U-Nam - C'est Le Funk (2014) RE-UP

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U-Nam - C'est Le Funk (2014) RE-UP

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New Album from Chart-Topper Jazz/Soul Artist U-Nam includes the hits "C'est Le Funk", "Something's Up" and "Smoovin'", the album has reached Top 2 Best Sellers Smooth Jazz Album on Amazon US on its 1st day of release!

Reviews:

Originally from Paris guitarist U-NAM delivers one gem after another. With The Past Builds The Future (2005), Back From the 80's (2007), Unanimity (2009) and Weekend in L.A. (A Tribute To George Benson) (2012) he set milestones of smooth jazz. His new album C'est Le Funk will be released on September 8th, 2014 in digital version, the physical follows on 15th.
Multi-instrumentalist U-NAM is joined on this project by Dwayne "Smitty" Smith and Darryl Williams (bass), Tim "TiO" Owens, Gennine Francis-Jackson (vocals) and Shannon Kennedy (vocals, saxophone and flutes), Michael White (drums), Denis Benarrosh (percussion), Bill Steinway (Fender Rhodes, Piano), Kim Hansen (Fender Rhodes and keyboards), Christian Martinez (trumpet), Raymond Gimenes and Maria Grigoryeva (strings).
After the release of the first single, C'est Le Funk, and after writing and producing RSVP featuring Donnie for James Day U-NAM had the idea to create this new album. Following the collaboration between Daft Punk/Nile Rodgers, James asked him to do a "Chic" influenced-tune that heavily featured funky guitar.

U-NAM comments “A little expertise of mine since its what I've worked on developing most of my life. Nile Rodgers always been a big influence of mine as a guitar player, so with my own single "C'est Le Funk," I've tried to incorporate that "Chic" influence into a more Smooth Jazz song, using my jazz guitar signature sounds.

It was a fun little project and I've actually been really quite pleasantly surprised by the feedback. The song did really great in the charts and I've decided to do another single more influenced by the 80s Funk/Earth, Wind and Fire style. That second single, Something's Up reached the Top30 US Billboard Jazz Charts. Suddenly, everything clicked into place. For the album, I knew that I had to mix 80s Funk and my more jazzy influences, so I've decided to cover a few of my favorite Funk songs. Some of the songs may not be widely known but in my humble opinion, they are definitely Classics.
The album kicks into high gear with Smoovin'. Where George Benson stopped with Give Me The Night, U-NAM takes over the torch. Guitar licks in Benson's style under layered with strings and horns are his trademarks. Something’s Up goes greatly with a fantastic stomping beat. Benson meets Chic le Freak is the quintessence of C’est Le Funk. Shannon Kennedy shines with a stylish sax input. On the third part the song gets a hot Latin flavor.

Franky Beverly and Maze performed Can’t Get Over You on their album Silky Soul. One of my all time favorites. U-NAM shares my preferences and delivers the second verse of this incredibly emotional song, of course with his famous embellishments. Keni Burke's hit Risin' To The Top is also a shining star of my musical past. U-NAM's interpretation is far better than a pure remix. This is a contemporary discovery!

Throwback Kid keeps this fantastic mood on fire. Whether rhythm guitar or melodic line U-NAM controls everything in admirable perfection. Just Like That is a wonderful tribute to the music of Benson in the time of the 70s and 80s. U-NAM is an avid admirer of Nile Rodgers and his music. So Chic's City Light is next in line. Of course, he gives this piece also his own character. With Starlight Lover he goes one better. Have a good Party Time!

Act Like You Know was the greatest hit of the funk group Fat Larry's Band. The song was used as soundtrack for Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. U-NAM features on his brilliant version the gifted singer Tim “TiO” Owens, who also appeared on his groundbreaking album Weekend in L.A., which received high accolades.

Dive into the world of disco funk and George Benson's music on C'est Le Funk. With his fascinating guitar style U-NAM paints a vivid picture of the legendary 70s and 80s on a high contemporary level.

~ smooth-jazz.de

French guitarist/producer U-Nam is again standing tall and looming large on the smooth jazz scene with another creative gem called C’est Le Funk. In addition to dazzling us with his graceful and funky instrumental work (and one funky delivery with vocals from Tim “TiO” Owens), the album is loaded with strong production and presence.

Wasting no time putting the groove into high gear from the start, the guitarist leads off with a driving track called “Smoovin’,” continues plowing ahead with the party groover “Something’s Up” and strutting right through the super-funky, hook-rich title track which features Nivo Deux (Nivo Deux is actually a project organized by U-Nam and wife Shannon Kennedy focusing on the incorporation of 80’s Pop, Smooth Jazz, and Electro-Funk).

At this point, we are now up and climbing through the clouds as U-Nam fires on all cylinders and takes us out into the stratosphere with his assortment of “grab ya” vibes. His handling of Maze’s “Can’t Get Over You,” an R&Bish mid-tempo charmer that’s loaded with soul and a bit of sass, is simply masterful, as is his cover of Keni Burke’s bottom-heavy slick and funky “Risin’ To The Top” (a sensation U-Nam should have personally become familiar with a long while ago, if you ask me). As mentioned above, the one vocal track offered, a great cover of Fat Larry’s Band’s “Act Like You Know,” is mightily delivered with “TiO” Owens exercising his pipes to full effect.

Employing such effects as strings on select tracks here, U-Nam remains committed to pulling out all stops in bringing you the best he has to offer – and, needless to say, that’s a lot. With his “never miss” recipe of funk and style, he guides us through a kaleidoscope of sound, employing Benson-like runs and flavorful phrasings. We often say that this artist or that one is like no other, and U-Nam clearly demonstrates with each release that his name should always be among those stand-outs. With that in mind, you’ll find C’est Le Funk to be as much a stand-out.

~ Ronald Jackson, thesmoothjazzride.com

Biography:

U-Nam, the guitarist with a memorable name and an acrobatic, soulful and sweet melodic touch, with “Back From the 80’s” has crafted music firmly rooted in funky smooth jazz but crossing into genres as excitingly diverse as R&B, Hip-Hop, Pop, Rock and Chill. He calls it "Classy, Jazzy, Funky, Frenchy." This remarkable CD, U-Nam’s first for Soulvibe Recordings, offers fresh versions of classic and lesser-known gems from the ‘80’s. But even more remarkable are U-Nam’s brand-new songs inspired by his favorite songs from the decade.

“I’m focusing more on my guitar playing with this CD,” says U-Nam, a Parisian whose debut from 2005, the well-received “The Past Builds The Future” offered instrumentals and a number of soulful vocal tunes. This time around, U-Nam focuses on instrumentals exclusively mixed with well-timed vocalese and background vocals. In addition to the guitar, U-Nam played bass, keyboard and percussions on the CD as well as producing, arranging and mixing the music. “I remember listening to George Benson, Al Jarreau, Earth, Wind & Fire, Michael Jackson, Maze, etc.. all that great music when I was a kid. My goal was to write songs that captured that mood in addition to the covers.”

That explains the CD’s title, in addition to the fact that he’s a huge fan of the “Back To The Future” time-travel movies from the ‘80’s. “Instead of ‘Back To The 80’s,’ though,” says U-Nam, “I thought ‘Back From The 80’s’ better described what I set out to do: honor my influences and musical heroes but make music that is contemporary and hip to today’s scene.

The CD gets a boost from the musical stylings of U-Nam’s musical partner, Frank Sitbon, who co-wrote some tunes, played keyboards and sang background vocals. To round out the project, U-Nam recruited an incredible mix of veteran musicians known both for their solo careers and studio playing: Jeff Lorber; Michael White (George Benson, Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly ); Alex Al (Stevie Wonder); Maysa Leak (Incognito); Steve “The Scotsman” Harvey (The Temptations, Ledisi); Melvin Davis (Chaka Khan, Lee Ritenour); and Paulinho da Costa (Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones ,Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald, Chris Botti, Al Jarreau and countless others). But U-Nam wasn’t done, as he also recruited some of the best musicians France has to offer, including the Paris Horns and the Merkevah Orchestra, a string section conducted by Raymond Gimenes.

The first single from “Back From The 80’s” is one of the best-loved songs from that period – the Crusaders’ “Street Life” “Some covers were better suited to the album since I wanted to shine the melody on guitar,” U-Nam says. “I’ve been a fan of ‘Street Life’ for many years and the keyboard solo by Joe Sample.” For this new version U-Nam brought in Grammy-nominated keys man Jeff Lorber, who also performed on U-Nam’s first CD, for a spirited solo. “Jeff Lorber is the like the new Joe Sample to me,” U-Nam says. “I couldn’t hear anyone else but him doing the Rhodes solo on that track. He did an amazing job, and it was obvious he was having a lot of fun!”

“Breezin M.A.” is the first song on the CD that honors the past while creating completely new material. As the title suggests, U-Nam channels the flowing and effortless guitar sound of George Benson in a tune where strings add a fun disco feel. While that tune suggests Benson’s playing, “Keep The Faith” opens with an improvisation of one of Benson’s best-known songs, “Affirmation” before setting into a relaxed and wholly original groove punctuated by a snappy horn section. An instantly recognizable Benson riff from “Give Me The Night” pops up at the end of “Slowdown” “I wanted to slow things down a bit on this track,” says U-Nam, explaining its title. There’s a lot of guitar playing on this CD, but here U-Nam put the pick aside and played with his thumb in a style popularized by the great jazz guitarist Wes Montgomery.

By this time, it should be clear that Benson is one of U-Nam’s biggest influences and favorite musicians – he just had to cover at least one of his songs. But, true to the spirit of “Back From The 80’s” U-Nam selected one where the guitar wasn’t the main driver: Benson’s vocal hit single “Turn Your Love Around” “I didn’t want to do a George Benson song where he plays the guitar out front,” he explains. “He’s an amazing guitar player and my playing is influenced by his. So I decided to do something brand new and make new guitar solos where his vocals were. I’m happy with the way the melody comes out on guitar.”

One last tribute to Benson is realized on “Mister GB” which begins with gorgeous strings before segueing into the familiar melody of “Breezin’ ” From there, U-Nam takes the song into a new direction and, like the rest of the CD, makes it his own. The latter part of the song has a Big Band sound that adds a spice of jazz.

Three other covers tunes have U-Nam’s unique spin. Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway’s “Where Is The Love ?” channels Stevie Wonder’s “Boogie On Reggae Woman” before settling into a rhythmic groove and Sitbon’s rich vocals on the chorus. Michael Jackson’s “I Can’t Help It” has a dancing bass line and a groovy guitar talk box handling the familiar chorus. “I wasn’t sure if I wanted to do it at first, but the talk box sounded so great,” U-Nam says. “It reminds me of Roger Troutman and Zapp, who did the great songs ‘More Bounce to the Ounce’ and ‘I Want to Be Your Man’ ” Finally, U-Nam plucked an obscure song by Lionel Richie called “Love Will Find a Way” from his 1983 album “Can’t Slow Down” That album had five smash hit singles, but U-Nam instead chose the track that meant the most to him while growing up. U-Nam’s version is an irresistible, neo-soul dance number with thick and tasty beats.

The final, original tunes include the personal “Just A Kiss & Goodbye” a sentimental ballad; “Just Like Real Lovers Do” which features U-Nam’s trademark cascading guitar riffs, some wah-wah guitar riffs and a romantic sensibility “à la” Marvin Gaye; and “From Overseas” with steel pan legend Andy Narell and Maysa Leak’s scatting in time with U-Nam’s guitar.

U-Nam was born Emmanuel Abiteboul in 1970 in Paris, where he picked up the guitar at age 12 and studied for three years at the Paris-based CIM – the first European school for jazz – between 1986 and 1989. At age 19 he turned professional, becoming a fixture at Paris studio sessions. He continued to produce and make music before releasing “The Past Builds the Future” on the Trippin’N’Rhythm record label in 2005, scoring a smooth jazz hit with “I’m Only U-Nam.”

For the past ten years, while focusing on his solo career, U-Nam has also devoted himself to songwriting, production and remixes, working for national and international acts such as Barry White, Honeyz, Luis Fonsi, Alsou, Kool & the Gang, Billy Paul, and CNote. U-Nam’s biggest success has come with Pop/Rock vocalist Cindy Daniel, whose 2006 CD titled “J’avoue” reached No. 1 in album sales in Quebec, Canada. U-Nam produced the project.

While U-Nam is releasing “Back From the 80’s” a side project of his will be offered. The R&B vocal CD titled “The ONE-SOUL’s Project” will feature some of today’s best soul singers, including Rahsaan Patterson, Myron, Maysa Leak and Phil Perry.

By this time you may be asking: Just how did U-Nam come up with his unique name? It was while releasing his first CD that the guitarist decided to change his stage name. He’s long been known by those close to him as “Manu” an abbreviated version of his first name. U-Nam is simply “Manu” backwards. (“Breezin’ M.A.” takes its title from “Manu” the name of his Paris suburb, “Maisons-Alfort”, and his young son, Melvin Abiteboul.) But the name works on another level, he says. “When you say ‘U-Nam’ in French, its meaning is ‘One Soul’ in English. I guess that’s what I’m all about.”

~ smooth-jazz.de

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U-Nam - C'est Le Funk (2014) RE-UP

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