Montreal’s funk/soul/jazz band The Brooks release their new album Any Day Now today via Duprince (North America, South America & Africa) and Underdog Records (Europe, Asia & Oceania).
Any Day Now has been hailed as “soul therapy” by MOJO and featured on Clash Music, CBC The Strombo Show, BBC’s Janice Long and Chris Hawkins. Named the “best kept secret of Canadian funk” by La Presse, The Brooks are a band of accomplished musicians, well-known in the soul/funk scene across the Atlantic. The Brooks are fronted by the icon that is Alan Prater. the Florida-born musician who has toured with Michael Jackson and the band itself was born behind the walls of the legendary Motown Museum thanks to bassist Alexandre Lapointe, who has worked alongside such artists such as Joel Campbell (musical director for Tina Turner and Janet Jackson). Prater and Lapointe are joined by Maxime Bellavance (drums), Philippe Look (guitar & vocals), Daniel Thouin (keyboard), Sébastien Grenier (saxophone), Hichem Khalfa (French trumpet), and Philippe Beaudin (percussion).
50 years of African American music are condensed in the band’s aesthetic. In their live shows and in their records, you can hear James Brown’s meticulousness, D’Angelo’s delightfulness, Fela Kuti’s radiance, Herbie Hancock’s intergenerational openness, and J. Dilla’s innovative spirit.
These heroes of music didn’t let rules and trends dictate their messages, and neither do The Brooks. Just like these history makers, they built their reputation with sweat and rigor, outside of conventional channels.
Over 8 years and with an EP and two albums, they have already won many awards and nominations including GAMIQ, Independent Music Awards, and ADISQ. The Brooks’ philosophy is based on art in its rawest form, on perfectionism in musical practice. The choices they make and the directions they take are motivated mostly by instinctive feelings. Together they are united in a project where pleasure and complete artistic freedom are the only key words.
