Music / Neo soul
Pete Josef: back with a bang
There’s an up-beat breeze running through ‘blue-eyed soul boy’ Pete Josef’s new album that could be just what we need in these grinding times. Newly released by Jazzanova’s supercool Berlin label Sonar Kollektiv, I Rise With The Birds is a genre blending chocolate box of immaculately produced music to follow multi-instrumentalist Pete’s critically acclaimed 2015 debut Colour.
Flavours range from contemporary Afrobeat to lush 70s soul, each track hook-laden and distinctive with echoes of Stevie Wonder and Quincy Jones in the rich arrangements. There’s even moments of pop catchiness yet there’s also a careful depth to the lyrics that reflects the craftsmanship you would expect from the leader of a university songwriting MA course.
Image: Sonar Kollectiv
It’s surprising, therefore, to discover that shortly after releasing Colour Pete was seriously considering packing in music altogether.
is needed now More than ever
Years of playing and recording with Roni Size, Manu Delago and Kelis among others had begun to take their toll on him physically and psychologically: “I’d just finished a long tour with Kelis, a gruelling itinerary, and I’d been having problems with my ears – all that insanely loud music in the studio and on stage led to an immediate onset of tinnitus that was unmanageable.
“I remember saying ‘I’d just quite like to hear birdsong when I’m 60.’ I was pretty much thinking I was getting out of music, really.”
With the music for Colour finally ready he decided he would release the album but make no further plans and, despite the hugely positive critical response the record received he stuck to his decision.
It was a good call, giving him time to start a family in the Somerset countryside while developing his skills as a producer and slowly accumulating the inspiration for his return to recording. “I’ve always had the ambition to make albums that feel like albums so I started with a ‘long list’ of sketches and songs and an idea of the form, the story of the album.
“Then I worked up the ideas that fitted, with a clear idea of the production from the outset. By the time it came to making the album I was feeling more sorted in life, I think, and I was able to make the tunes more direct, more ‘up’ – unashamedly pop and really, really enjoying it.
“Some of the ideas were quite old but now I felt I had the production chops to properly deliver on them.”
Pete’s band: (l-r) Justin Fellows, Pete Josef, Jihad Darwish, Marie Lister, Miguel Andrews, James Ladd, Nick Malcolm and John Pratt. Photo: Pete Josef
Hailing from Bath Pete has always been active on the Bristol music scene and for all his globetrotting he recognises the breadth of talent he can call on hereabouts, notably vocalist Marie Lister (No Go Stop, Duval Project) who also featured on the first album.
“It’s always a real joy to work with her,” says Pete. “Her voice is so great and she really comes into the songs. Early on we discovered our voices just blended really well, a Yin Yang thing – I always say she makes me sound cool!
“She has the perfect disco soul voice for Mainframe, which is absolutely an ode to late 70s Herbie Hancock.”
Mesadorm singer Blythe Pepino also features, notably on the more reflective track Friend On The Line: “I wasn’t sure about that song, I was going to drop it … but her voice – it had to be for her, she sets it alight.”
Pete Josef makes a return. Photo: Sonar Kollectiv
Normally an album release would be celebrated with live gigs, but sadly we are in difficult times and all plans are on hold. There may be a gig for the label in Berlin in January, there may be a Bristol event or two … we’ll have to see, but for the time being I Rise With The Birds offers a cheering distraction while the locked down nights draw in.
Whatever, for Pete Josef it’s almost enough to have pulled the project together: “When we get together it feels like a holiday – it’s very relaxed and I love it. I never imagined it could be such a fun and rewarding thing to do but it really is.”
You can hear I Rise With The Birds on Bandcamp.
Main photo: Pete Josef
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