Finnish drummer/Producer Teppo "Teddy Rok" Mäkynen returns with his
alias The Stance Brothers. Lauded by the likes of Kenny Dope and Gilles
Peterson, Mäkynen's studio creation has been visible on the 7" format
during the recent years. Now, Mäkynen is back with a full LP, the
project's first in more than 10 years. Duktus is a treasure-trove for
everyone into crunchy jazz funk à la Bob James & CTI, but this is no
retro exercise. Teddy Rok moves forward in all directions, constantly
bringing new elements into his sound, which is more layered and deep
than ever before. At the same time, the crunch & the breaks are
there when you need them.
The basic core of The Stance Brothers is to be solo studio vehicle for
Teppo Mäkynen to experiment across a varied instrumentation and musical
ideas. After the project's celebrated first album (Ricky-Tick Records,
2007), The Stance Brothers took to the stage as well, creating one of
the most beloved live outfits of recent history in the Helsinki scene.
Now, after more than 10+ years of time spent in releasing one
hard-hitting 7" after the other, The Stance Brothers are back, both on
the record and live on stage.
Whereas the Stance 7" sides are often dominated by crunchy drums and crystal clear vibraphone melodies, the new album
sounds broadens up into a more synth-heavy, "postmodern" realm, taking
its space in a form resembling a mixtape. The funk is there, but Mäkynen
is sensitive to the fact that an LP is not a 7", and the ideas take
their shape accordingly. Guest voices float in and out of the mix,
blending in anonymously, true to the low-key spirit of the studio
operation.
Inspiration: Roy Ayers, Mizell Brothers, Bobby Hutcherson, Cesar
Mariano, Patrice Rushen, George Duke, Madlib's Mind Fusion Mixtapes.
Tracklist:
1. Duktus
2. Again
3. King Cesar
4. Sao Paolo
5. Deeper Tones
6. Raw Diamond
7. Further East
8. Futuristic Earth
9. Denny's Beauty
10. Dam Reyes
11. Attraction