THE BASIS POINT

Friday Funk: Kapital – by SoulJazz Orchestra

 
 

About 12 years ago when I lived in Chicago, my wife and I were touring another visiting couple around in the car. Construction abounded throughout downtown and the neighborhoods. “Where does all the capital come from?” the astounded boyfriend asked, trying hard to sound smart.

The question is laughable in that context. It’s become a family joke, and it actually still comes up a lot … because capital makes the world go round. Which makes the question not totally absurd. Where does all the capital come from (I mean besides the Fed)? And how do you even define capital?

This Friday Funk installment, Kapital by The SoulJazz Orchestra, is chosen to let those questions marinate properly while you settle into your weekend. My son especially likes the chanting at 6:38. I do too. And I especially love two more things about this song:

(1) This song is a rare inspirational reminder of just how far you can take art, or any other type of work for that matter. This song’s structure is at once an epic sprawl and airtight funky. A true masterpiece by this 10-year-old, six-person band from Canada.

(2) I just discovered this band totally organically on July 13 because a twitter follower @maxbury chimed in on that night’s Friday Funk pick and we got to talking. I’ve never met @maxbury, but he knows his shit, obviously. I asked him what one or two SoulJazz albums to get started with and he said, in this order: Manifesto, and Freedom No Go Die. I bought both albums shortly after and have listened to little else since. Also here are some fun facts to juxtapose the musical and market gravity.

Manifesto – this is the album Kapital is on, and was released in absolute epicenter of financial crisis on September 25, 2008. Which was 15 days after my kid was born, the very day WAMU became the largest bank failure in U.S. history, and 8 days before Congress approve the $700b TARP bailout fund.

Freedom No Go Die – This album was released on even more juxtaposing dates* (for housing folks like me anyway): It was first released independently by the band September 2006 (when the great home price bubble started deflating) then re-released it through Do Right! Music on August 6, 2007 (a few days after U.S. mortgage markets froze solid, making the financial crisis official).

So these mofos were basically levitating artistically while most of us were questioning our very fate and purpose. Can’t think of a better way to gather perspective than to think about that … and where all the Kapital comes from. Enjoy…

Soul Jazz Orchestra - Kapital - The Basis Point Friday Funk

Play It Now – Kapital by Soul Jazz Orchestra

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SoulJazz Orchestra – Kapital (youtube)

SoulJazz Orchestra site [BUY THEIR NEW ALBUM THIS TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17!]

SoulJazz Orchestra twitter

More Friday Funk
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*Thanks to SoulJazz keyboardist, percussionist, vocalist Pierre Chrétien for responding to this post and clarifying the two different release dates for the Freedom No Go Die album.

 

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