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Cultural Capital

by Sexmob

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1.
Street 02:53
2.
Step Apache 05:49
3.
Bari Si 03:56
4.
Helmland 04:39
5.
4 Cents 03:00
6.
Syrup 03:07
7.
Giant Minds 03:15
8.
Valentino 04:54
9.
Golden House 06:23
10.
Lacy 01:14
11.
Hear You 04:40
12.
SF 03:10
13.
Briggan 01:07

about

Cultural Capital is the eighth Sexmob album, and the first in four years. It manages to be both a glowing embodiment of the band's style and something of a departure, at least in one respect. While Sexmob has always been known for those reinterpretations of familiar tunes, from Prince's "Darling Nikki" to Paul McCartney's "Live and Let Die," this album is the first to consist entirely of Bernstein originals, in an earthy range of styles.

Whatever that frame of reference — from parlor-esque jazz rumba on "Step Apache" to Sun Ra-style exotica on "Hear You" — the music holds true to the proprietary Sexmob sound, which hasn't really changed in 20 years. (To be clear: that's a good thing.)

Wollesen and Scherr (who have deep experience as a rhythm team even outside the band, with guitarist Bill Frisell and others) know how to bring tension and unpredictability to any groove. And Bernstein's hookup with Krauss is still a rugged yet reactive thing: Hear how naturally they move in and out of bleary sync on "Bari Si," over a fat, swinging beat.

There are other nods to the jazz tradition on Cultural Capital, including "Lacy," a nifty tribute to soprano saxophonist Steve Lacy, one of Bernstein's heroes. "Golden House," with its second-line strut and bouncy horn riff, evokes the modern-day Preservation Hall Jazz Band — at least for the first four minutes, before it steps through a side door.

At this point, Sexmob is a collective ideal, as much as it is a band (or a brand). Every member has other affiliations, both as a leader and a sideman, but their vibe together remains distinct. Nobody else sounds like this band. And it's no small marvel that Bernstein's crew can still make it feel like a fresh idea. - NPR First LIsten

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released April 14, 2017

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Steven Bernstein New York, New York

An impactful presence on the New York scene over the past 30 years, trumpeter, composer, arranger and bandleader Steven Bernstein has immersed himself in such a wide array of music with his bands Sexmob, Millennial Territory Orchestra, Diaspora Soul, Universal Melody Brass Band, Spanish Fly, Blue Campfire and the Butler-Bernstein Hot 9 that he defies easy categorization. ... more

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