(February 28, 2022) SoulTrackers are certainly familiar with multi-instrumentalist Emmanuel “U-Nam” Abiteboul, who has been lighting up the R&B charts for over a decade. U-Nam has made a reputation as a powerful player who has a love for the funk, dance and soul heydays of the 1970s and 80.
All those loves come together on his new project and band, California Funk Machine. CFM is a collection of top tier artists who have come together to create a fiery hot album of covers of many of the most celebrated get-your-body-moving songs of the 70s and 80s, along with some hidden gems. And though he has brought in some incredible players, U-Nam is all over the project, playing rhythm guitars, talk box, vocoder, moog bass, rhodes, clavinet, synth guitar, keyboards, and drums, as well as taking a vocal or two.
California Funk Machine, Vol. 1 arrives on March 4, but we have a great sneak peek for SoulTrackers. “Stomp!” is an iconic dance single from The Brothers Johnson, written by Rod Temperton and produced by Quincy Jones. And CFM gives is a shiny new look, faithful to the original, but with a few twists that are keeping us listening, even while we dance in our seats. It features former Michael Jackson bass player Alex Al, and vocalist Frank Burke.
Check out this great new take on “Stomp!” below, and get ready for more from California Funk Machine.
By Chris Rizik
U-Nam and California Funk Machine
“Stomp!”
