w/ Kirby, Rogê, Sha La Das, DJ Papichampu – Los Angeles, CA
11/19 – Webster Hall w/ Black Thought, Kirby, DJ Edan – New York City, NY
Artist Links
Background Photo Credit: Taylor O’Sullivan
