Die rote Fahne meiner Mailbox winkt! Post aus sunny California. Inhalt: Die neue CD von Temple of Soul - Brothers in Arms.
Die CD sofort ausgepackt und rein in den CD Player. Nach den ersten Tönen fragt meine Frau erstaunt, von wem denn die CD sei? Mein missionarischer Eifer ist geweckt.
"Kannst du dich an den Anfang von Cocker's "Unchain my heart" erinnern? Wenn nach dem Foreplay der Bass einsetzt?" "Natürlich!", meint sie und zieht ihre Augenbrauen hoch. "Das war T.M. Stevens, der spielt hier auch den Bass. Und erinnerst du dich noch an das?" Mittlerweile, habe ich die CD im Player gewechselt. Kaum ertönen die ersten Takte von Living Colour's "Love rears ist ugly head" ist ihre Neugierde geweckt. "Das ist Gitarrist Vernon "Ice" Black, der Saxophonist Clarence Clemons spielte bei Bruce Springsteens E-Street Band und der Sänger und Schlagzeuger Narada Michael Walden gewann schon mehrere Grammys und arbeitete mit allen Großen des Musikbizz (Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Sting, Billy Joel, Elton John, Santana, Ray Charles,...) zusammen. Früher hätte man so etwas eine Supergroup genannt."

Ja früher, jetzt läuft so etwas eher im Verborgenen ab. Doch genug der Einleitung...

in English:

TEMPLE OF SOUL Is
Clarence Clemons : Narada Michael Walden : T.M.Stevens : Vernon Ice Black

These are the Brothers in Arms.

Four of the most accomplished and creative souls in music have joined together to invite the listener into the Temple Of Soul.

Welcome.

Clarence Clemons who has become know to millions around the globe as “The Big Man”, while defining the musical sound of Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, wails on the saxophone and vocally moves you through this 10 track debut collection. His signature is embedded at the heart of this, rhythmic journey to places that will make all who hear it, want to reinstate a groove they thought may have left them.

Narada Michael Walden has the distinguished honor of being among Billboards Top Ten most successful producers of all time, with 3 Grammies and an Emmy to his credit. His talent as a drummer, singer, composer, producer and pianist, fill the Temple Of Soul with a sound that penetrates your skin, directly to your heart. He has had 56 Number 1 hit songs on the charts with the greatest singers of all time and when you hear his contributions to Brothers In Arms, you will know why.

T.M.Stevens has driven funk into the very center of such songs as “Living In America” with James Brown and Joe Cocker’s “Unchain My Heart”. His vocals and bass on Brothers In Arms is both unique and captivating. He’s as enjoyable to watch as he is to hear, laying down rifts that reflect a chaotic control of the bass, channeling Jaco on his funkiest day.

Vernon Ice Black has put his distinctive guitar sound on over 100 of some of the most accomplished artists in contemporary music. The versatility demonstrated to play and record with the likes of Herbie Hancock, Santana or Willie Nelson is a gift of diversity bestowed on very few. He is sharing that talent times 10 with each of these infectious tracks recorded with his own band Temple of Soul.

Brothers in Arms will make you dance, get down, party, groove and most assuredly want to hear more. If you ever were captured by the beat of Mother’s Finest, the soul of Jimi Hendrix, the funk of Sly & the Family Stone, the groove of Barry White then be prepared to be pleasurably engulfed by Temple of Soul.