2017 was a very big year for Organ Freeman, the explosive instrumental jazz-funk fusion trio out of L.A. In addition to releasing their brand new sophomore LP, Respect My Art, to overwhelmingly positive reviews, the band mounted their biggest tour to date (a 30+ date spring run featuring supporting gigs for Umphrey’s McGee and Pigeons Playing Ping Pong) and played a number of festivals nationwide including Fool’s Paradise in St. Augustine, FL, NOLA Crawfish Festival in New Orleans, LA, Summer Camp Music Festival in Chillicothe, IL, and the inaugural Canyon Jam at the scenic Mishawaka Amphitheatre in Bellevue, CO.
Over Thanksgiving weekend last month, Organ Freeman made their debut at the historic Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY, opening the festivities for Twiddle. Thanks to nugs.tv, you can watch pro-shot footage of Organ Freeman performing “Go by Richard, Not by Dick”, the opening track from their self-titled debut album, in full multi-cam HD below (via the Organ Freeman YouTube page):
Comprised of Rob Humphreys (drums), Erik Carlson (guitar), and Trevor Steer (organ/keys), the young band has already begun to make a reputation for themselves in the funk/jam scene with their unhinged live performances and eclectic, technically proficient recordings. Respect My Art is the band’s second release, following their 2015 self-titled record, Organ Freeman. Their newest effort leads the them largely in a new direction, as they meld EDM electronics with traditional organ trio instrumentation.
Organ Freeman Released Their New LP “Respect My Art” Today, And It’s Dope [Stream]
Of the new record, Steer explains, “Our goal for this album was to try to create the biggest, most expansive sound we could as a three piece, so instead of writing and arranging with the instrumentation in mind, we decided not to shy away from layering or sounds that wouldn’t normally be considered in an organ trio setting.”
For Respect My Art, Organ Freeman ventured outside of the standard drums-keys-guitar lineup of an organ trio and enlisted some heavy hitters to join in on the magic. They invited Theo Katzman of Vulfpeck, as well as Dave Brandwein of Turkuaz, alongside bassist Sean Hurley (Vertical Horizon), trumpet player Sean Billings (Jungle Fire), alto saxophonist Woody Mankowski (The Muller’s Wheel) and tenor saxophonist Jesse McGinty to fill out various tracks on the album, delving deeper into previously uncharted territory for the band.
Organ Freeman just announced a run of 4 shows in California in late March opening for Umphrey’s McGee. For a full list of upcoming Organ Freeman tour dates, head over to the band’s website.