Following on from 2013’s debut long-player, Saturday Shifting, where Gene Dudley played almost every note himself, his second offering, Zambidoose, is very much a product of the relationships he’s built up over the past two years. Most notably these have been with vocalists, and particularly when the group got the chance to tour Europe with Stones Throw artists Myron & E in the summer of 2014. This resulted in E contributing to two vocal cuts to the new album, along with hotly tipped U.S. vocalist Ishtar.
Soul Monster
Another collaboration that blossomed was with London powerhouse soul vocalist and acclaimed funk DJ Anne Frankenstein. The pair hooked up for Gene’s cover of Richard “Groove” Holmes’ No Trouble on the Mountain, released as a 7″ single last year. It’s a tune that appears on the album alongside two hot new offerings from Dudley and Frankenstein – namely the disco flavoured soul monster Dynamite in the Still of the Night, and mid-tempo funk nugget, Jackpot.
Add to that some classic Dudley horn work on The Arm Wrestling Channel and Do The Cookie Dough Throw, albeit with one eye firmly on the dance floor; some tasty tropical and dub flavours on Tiger Jaw, Stevie Flare and the title track; plus a very cheeky Todd Terje cover (approved by the man himself!) and you have a statement of intent from one of the UK’s finest and most exciting producers and multi-instrumentalists.
Reactions
“Love the Inspector Norse cover. A huge, huge summer tune for me, and everyone else, right there. Gonna be playing that everywhere!” Bonobo, Ninja Tune (UK)
“What A Brilliant Groove!” Chris Exarchopoulos, Musica-re, Black Radio Berlin // Up’N’Loud Radio (Germany)
“Fire! Perfect summer sounds thanks a lot these are getting rolled out in large amounts. 5/5” Tom Central, Keep Up! Records/Soundcrash (UK)
“Very funky and soulful too. reminds me of the good old acid Jazz times in the 90ies. I like it.” Stefan Guther, Funkhaus Europa, Berlin and West-Germany (Germany)
“Very nice!!” Hector Pizarro, Chile Con Mix (France)
“I’ve Changed” is amazing!! Like and play also Tiger Jaw, Covered in Black and Inspector Norse. Peace” Black Mighty Wax aka Cesare Cera, Radio Fujiko 103 (Italy)
“Big fan of the Gene Dudley Group this is ace thanks” Simbad, Various / Worldwide / Brownswood (UK)
“Summer fresh! I love the mood, like Tiger Jaw” Jean-Luc Godard, CKDU 88.1 (Canada)
“Brilliant album I don’t know why or how I missed this but I love love, love this group and everything they do. I really like the title track and all the releases from it so far. I look forward to listening this up loud in the car allowing my Dj effected ears to pick up the feeling and nuances without out my long suffering fiancée shouting “your deaf turn it down” Andy Sharp, Stomp Radio (UK)
“Cannot wait to roll this all summer long. Inspector Norse hitting the airwaves in Portland, OR this morning.” Derek Smith, KMHD Jazz Radio (USA)
“Very nice, thanks. 5/5” Alexandra Friedrich, ByteFM (Germany)
“Explosive !!!” Azaxx, Tru Thoughts (France)
“Premiere UK rare groove! 5/5” Chris Knight, Astorjazz (UK)
“Superb production on all tracks. Great journey from start to finish. LOVE!” Dr Bob Jones, www.mi-soul.com (UK)
“Nice! Will get some radio love for sure.”Paris Pompor, Sydney Morning Herald (Australia)
“Incredible and lovely amble from GDG. Love it! Thanks. 5/5” Mickey Duke, Brighton fm (UK)
“Love it!” Frank McWeeny, French Toast, Amazing Radio (UK)
“Great album. 5/5” Rado Tomek aka DJ Kinet, Nu Spirit Club, Radio FM (Slovakia)
“Cool fusion, will support” Josef Sedlon, Radio 1, Prague (Czech Republic)
“Gene Dudley group …. FUCK YEAH !!! Ive changed already an anthem. 5/5” DJ Toon, Eastside Radio, Funkdafied (UK)
“I’ve been waiting for this album ever since the 1st one came out, and it doesn’t disappoint. The addition of vocals on a few tracks enhances it. 5/5” Nick Rayman, Barricade Radio (UK)
“Yes! Perfect soundtrack for this summer. I’ve been looking forward to this. 5/5” Rasmus Gustafsson, Supersoul (Sweden)
“Lots to keep me busy there. Great to finally hear it all. Filled with so much great stuff. Cheers.” Dan Wesker, Detektor FM (Denmark)
“Love it! Will playlist on the show.” Calamity Jade, Willwork4funk, “Funk Shui” Radio Show (Italy)
“Some of the finest pieces of music I’ve heard all year, ‘No Trouble on the Mountain’ & ‘I’ve Changed’ some of my highlights, looking forward to dropping these bombs on the show!! 5/5” Alan O’ Malley, Shoreditch Radio (UK)
“A superb album, from beginning to end! 10/10” Sven Thomschke / ‘Dr.Best’, Radio Z 95.8 (Germany)
“Great! Makes me wanna groove! Need for the bag!” Fritz, DJ & Substanz-fm.com, Radio Muenchen (Germany)
“Lots of groovers here. Got me smiling.” Ennio Styles, Stylin’ 3RRR-FM,Heard and Felt (Australia)
“Already playlisted ‘I’ve Changed’. Time to get behind a few more of these great funky cuts!” Steve Hobbs, Solar Radio (UK)
“Seems to sound like a great wedding between old school soul/funk and modern music… ” Julien, Radio Campus, Tours (France)
“This is easily a contender for album of the year! So much goodness on this one record. Great collabs, awesome arrangements… you can’t ask for more!” Frank Foreal, Soundwaves Radio – KPFK FM, Los Angeles (USA)
Features:
Number 1 in Amazon Funk chart
Single at 23 on Juno Funk & Soul best sellers
Shortlist magazine
German reviews
Backspin (onlineankündigung)
Hiphopvinyl (zu release)
nadann (Ende juli)
Good Times nä (Ausgabe)
Faze (Augustausgabe)
Jazzthing nä (Ausgabe)
Jazzthetik (Soulkolumne)
Hanfjournal (August)
Artistxite zu (Release)
Blicker (August)
Das Heft (April)
Joinmusic zu (Release)
1beat (Juli)
Soultrain (Septemberausgabe)
Soulguru (Juli)
Sonicsoul zu (release)
Soulkombinat zu (release)
Soulunlimited zu (release)
Sound and image zu (release)
Features
MDR Sputnik (Soulfood)
BR 2 (Kulturwelt)
1beat (Ende Juli)
Soultrain (Septemberausgabe)
Free Fm (Platte der Woche)
Radio Lotte (Platte der Woche)
Wüste welle Soul unlimited (Platte der Woche)
- The Craig Charles Soul and Funk Show, BBC6 Music (UK)
- Jamie Cullum, BBC2 Music (UK)
- Andy Sharp, Stomp Radio (UK)
- Mark Milz, Radio Corax (Germany)
- Sven Thomschke / ‘Dr.Best’, Radio Z (Germany)
- Dj Aja, Ketch A Vibe (UK)
- David Bassin, FreeFall / KUSF (USA)
- Chris Exarchopoulos, Musica-re, Black Radio Berlin
- Mark Milz, Further In Fusion (UK)
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Toshio Matsuura, Radio “Tokyo Moon” (Japan)
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Jason Pulaski, Innamissions, KUCI (UK)
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Dan Wesker, The Brit Parade (Germany).
- Dradio Kultur Tagesprogramm, Tonart Lounge (Germany)
- Dradio Wissen Green goes Black, Mehrere Einsätze (Germany)
- Radio Eins Rotation, Dancehall, Planet Fruit, Happy Sad (Germany)
- NDR Info plays Nachtclub (Germany)
- NWR Globale Dorfmusik (Germany)
- MDR Sputnik Soulfood, Black Beats (Germany)
- Fritz plays (Germany)
- WDR2 Plays (Germany)
- Funkhaus Europa Soulfood (Germany)
- HR 2 plays (Germany)
- WDR 2 plays Musikclub (Germany)
- WDR 5 Rotation 2 songs (Germany)
- BR Zündfunk plays (Germany)
- Superfly FM rotation (Germany)
- FM 91,8 Frankfurt (Jazzmadazz) plays (Germany)
- Radio Z plays (Germany)
- Radio X plays in mehreren shows (Germany)
- Stadtradio Göttingen plays (Germany)
- Wüste welle plays (Germany)
- Free Fm Rotation , Platte der Woche (Germany)
- Kölncampus plays (Germany)
- Hertz Bielefeld rotation (Germany)
- Freies Radio Reutlingen plays (Germany)
- Mephisto plays (Germany)
- Radio Z plays (Germany)
- Weser TV plays (Germany)
- M94,5 high rotation (Germany)
- Radio Tide plays (Germany)
- Oldenburg Eins Rotation (Germany)
- Campus FM plays (Germany)
- Byte FM plays Mehrere Sendungen (Germany)
- Funkhaus Europa/ WDR (Germany)
- Andy Williams, The Goods Radio Show (United Kingdom)
