In 2007, Modern Groove Syndicate were at the top of their game and ready to stake their claim as a premiere act in that generous and fruitful overlap between the jazz and funk worlds. The Richmond, VA outfit was stacked with talent, and now with a decade of live performance experience and a highly successful and critically acclaimed release under their belt as a trimmed-down quartet (guitarist Frank Jackson departed after 2002’s self-titled debut), they were poised to rocket into bigger clubs, more festivals, more shows, and more success all around.
Turns out that success opened up a few detours. High praise from jazz and pop critics alike, a finalist nomination from the Independent Music Awards, and a spot on the charts in Japan for their 2003 release, Vessel, meant expectations for 2007’s Ms. Popular were high. The new album featured all of the rhythmic acrobatics, melodic hooks and harmonic sleight-of-hand that made Vessel so irresistible, but Ms. Popular was a more mature and organic album with a more cohesive sound…a surefire stepping stone to “the next step,” right?
But family, new musical fascinations, and the high-paying gig work that tends to ride along on the wave of success led the individual members on separate paths, and Ms. Popular turned out to be Modern Groove Syndicate’s last proper album.
Ghost Track Records is thrilled to feature Ms. Popular as our first of many reissue releases. Remixed by Curtis Fye and drummer Joel Denunzio and remastered for vinyl by Kim Rosen at Knack Mastering, this vinyl-only reissue boasts a wider sonic range, deeper lows and crisper highs than the original 2007 digital mix, and will remind listeners why Modern Groove Syndicate was (and is) such a dynamic powerhouse both on stage and in the studio.
Modern Groove Syndicate will be performing several shows in VA, NC, MD and DC to support the album’s release. The official release party is scheduled for Saturday 11/25 at The Camel in Richmond, VA, with more dates to be announced in the coming weeks and months. Follow @ghosttrackrecords and @moderngroovesyndicate on Instagram to stay up to date!
The band:
Daniel Clarke (Ryan Adams, k.d. lang, War on Drugs) – organ, clavinet, micro Korg, Moog, Rhodes, Wurlitzer, acoustic piano
Joel Denunzio – drums and percussion
Todd Herrington (Cris Jacobs, Mekong Express) – bass and percussion
JC Kuhl (Agents of Good Roots, Butcher Brown, The Revelators) – tenor, alto, bariton sax, flute, percussion, vocals
Track Listing:
Side 1
Soul Prostitution (3:10)
El Guapo (4:32)
Raleigh (3:17)
Sister Rose (4:45)
June Bug (3:31)
Bunky Flues (4:18)
Side 2
Miss Popular (5:06)
Original Mac (4:02)
Red Bean (5:14)
Kevin Simpson (3:46)
Long Necked Ducks (Attack of the) (2:43)
All songs copyright 2007, 2023 Modern Groove Syndicate
Vinyl reissue available in the following editions:
Black vinyl – 100 copies
Gold w/ red splatter vinyl – 200 copies
Crash cymbal swirl Heady Wax Fiends exclusive vinyl – 200 copies (available only through Heady Wax Fiends Records Club)
Original Album Credits:
Produced by Modern Groove Syndicate
Original mix by Modern Groove Syndicate with Stewart Myers
Original mastering by Fred Kevorkian
Originally recorded at Wishlist Recording Studios
Band photograph by Ashly Covington
Artwork by Kristiana Pärn
Album originally released on Commonwealth Records
Reissue Credits:
Executive Producer: Brian Gearing
Remixed by Curtis Fye & Joel Denunzio
Mastered for vinyl by Kim Rosen, Knack Mastering
Pressed at Blue Sprocket Pressing, Harrisonburg, VA