Table 4 5ive is a funky, soulful jazz group dedicated to creating a new kind of jazz, free of past cliches, full of infectious beats and improvisation, presented in a free flowing (but not too smooth!) format that invites the listener to both chill out and move!
The group was conceived by Bluejean, who lays down grooves over which his collaborator, multi-reedist Jeff "Houndog" Schiller plays saxes, flutes and clarinets in various combinations creating melodies, hooks and solo material. The resulting tunes are irresistable!
Bluejean, a Brooklyn-born musician, has been playing bass, guitar, drums and keyboards since age of 9. He has played in numerous bands and produced dance, club and house music, scoring Billboard hits in the dance markets of the 80's and 90's. Also Helen Bruner's "Give me real love." An House club CD, 250 Lbs. of Blue,"Jouney into a Blue Soul"on eightball/wea/lightyear records. In 2000, Bluejean took his music in a jazzier direction releasing the group's first CD, "No Reservations", getting a rave review in Billboard Magazine.
Houndog is a freelance musician and composer from New York City who has toured all over the world, performed on many tv and radio jingles, in over a dozen Broadway shows, and with a wide range of pop, jazz, swing and classical groups. His website is houndogschiller.com .
Table 4 5ive has played in numerous New York City clubs including Wilsons, Caviarteria, The 55 Bar, Lolas, The Bubble Lounge and The Soul Café just to name a few.
They have just released their second CD 2 Hip 2 B Smooth, which is available in stores, on the web ( cdbaby.com , cdfreedom.com , jazzreview.com ) and directly from the group. Buy from Table 4 5ive and receive a free poster and be on their guest list!
Send a money order for $13.00(CD) + $2.00(s/h) to:
Table 4 5ive
c/o Bluemoon Productions
P O B 361
NYC NY 10012
(e-mail to confirm your order, all orders via USA postal service)
You can also order with Paypal:
Check out and purchase their first CD "No Reservations":
cdbaby.com.
For Bookings e-mail us: [email protected]
Venues :
treblenation.com. ,
REVIEWED BY
Table 4 5ive
"2 Hip 2 B Smooth"
[Blue U Music, 2006]
Reviewed by Rob Young
Date: August, 2006 [11 Tracks 57:38 Total Spin Time]
Are you ready to escape from the glitz and glamour of radio friendly jazz? If so, I recently stumbled across this fabulous duo from New York called Table 4 5ive. From the first note, on they're second recording "2 Hip 2 B Smooth" it become apparent that their grooves are yoked by the rapture of infectious, soulful, and funky in your face contemporary jazz!The concept of "Table 4 5ive" was formulated by the groove merchant Bluejean, he conjures up a tasty mix of grooves along with his colleague multi-reedist Jeff "Houndog" Schiller. Jeff plays saxophones, and a host of wind instruments including flutes and clarinets wrapped in various tones creating a tapestry of melodies, hooks, and textures.Out the box, the gifted New York duo Table 4 5ive assembles the perfect balance of phat grooves as co-leader Bluejean serves up some rhythmic flavors on the drumkit on the title track. In the meantime, reedist Jeff "Houndog" Schiller struts his stuff and gets seriously funky on the baritone sax. Joined together at the hip this duo lays down the deadly combination of funk, jazz and flow therefore creating a atmosphere for whats about to unfold on their second album and the title track 2 Hip 2 B Smooth.The duos cohesive voice comes straight to the point old school flavor from back in the day as illustrated on Joyces Juke Joint. Now, if youre ready to jam this joint is straight up nasty!Table 4 5ive cut their teeth by playing at variety of venues around New York City including Wilsons, Caviarteria, The 55 Bar, Lolas, The Bubble Lounge, and The Soul Café. The club vibe experience is captured at the core of their sound on 2 Hip 2 B Smooth, the duo speaks a diverse language that contains a hefty potion of hip, pulsating and challenging sounds for music lovers everywhere to embrace with each beat!There's also a wealth of influences from the soul jazz era of the sixties reinforced only by a continuum of their offbeat rhythms and colors that vibrate with each riff, beat, and define solo. Table 4 5ives second helping 2 Hip 2 B Smooth, is indeed a welcomed addition to my music collection and it will be the same for you once you hear this awesome duo.
ALSO REVIEWED :
The Run-Off Groove ..117: Who's In The Audience Tonight?
http://www.musicforamerica.org/node/110128
Table 4 5ive is a duo consisting of Bluejean and Jeff "Hounddog" Schiller, and 2 Hip 2 B Smooth (B-Jazzin' Recordings) may be an accurate way to describe their brand of jazz and funk. It is smooth, no doubt, but not to the point of being comatose.Bluejean and Hounddog are multi-instrumentalists, with each one playing at least four instruments (Hounddog is credited with eight). Fans of the Prince side-project Madhouse will definitely appreciate this, in fact when Hounddog plays the baritone saxophone it may sound a bit like the style of jazz Eric Leeds played in "Girls And Boys". To my ears, they keep things relatively controlled, nothing ever gets too out there or free, it's very stylized funk/jazz. In fact, it's the kind of music that would also do very well as incidental music for television shows and movies, which isn't a bad thing considering how much in demand that kind of music is. Two of the album's eleven songs feature an additional member helping out, yet what these two musicians are able to make together makes it sound as if there are about eight people in the studio. My favorites include "Raw Aires", "Brooklyn Junction", "5 Spot", and the title track. Anyone who supports good music, good musicians, and good musicianships will not be let down by this effort.
FROM THE UK:
TABLE 4 5IVE - TO HIP TO BE SMOOTH
This quintet sound like a cross between Down to the Bone and the Holland Tunnel Project. If you like your Jazz with that funky infusion then this CD will hit the spot. From the gutsy dirge-like groove of the title song to the flowing Jazz Funk of 'Joyce's Juke Joint, the tracks keep flowing. 'Brooklyn Junction' has an infectious uptempo dance beat, whilst the driving horn led 'Blue Lounge' is a real corking dancer.
ALSO REVIEW BY,
TABLE 4 5IVE
2 Hip 2 B Smooth
The title's definitely right, because these guys are certainly too hip to be smooth -- and avoid any cliches of contemporary instrumental soul by heading for the funkier side of the spectrum! There's definitely some smooth elements in here -- but the overall production style is nicely grittier! Neo Soul (CD)
ALSO JAMMIN OUR GROOVES IS THE MAN HIMSELF
They're not only 2 Hip 2 Be Smooth, they're also 2 Cool 2 Ignore! Table 4 5ive brings warm production, mad chops, and excellent songs to the party, and you won't be disappointed by their delicious menu. Cooled out grooves for maxin' and relaxin', and bangin' head bobbers to flip the domes of even the most diehard hip hoppers. I highly recommend this CD to lovers of jazz, soul, and urban soundscapes. It rocks my radio show and laces my club gigs!
Rafe Gomez
Host/dj - The Groove Boutique (NYC)
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The TABLE 4 5IVE Funky Jazz Lovers!
