Adopting from the genres of R&B, Soul, Funk and Pop, Harmony & Groove is the alter ego of Canadian singer/songwriter Jeffrey Carl, who has been recording songs in different musical genres for years. It wasn’t until late 2008 that he decided to put it all together.
The resulting album – 2½ years in the making – is simultaneously Carl’s homage to the masters of groove and soul, and his attempt to give the genres his own spin. First taking inspiration from Earth, Wind, and Fire, The Temptations and Sly & the Family Stone, Carl began looking to more contemporary artists like Maroon 5, Bruno Mars and Adele to flesh out his own style.
Bringing Down the Mercury was recorded in 2010 with jazz musician Norm Glaude, a hometown favourite in the Ottawa music scene. Carl and Glaude wanted to create a harmonious blend of live and electronic instrumentation. The result is not exactly the organic unity they were aiming for, but a playful relationship between real and virtually-produced sounds that draws the listener’s attention to every piece of the ensemble. While listening to the album, it’s hard not to notice the individual parts that work together to create a jolted but appealing sound.
With Bringing Down the Mercury, Carl has put cool-down Jazz with pump-up Pop in a blender, resulting in a smoothie of groove that is easily palatable and irresistibly catchy. On the title track, Carl’s mellifluous voice glides over waves of peppy beats and punchy rhythms.
On tracks like Better Late than Never and the disco-infused On the Fly, a song Carl claims was written “on the fly” in about 30 minutes, potent horn blasts accompany swirling strings to create a smooth harmony between groove and funk.
On App for That, Carl gives a funky spin to his modern lament over the instant gratification that comes from the age of smart phones. His critique of an overenthusiastic consumer culture is punctuated with splashes of pop-synth and twangy jazz-chords.
The track Get Funky urges listeners to “get up, get in, get down, and get funky,” recalling both the stronger, rhythmic grooves of the late 60s as well as the pumped-up pop ballads of the early 90s. Just like with all the tracks on the album, Carl wants to get you moving your feet while still grooving to the beat.
Carl says he’ll take his music to the next step by bringing it to the streets of Ottawa. The smooth beats and electrifying soul of Harmony & Groove will premiere in Ottawa nightclubs near you sooner than you think.
You can listen to some of the songs and download the entire album for free at the official website.
Also check out Harmony & Groove’s Facebook and Twitter
