Over eight years ago Toby Pazner (Lee Fields & The Expressions, El Michels Affair) and a gruop of of New York City’s most sought after musicians were locked in Pazner’s bedroom in Brooklyn with a Tascam 388 tape machine, recording what would be the first 45 by a group he would fatefully call The Olympians. Both this and a follow-up 45 would be released on now defunct Truth & Soul Records.
While touring in Greece shortly after he was hit with a vision and dream of creating a “Temple of Sound,” and returned to NYC to complete his musical destiny. As a member of the Dapton family, Pazner called upon the best of the best to complete his ensemble and in the Spring of 2016, The Olympians was wholly manifested.
Pazner shared the fruit of his long venture with long time friends and co-owners of Daptone Records Gabriel Roth and Neal Sugarman who jumped at the opportunity to release it. From the cascading harps which open the “Sirens of Jupiter” to the driving horn coda of “Sagittarius By Moonlight,” The Olympians deliver a new sound all of its own: an ancient dream of far away Greece painted out in lush cinematic arrangements over the tough rhythm sounds that have become synonymous with the Daptone Stable of Musicians.
Featuring the talents of Thomas Brenneck (Menahan Street Band, Budos Band, Charles Bradley) Dave Guy (Tonight Show Band, The Dap-Kings,) Leon Michels (The Arcs, Lee Fields, El Michels Affair,) Nicholas Movshon (The Arcs, Lee Fields, El Michels Affair,) Homer Steinweiss (The Dap-Kings, The Arcs), Michael Leonhart (Musical Director for Steely Dan, David Byrne), Neal Sugarman (The Dap-Kings, Sugarman 3), Aaron Johnson (Antibalas, El Michels Affair), Evan Pazner (Lee Fields), and the maniacal wizardry of Pazner.
Check out “Sirens of Jupter” – the lead track off the new album below…guaranteed to blow you back in time and your mind…
