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Bill Warfield and the Hell's Kitchen Funk Orchestra: Smile

By Jack Bowers
June 21, 2020
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Bill Warfield and the Hell's Kitchen Funk Orchestra: Smile

Having no idea what to expect from an ensemble labeled the Hell's Kitchen Funk Orchestra, the game plan must be to advance with caution, as any orchestra with trumpeter Bill Warfield at the helm can't be all bad. After listening, it becomes clear that the game plan was sound and the premise accurate: Smile, the HKFO's second recording, isn't all bad. The question is: did Warfield and the orchestra have its own game plan? If snatching every ingredient within reach and throwing it into a blender embodies a plan, mission accomplished. In any case, Warfield and the ensemble do whatever they can to achieve their goal, which is "to produce a brand of music that defies boundaries."

As one might envision, there is an abundance of funk, essentially in the form of heavy backbeats and granular riffs, underscoring (on half of the album's dozen tracks) vocals by

Jane Stuart

vocals

" data-original-title="" title="">Jane Stuart,

Julie Michels

vocals

" data-original-title="" title="">Julie Michels or

Carolyn Leonhart

vocals

" data-original-title="" title="">Carolyn Leonhart. The session opens and closes with Charlie Chaplin's "Smile," the first respectably sung by Michels, the second an instrumental version enwrapping cogent statements by Warfield and

Paul Shaffer

keyboards

" data-original-title="" title="">Paul Shaffer on Fender Rhodes. Sandwiched between are a couple of fairly well-known tunes (Bobby Gentry's "Ode to Billie Joe," Kenny Ascher / Paul Williams' "Rainbow Connection") and eight original compositions including two by Warfield ("Dance of the Coal Cars," "Mad Dog 245"). It could be said that the martial "Theme from Law and Order" is also rather well-known, at least to fans of the long-running television series, although many of them may not recognize or appreciate this funk-heavy rendition.

Stuart is the vocalist on "Ode to Billie Joe" and a pair of errant and forgettable themes, "First Time on a Ferris Wheel" and "I've Got to Use My Imagination," Leonhart (depping for Kermit the Frog) on "The Rainbow Connection." The orchestra houses a number of talented soloists, and there are clever ad libs along the way by

Lou Marini

saxophone
b.1945

" data-original-title="" title="">Lou Marini (tenor on "Billie Joe" and

Joe Zawinul

keyboards
1932 - 2007

" data-original-title="" title="">Joe Zawinul's "Cucumber Slumber," soprano on "Law and Order"), trumpeter

John Eckert

trumpet

" data-original-title="" title="">John Eckert, alto

Andrew Gould

saxophone

" data-original-title="" title="">Andrew Gould, tenor

Dave Riekenberg

woodwinds

" data-original-title="" title="">Dave Riekenberg, baritone

Matt Hong

saxophone, baritone

" data-original-title="" title="">Matt Hong, pianist

Cecilia Coleman

keyboards
b.1962

" data-original-title="" title="">Cecilia Coleman and guitarist

Matt Chertkoff

guitar

" data-original-title="" title="">Matt Chertkoff. In keeping with the over-all spirit of the enterprise, most are tailored to suit the orchestra's funky persona. Warfield takes four solos, three on trumpet ("The City Never Sleeps," Booker T. Jones' "Hip-Hug-Her," the closing "Smile"), the other on flugelhorn (the opening "Smile").

While the Hell's Kitchen Orchestra is proficient and its ambition commendable, this is hardly the sort of music that "defies boundaries." It is basically funk, which is neither fresh nor uncommon. On the other hand, if funk is your bag—and you don't mind the intrusion of half a dozen vocals—the HKFO plays that game about as well as any large ensemble you're likely to encounter.

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Track Listing

Smile; Cucumber Slumber; Hip-Hug-Her; Ode To Billie Joe; First Time On A Ferris Wheel; Dance of the Coal Cars; Mad Dog; Rainbow Connection; I��ve Got To Use My Imagination; Theme From Law and Order; This City Never Sleeps; Smile

Personnel

Bill Warfield

trumpet

Julie Michels

vocals

Bill Warfield and the Hell's Kitchen Funk Orchestra

band / ensemble / orchestra

John Eckert

trumpet

Andrew Gould

saxophone

Jane Stuart

vocals

Dave Riekenberg

woodwinds

Steve Count

bass

Paul Shaffer

keyboards

Cecilia Coleman

keyboards

Matt Chertkoff

guitar

Lou Marini

saxophone

Matt Hong

saxophone, baritone

Scott Neumann

drums

Carolyn Leonhart

vocals

Additional Instrumentation

Bill Warfield: leader, arranger, trumpet, flugelhorn Jane Stuart: vocals (tracks 4,5 and 9) John Eckert: trumpet, flugelhorn Andrew Gould: alto sax, flute Dave Riekenberg: tenor sax, baritone sax, flute, clarinet Matt Hong: baritone sax, alto sax, flute Blue Lou Marini: tenor sax, soprano sax, flute, clarinet Matt Chertkoff: guitar Cecilia Coleman: piano Paul Shaffer: Hammond B-3 organ, Fender Rhodes electric piano Steve Count: electric and acoustic bass Scott Neumann: drums Julie Michels track 1, Carolyn Leonhart track 8: guest vocalists

Album information

Title: Smile | Year Released: 2020 | Record Label: Planet Arts Records

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