Winnipeg, Canada is never mentioned as a hotbed of soul music. So it stands to reason that vocalist and songwriter Erik Athavale – who performs simply under his family name (pronounced "Ah-Tuv-Lay") – brings a unique spin to the R&B genre.
Athavale’s debut album Devoted teases multiple genres – with electro funk, rock and jazz sensibilities – while staying firmly rooted in soul. For the recording sessions, Athavale enlisted some of the strongest players in Winnipeg, a scene renowned for its musicianship. As a result, Devoted has a live, off-the-floor foundation, resulting in an unselfconscious groove that rides nicely in the pocket behind his distinctive vocals.
Athavale’s arresting tone, clear and controlled, can stop you in your tracks. You think you’ve heard it before – Adam Levine, Daryl Hall, Mick Hucknall, classic – but then you’ve never heard it like this. He owns it. His art is his voice. The songs connect. The lyrics are personal. They humanize the singer and forge a relationship with the listener. No word is wasted. Athavale’s style can be playful, pensive,funky and charming, but above all, it doesn’t follow a template. It’s timeless, and anything but disposable.
Two tracks from the album, “Bounce†and “The Night We Metâ€, enjoy wide rotation on contemporary radio in Winnipeg. Athavale is also currently working on a video treatment for “Bounce†– a tune about falling down and getting back up again – for release in early 2009.
With multiple performances logged in Winnipeg, the national release of Devoted has Athavale looking beyond his hometown borders. The past year's schedule included a performance at the New Music West Festival in Vancouver, and the singer looks to become a fixture on the Canadian jazz festival circuit in the near future.
Athavale’s Devoted is distributed across Canada by EMI Music Canada / Maximum Music Group .
You can purchase ATHAVALE merchandise using your PayPal account, or by emailing [email protected]!
Purchase Athavale's debut album "Devoted" through EMI Music Canada / Maximum Music Group .
ATHAVALE: Unisex T-Shirt (Am. App. / men’s sizing)
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