The Pimps Of Joytime
New York City, New York, United States
Music
Press
Fred Allen, one of the wittiest of all ‘40s radio comics, lamented that TV, which ended his career, was “chewing gum for the eyes.” Today’s more adventurous music lovers, sifting through Clear Channel chaff and Top 40 filler, can identify with Allen’s complaint. So much “music” is just “chewing gum for the ears.”
Wasn’t the Internet supposed to help with that? Wasn’t it supposed to open doors to distant rooms where original, impassioned music is being made without focus groups and marketing executives?
If you dig a little soul, funk and fun spicing your modern musical stew, I’ll save you some searching: Brian J & the Pimps of Joytime (http://heymrj.com and http://myspace.com/pimpsofjoytime) have just the recipe for you.
And no bubblegum flavoring.
Joytime’s MySpace page features “unreleased music” including “Joytime Radio.” The tune is a Warp Speed way to get foot-tappin’ happy; no one needed to tell me that Sly Stone was a big influence. Popped bass and plucked guitar top a cool keyboard groove, with vocals halfway between sung and spoken telling the tale with a relentless, tumble-forward energy.
I had to talk with this Brian J guy.
So I did. I told him what I thought about his genre-bending style: “Reviewers have a tough time putting you in the appropriate boxes, right? I mean, it’s ‘hip hop but not’ with wordplay that’s lyrical but educational, like rap, and with this New Orleans influence that keeps everything stirred up like gumbo.”
Oh, man. Creative writing class crap. “Help me here, Brian.”
“You’re doing a fine job,” he replied. “It started out as my thing, then when I collaborated with Black Pearl [sampler, percussion, harmony vocals] that brought in more hip-hop.” With gal pal Hagar Ben Ari on bass, Chauncy on congas and vocals, and Moe Roberts on drums, Joytime makes maximum use of every sonic element and musical influence.
At their site you can hear short clips of all 12 tracks from “Brian J & the Pimps of Joytime: The Album.” You’ll want to buy the CD, though, because it’s absolute torture to get only 10 seconds or so of “Hey Mr. J,” musical love child of Curtis Mayfield and War. The sly hip-hip doo-wop of “She Do” demands to be played loud and repeatedly, while “Love Music #4” is just about the perfect R&B ballad, with doubled vocals and a Tower of Power slow funk thump and all.
This package is tight, the arrangements are right and the future — well, the future should be bright. Right?
“We’d be playing more,” says Brian, “but [Black] Pearl is living in New Orleans so we only gig when the bucks are right. But we’re working on a fuller gig schedule, and this fall we want to hit the colleges.”
The most important thing to know about Joytime, Brian adds, is that “there’s nothing like the experience of our live show. We are a dynamic group of characters and create a cool presence on stage. The objective is to take the people higher. We don’t pimp ho’s, we pimp shows.”
freshoutmedia.com/author/erik/ - freshoutmedia
Discography
'High Steppin' is the debut album
'joytime radio' is the fallow up
an ep is set be released on wonderwheel records this fall
more info at
www.myspace.com/pimpsofjoytime
Photos
Bio
The Pimps Of Joytime
If you have yet to encounter the Brooklyn-based band, The Pimps of Joytime, prepare to take a funky ride! The PJT’s live events and recordings have captivated fans all across the country, as they have begun writing their own success story, show by show, and track by track.
Bandleader Brian J is a charismatic and soulful visionary, whose well-crafted songs invite the listener to enter a world of infectious dance grooves and indelible melodies. Spending formative years in New York City, New Orleans and Los Angeles, Mista J honed his craft, becoming an accomplished live performer, multi-instrumentalist and producer.
In 2005, Brian began to assemble a group of righteously soulful vocalists and musicians to assist in bringing to life the musical concept that would become The Pimps of Joytime. The band's diverse sound and spirited attitude is strongly influenced by the Brooklyn DJ culture and live music scene from which they emerge. Recent collaborations with legendary artists Cyril and Art Neville of the Neville Brothers and Roy Ayers have helped vitalize the band's connection to its roots.
Over the course of the past four years, The Pimps have evolved into a road tested and audience approved groove machine. They have excited crowds at over 100 club dates and festivals in 2009 alone, and are on target to exceed that volume in 2010. The exponential growth of the band's fan base can be partially attributed to an artful blend of musical styles, including elements of afrobeat, salsa, rock & roll and electronica. Brian J's classic songwriting and the band's undeniable swagger on stage consistently energizes dance parties wherever they appear.
In 2008, with their first studio album and a remix album released through the boutique label Wonderwheel Recordings, The Pimps of Joytime were prepared to take their career to the highest level. With a steadily increasing repertoire and a passionate following of music lovers in NYC and San Francisco, the time was right to fortify their organization. After seeing the band live, Jesse Aratow of the North American booking agency Madison House signed them on the spot.
The Pimps now has a significant following in other key markets such as, LA, DC, Denver, Chicago, Atlanta, Portland and New Orleans. The wall of their Facebook page is constantly receiving enthusiastic posts from fans across the USA as word of mouth further carries news of this fresh new arrival.
The Pimps of Joytime are poised to bring their audacious sound to savvy audiences around the planet. Their forthcoming album, “Janxta Funk!” is a new chapter in the book of the Funk and a testament to the fact that real music is alive and kicking!
Band Members
Links
