Ms. Popular Gets a Facelift
Ms. Popular Gets a Facelift
by Henry Lazenby
December 2023
Modern Groove Syndicate is a jazz fusion powerhouse out of Richmond, Virginia. In 2007 the band released Ms. Popular, which was both critically acclaimed and well received by jazz and pop enthusiasts, earning a finalist nomination from the Independent Music Awards. Ghost Track Records recently released a reissue of Ms. Popular : the tracks have been remixed by Curtis Fye and remastered for vinyl by Kim Rosen at Knack Mastering. The remastered edition is available at bandcamp.com (link above), and on vinyl for the first time.
“Soul Prostitution” opens the record. The tune begins in tension before exploding into funk soul goodness, featuring a lively drum beat alongside syncopated saxophone and organ. The song is chock full of tasty melodies that build to a spicy saxophone solo. After the solo, the tension reemerges along with a bevy of high energy auxiliary percussion, driving the song toward a dissonant, but well-resolved conclusion centered on the repetition of an earlier line.
The second track "El Guapo" is more laid back and sultry. The bawdy organ and flowing drum beat are sure to get the synapses firing. Early smatterings of saxophone and flute undergo further development, with the organ bringing it all together as the saxophone and flute collaborate on a catchy melody. A heavy organ transition and an interesting time signature change the feel, but the song remains grooving, easy to vibe with, and after a hot solo, the band transitions back to the initial texture to round it out.
"Raleigh" leaps from the speakers with a crackling melody syncopated by organ and saxophone. The song has a slight jazz-blues color that's danceable and makes me want to boogie! Horn and key solos are laced over the infectious grooves before a killer drum solo takes center stage. The song ends with a return to the crackling motif that opens this fun jamming tune.
One of the real treats of the album is the middle section, starting with "Sister Rose." The tune emerges in a chill mode, with a jazzy ballad feel. The saxophone shines, providing the melodic content over which the gospel progression is laid. The clavinet adds a tasty accoutrement, while the drumming stays sharp and always in the pocket. "June Bug" follows with some insane bass guitar reminiscent of Victor Wooten. After the intro, the song flows into a pleasing vamp, one of those where the organ holds down one note or chord, with just a few short changes on the tail—that droning organ grooves so hard to me; then there is some sweet interchange between a synth and the saxophone that creates an acid jazz groove that carries the remainder of the song. The sixth track, "Bunky Flues," hits the nail on the head with a slow, almost spooky take on the blues progression that makes use of a little divergence on the turnaround. The gritty drums and low register bass create an old-timey feel that rouses my sense of nostalgia.
The near-title track "Miss Popular" creates a unique time feel with a Medeski, Martin, and Wood sound. The organ is intense and slightly distorted before digressing into a nice groove for the saxophone to lay an amazing solo over. The song takes some intrepid twists and turns, giving it a trippy feel before it returns to driving jazz fusion. As it concludes, the drummer launches into an energetic solo just before the fades out.
"Original Mac" portends to be a jazz fusion epic with a big band feel. The drums and bass are hard driving, then the rest of the instruments join in, leading to some nice breaks highlighted by intriguing organ tones. As the song progresses, we are greeted with a heavily distorted organ solo that demands attention. The breaks return with a surprisingly industrial feel before the saxophone solo howls from the speakers. I could not stop nodding my head or help making that stankface while jamming this song.
Ms. Popuar closes with a trio of powerhouse tunes. Featuring a soulful melody and droning organ, "Red Bean" is emblematic of the driving funk at the heart of the record's sound. The penultimate track, "Kevin Simpson," delivers a pleasing neo-soul ambience. Although I think of D’Angelo upon listening, the song has a fierce uniqueness, with the instruments playing the part of the vocalist. The odd time feel adds another enjoyable wrinkle. The final track "Long Naked Ducks" sends us home to a mischievous funk soul party. The attack of horns and organ instantly reminds me of the sound a duck would make if sailing through outer space, and is the perfect gem to show us the way out.
I realized as I listened that the instruments play the role of vocalist so well that I don't even miss a singer on Ms. Popular. To my hearing, the entire record is a masterpiece made by master musicians replete with hard driving funk soul goodness from start to finish—and now remastered to enhance that crisp vinyl sound. Modern Groove Syndicate will play in Roanoke, Virginia on Friday, December 29, 2023, at Martin's Downtown.
The band is Daniel Clarke (Ryan Adams, k.d. lang, War on Drugs) on organ, clavinet, micro Korg, Moog, Rhodes, Wurlitzer, acoustic piano;
Joel Denunzio on drums and percussion;
Todd Herrington (Cris Jacobs, Mekong Express); on bass and percussion; and
JC Kuhl (Agents of Good Roots, Butcher Brown, The Revelators) on tenor, alto, and baritone sax, flute, percussion, and vocals. <>