Philip Lassiter
With 'Live in Love', trumpeter-composer-arranger Philip Lassiter mixes socio-political messaging with humorous, earthy storytelling and some forays into old school funk inspired by James Brown along with detours into one-drop reggae, an eerie hoodoo number and a dreamy, romantic love song. Lassiter's latest album is a triumph of deep groove, swaggering horns and soul-stirring vocal performances.
Multi-faceted, multi-instrumentalist bandleader Philip Lassiter has been knee-deep in funk since his days as trumpeter and horn arranger in Prince’s New Power Generation. Born in Mobile, Alabama, the son of a Pentecostal preacher, he gravitated to the thriving Dallas music scene, where he came under the wing of mentors keyboardists Bernard Wright, Bobby Sparks and saxophonist Keith Anderson. He also connected in Dallas with Snarky Puppy bassist and founder, Michael League.
Following his tenure on the Texas gospel scene, Lassiter spent four years in Nashville, where he collaborated with saxophonist Jeff Coffin and also regularly jammed with Future Man and the Wooten brothers. He next moved to New York City, where he spent two years recording and performing with gospel groups, before hooking up with Prince, a life-changing gig that would last three years and result in him arranging for the 11-piece New Power Generation horns. Lassiter subsequently moved to Los Angeles, where he formed Philthy, a 14-piece band he led which was inspired by the music of Prince, P-Funk and Earth, Wind & Fire. With one foot firmly planted in old school funk, Lassiter confidently strides somewhere else on each of the ten tracks of ‘Live in Love’. “You hear a lot of hip-hop blended with jazz nowadays and also neo-soul blended with jazz,” he said. “But, I don’t know that I’ve heard a whole lot of large ensemble neo-soul/hip-hop/jazz. That’s what we do.”
Line-Up:
Philip Lassiter: trumpet, keyboard & vocals
Josje: vocals
Jordy Kalfsvel: keyboards
Glenn Gaddum: bass
Richie Reichgelt: guitar
Niek De Bruijn: drums
Alvaro Jiménez: trumpet
