Strokeland Superband - Bumped Up To First Class (2007)

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Strokeland Superband - Bumped Up To First Class (2007)

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Best known as a founding member of Tower of Power and a prodigious songwriter, Stephen 'Doc' Kupka has once again pulled together the best of the best for this Strokeland Records release. Founded in 1998, Strokeland Records has become the launch pad for the Strokeland Superband, a project featuring a revolving set of world-class musicians with ties to Tower of Power and other Strokeland bands.
Bumped Up to First Class is the Strokeland Superband returning to its roots. Doc's original formula of "sharing the musical goodies" with big names has come around again, much to the delight of the fans. The album opens with the funky "It Is What It Is," sung by legendary front man Edgar Winter, featuring a kick-ass Hammond B-3 solo by Chester Thompson of Tower of Power and Santana fame. "Colin Powell" takes an upbeat, tongue-in-cheek approach to our current political situation by asking "When will Colin Powell write his tell-all book?" The album also features several ballads. "All of the Above" is a love song to that special someone thanking them for all of their positive attributes. "Soulful Kind of Love" brings to mind some of the classic ballads that have made Doc one of the most memorable songwriters of his generation. The rest of the album contains a plethora of amazing tunes that are guaranteed to get you on your feet. You'll find a mixture of soul, blues, Latin, and funk that gets your feet tapping, your fingers snapping, and your head bobbing. Doc has wowed us again with his ability to modulate at any time, in any direction, and be completely interesting musically.
Working with co-producer and former Tower of Power guitarist Jeff Tamelier, Doc has assembled a stellar group of artists to record this new musical endeavor. Doc credits Jeff with bringing together all of this talent and making it cohesive. Bumped Up to First Class features outstanding lead vocals by Mike Finnigan (Crosby, Stills and Nash), Huey Lewis (Huey Lewis & the News), Alex Ligertwood (Santana), Lydia Pense (Lydia Pense & Cold Blood), Fred Ross, John Lee Sanders, Edgar Winter, and the late Frank Biner.