HARLEM EXPERIMENT

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HARLEM EXPERIMENT
Ropeadope Emerges From The Laboratory With
Volume Three From Its Acclaimed "Experiment" Series

Featuring CARLOS ALOMAR, EDDY MARTINEZ, DON BYRON
STEVEN BERNSTEIN, RUBEN RODRIGUEZ & STEVE BERRIOS
With Special Guests Including TAJ MAHAL, OLU DARA, JAMES HUNTER
QUEEN ESTHER & MUMS --Produced by AARON LUIS LEVINSON

Brooklyn, NY -- It started in 2001 with a simple premise from the groundbreaking indie record label Ropeadope: take acclaimed musicians from a shared hometown, but with vastly different musical backgrounds, put them together in a recording studio and have them create spontaneous art inspired by that city's musical lineage. From this humble thought came Philadelphia Experiment and, hot on its heels, the underground classic Detroit Experiment. Now after four years of deliberation, Ropeadope has broken out its lab coats once again, heading back into the studio and emerging with yet another potent musical concoction--Harlem Experiment--scheduled for release in September 2007. Masterminded, like its predecessors, by Grammy Award-winning producer Aaron Luis Levinson and Ropeadope founder Andy Hurwitz, this time around they have assembled a genre-bending tribute to perhaps America's greatest cultural crown jewel: Harlem USA. The musicians taking part in Harlem Experiment are Carlos Alomar on guitar, Eddy Martinez on keyboards, Don Byron on clarinet, Steven Bernstein on trumpet, Ruben Rodriguez on bass and Steve Berrios on drums, plus special guest performances featuring Taj Mahal, Olu Dara, James Hunter, Queen Esther and Mums.

"We had a hard time picking the next city for our experiment," said Andy Hurwitz. "We had a long list and technically Harlem isn't even a city, but that's exactly what got us going. The history, the present and the future. We look to Harlem as ground zero for all that is modern day 'American' music whether you call it jazz, R&B, hip-hop or rock, all of it passed through the neighborhood's gates."

The Harlem Experiment House Band:
Steve Bernstein - Trumpet & Arranger
Don Byron - Clarinet
Carlos Alomar - Guitar
Eddie Martinez - Keyboards
Ruben Rodriguez - Bass
Steve Berrios - Drums

Invited Guests:
Queen Esther - Vocals
Olu Dara - Vocals, Guitar, Pocket Trumpet
Taj Mahal - Vocals
James Hunter - Vocals, Guitar
Mums - Spoken Word
Larry Legend - Turntables

Track Listing:
1. Intro
2. One For Jackie (featuring The "Harlem Experiment" House Band)
3. Rigor Mortis (featuring The "Harlem Experiment" House Band)
4. Reefer Man (featuring Taj Mahal on vocals)
5. Harlem River Drive (featuring Steven Bernstein on trumpet)
6. Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen (featuring Don Byron on clarinet)
7. Mums Interlude
8. It's Just Begun (featuring Larry Legend on turntables)
9. Mambo A La Savoy (featuring Carlos Alomar on guitar)
10. A Rose In Spanish Harlem (featuring James Hunter on vocals & guitar)
11. One For Malcolm (featuring Malcolm X)
12. 'Lil Bit (featuring DJ Mums on the mic)
13. Think (featuring Queen Esther on vocals)
14. A Rose In Spanish Harlem (Instrumental)
15. Walking Through Harlem (featuring Olu Dara on vocals, guitar & pocket trumpet)

http://www.ropeadope.com/

[Published on: 7/3/07]
 

Comments

deadpig79 Tue 7/3/2007 09:57AM
+3 Votes Thumbs down! Thumbs up!

deadpig79

solid artists with solid guests.

EVILFUNK starstarstarstarstar Tue 7/3/2007 11:26AM
+3 Votes Thumbs down! Thumbs up!

EVILFUNK

looks sick... ropeadope seems to be about quality.

sitdancer starstarstarstar Tue 7/3/2007 01:34PM
+2 Votes Thumbs down! Thumbs up!

sitdancer

Agreed. I will have to check this one out.

MaseBase starstarstarstarstar Tue 7/3/2007 01:36PM
+1 Votes Thumbs down! Thumbs up!

MaseBase

Oh yes! These ropeadope experiments are always really sick!

BGsteveBG starstarstarstar Tue 7/3/2007 02:28PM
-2 Votes Thumbs down! Thumbs up!

BGsteveBG

james hunter is quite a guitar player

All Loving Liberal White Guy starstarstarstarstar Tue 7/3/2007 03:18PM
0 Votes Thumbs down! Thumbs up!

All Loving Liberal White Guy

Ropadope rules. Aside from that weak DJ Logic sub par album that DJ Logic last put out, most of their stuff is good. Anybody remember that side project called Bullfrog with Kid Koala that they put out back in '01. That was some good stuff. I hope they make another album soon.

Also, Mums is that dude who played Poet on OZ.

jalew starstarstarstarstar Tue 7/3/2007 03:34PM
+2 Votes Thumbs down! Thumbs up!

jalew

I respectfully disagree with the last comment but am in full agreement that Ropeadope is supafly!
Besides the great music they put out (check their podcasts and new digital releases too!), their site is an endless source of news and entertainment. Also, it seems my wardrobe has become mostly Ropeadope. They keep it VERY real in those fake offices. From Andy to the brother Words, they, like Jambase, epitomize what is good today in the music biz. Keep standing strong and ropin' the freshest dope for both coasts!

The1AndOnlyDJCT starstarstarstarstar Tue 7/3/2007 04:15PM
0 Votes Thumbs down! Thumbs up!

Sounds sweet, ropeadope, like Jambase, is a site I check everyday.

crusoe starstarstarstarstar Tue 7/3/2007 04:34PM
-1 Votes Thumbs down! Thumbs up!

I was wondering when/if ropeadope was gonna drop another "experiment" album because the philly and detroit records are awesome. can't wait to hear this one.

O1Roggae Wed 7/4/2007 08:18AM
+1 Votes Thumbs down! Thumbs up!

O1Roggae

Taj Mahal on reefer man. sounds like it will sick

hhood9 Wed 7/4/2007 09:36AM
-1 Votes Thumbs down! Thumbs up!

hhood9

^on reefer man? what a clown. Anyway, the philly experiment is pretty fun and I've got a detroit experiment disc somewhere but I don't think I've listened to it yet. Hopefully these guys will hit the road so we can all check em out

lovemusicfood starstarstarstar Wed 7/4/2007 10:02AM
0 Votes Thumbs down! Thumbs up!

James Hunter is corny. Don Byron is great!

koach Fri 7/6/2007 06:04PM
0 Votes Thumbs down! Thumbs up!

YEAH I REMEMBER BULLFROG, GREAT SIDE PROJECT WITH KID KOALA, THAT SONG REVERSE PSYCHOLOGY SONG IS GRRRREAT. YGOLO-HC-YSP

cuttyfives Sat 7/7/2007 07:50AM
0 Votes Thumbs down! Thumbs up!

IMHO, detroit/philly experiment are just mediocore. Harlem River drive is one of my favorite tracks though...Hopefully this joint will be above average