Sam Huber and the True Groove All-Stars lay down two very different sides of the Christmas canon with ‘A Soulful Christmas.’ First up is a fun and funky version of Albert King’s "Santa Claus Wants Some Lovin." Recorded and filmed during his live performance taping for UK digital broadcaster Stabal TV, Sam and the band, along with guests Jonathan Read and Su Robinson (from The Specials horn section), take the song beyond its holiday theme and create a groove that moves and transforms it into a timeless soul classic. "It’s a fun and sexy tongue-in-cheek bluesy soul piece," Huber comments. "When I started thinking about Christmas songs I knew I wanted to go outside the traditional box. I did some digging and found ‘Santa Claus Wants Some Lovin,’ and it jumped out at me right away. I sent it to Tomás (Doncker, Huber’s longtime producer and collaborator), who’s a huge Albert King fan, and he loved it. Having JR and Su on the track really gives it a Stax-y vibe that I love.”
Flipping the script in a very different direction is an intense take of Marvin Gaye’s controversial 'lost' Christmas song, "I Want To Come Home For Christmas." Originally recorded in 1972, arguably the height of his career and his political activism, the song was so somber it didn't see release until 1990, six years after his untimely death. “When I found this song it immediately resonated with me,” notes Huber. "As soon as I heard it, I thought about the conflict in Ukraine and how this song is chillingly, and sadly, very timely today.” "Taking on any Marvin Gaye song is always daunting," adds Doncker. "There's so much going on on multiple levels, but Sam killed it. I've worked with him for a long time and this is one of the most intense performances he's done." Even after it was 'buried,' "I Want To Come Home For Christmas" has become a song that would not die. It's found multiple lives, each unfortunately connected to armed conflict, but with each rebirth, particularly now, its poignancy looms ever larger.
From his secret sonic lab in downtown Helsinki, Finland, Sam Huber has built a career cross-pollinating musical touchstones from the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s with modern elements like hip-hop rhythms, trap beats, loops and more to create what he calls 'Future Funk.’
With over a dozen releases in the past five years, featuring collaborations with everyone from dancehall legend Hawkman to hiphop icon Bazerk and P-Funk alums Michael "Kidd Funkadelic" Hampton and Amp Fiddler, remixes by the likes of Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame inductee Keith Shocklee (The Bomb Squad/Public Enemy) and Grammy winning producer Bill Laswell, Huber is nothing if not prolific.
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