Bassist extraordinaire Freekbass is gearing up to release his latest studio effort, All The Way This. All The Way That., due out on Friday, May 31st via Color Red. Freekbass’ new 10-song LP features his backing band, The Bump Assembly, which includes vocalist Sammi Garett (Turkuaz), drummer Rico Lewis (George Clinton & Parliament-Funkadelic), and keyboardist Sky White (Foxy Shazam).
In celebration of the new record, fans are invited to join Freekbass & The Bump Assembly, along with special guest Bootsy Collins, for an exclusive album streaming event via Facebook Live this Friday, May 31st from 7–7:30 p.m. ET.
Freekbass recorded the All The Way This side of the LP with Grammy Award-winning producer Itaal Shur in Cincinnati, OH, and the All The Way That side with Eddie Roberts at his Color Red Studios in Denver, CO. Part of the record was recorded straight to a Tascam 388, an eight-track tape recorder with a cult following at Color Red studios, that showcases the infectious energy of a live Freekbass show. The famed bassist has six full-length albums under his belt, as well as collaborations with Bootsy, Adam Deitch, Mike Gordon, Skerik, Jennifer Hartswick, and more.
“This album could have been recorded in 1972 and some of it in 2072,” Freekbass explains in a press release. “The Funk is timeless to me, and that is what I always want to try to create, both live and in the studio. The combination of a producer like Eddie Roberts with his pedigree and Itaal Shur with his vision, makes for a very eclectic and hopefully, groundbreaking take on groove-based music.”
Freekbass also elaborated on the fundamental importance of his recent sessions at Color Red. “A goal of mine has always been to capture the raw energy and soundwaves on how we produce live, while pushing the sonic boundaries in the studio,” he notes. “When we go to tape with a song, it would still have that organic excitement you have when playing, live. For me, it represents all sides of me as both a bassist, songwriter and performer. I think we got great performances from new creative places, out of everyone involved in the making of this album.”
With only a limited amount of rehearsal and writing sessions, Freekbass ultimately ended up laying down the tracks straight to tape in just three days. The end result of All The Way This. All The Way That. captures the lush and complex process of analog production while providing a studio-quality recording that will be released on vinyl with two distinct yet cohesive sides.
Head here to pre-order Freekbass’ forthcoming album All The Way This. All The Way That.
Fans can expect Freekbass to unveil a series of tour dates in support of his forthcoming studio release. Head to Freekbass’ website for a full list of his upcoming tour dates and ticketing information.