West Coast boogaloo legends The Greyboy Allstars have just released “Boxes”, the third and final single from their forthcoming album, Grab Bag: 2007-2023.
Due out November 22nd, the new collection features nine previously unreleased tracks culled from the band’s archives, plus an innovative instrumental soul-jazz arrangement of Michael Jackson‘s “The Way You Make Me Feel”.
Following previous singles “Slip the Grip” and “Suadela”, “Boxes” underscores The Greyboy Allstars’ refusal to be put in a box stylistically, showcasing a mastery of multiple genres as they tactfully shift between an uptempo, Coltrane-esque jazz waltz and a funky blues shuffle, with some elements of hard bop thrown in too.
“This is my attempt at writing a Wayne Shorter type tune,” keyboardist Robert Walter said of the track. “It has a long form with chord changes and is a great way to collectively improvise using the shape of the song as a road map. It’s a modern take on jazz techniques from the 1960s.”
Listen to “Boxes” below or on your preferred streaming platform:
The Greyboy Allstars – “Boxes”
Born out of San Diego’s underground scene as the “Allstars” of DJ Greyboy’s rare groove label, The Greyboy Allstars quickly became a force in the modern music landscape. As individual musicians, the members of GBA have carved out impressive careers of their own. Guitarist Elgin Park (Michael Andrews) has become a well-known composer, scoring everything from Donnie Darko to the animated Pharrell Williams documentary Piece by Piece. Keyboardist Robert Walter has toured with legends like Roger Waters and Mike Gordon, all while leading his own band, 20th Congress. Saxophonist Karl Denson splits his time between his project, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, and playing sax for The Rolling Stones. Meanwhile, bassist Chris Stillwell and drummer Aaron Redfield have made their mark as go-to session players, working with the likes of Elton John, Sia, and CeeLo Green.
Despite their packed individual schedules, the band remains committed to its collective sound. When sessions for the group’s next album were put on hold due to tour commitments, the band decided to dig into its vault of unreleased material. Many of the tracks on Grab Bag had been staples of GBA’s live shows but had never made it onto previous albums, either because they were too experimental or simply didn’t fit the vibe of earlier projects. Now, these songs are finally seeing the light of day, giving fans a deeper look into the band’s more daring sonic landscapes.
The Greyboy Allstars just kicked off a tour with shows in Colorado and California, offering fans a now-rare opportunity to catch the band in its live element. Following performances in Boulder and Santa Cruz, they will be in Oakland, CA on the night the album drops before continuing on to San Francisco (11/23) and rounding out the run with two nights at Belly Up in Solana Beach (11/29–11/30). The band also has a gig in February at The Lodge Room in Los Angeles. Tickets for all shows are on sale now. Visit the band’s website for more details and pre-order Grab Bag here.
The Greyboy Allstars Tour Dates:
Nov 9, 2024 – Boulder, CO – Boulder Theater
Nov 21, 2024 – Santa Cruz, CA – Moe’s Alley
Nov 22, 2024 – Oakland, CA – The New Parish
Nov 23, 2024 – San Francisco, CA – The Independent
Nov 29, 2024 – Solana Beach, CA – Belly Up
Nov 30, 2024 – Solana Beach, CA – Belly Up
Feb 7, 2025 – Los Angeles, CA – Lodge Room
The post The Greyboy Allstars Play Outside The Box On “Boxes”, Final Single From Upcoming Album [Listen] appeared first on L4LM.
