Heavytones – Songs That Didn´t Make It To The Show
With its album ‘Songs That Didn’t Make It To The Show’, the all-out TV band Heavytones is finally emerging from the TV sidelines. The 8-piece band has been digging deep in the treasure chest of jazz, pop und funk.
For all musicians, songs are the starting point: whether on the guitar, piano or voice, they cover them, empathise with them, make them their own. The Heavytones have covered and accompanied innumerable songs, from the hits of ubiquitous radio stars to classics sung by Lionel Richie, Michael Bublé or James Brown all the way to delicate numbers by artists taking their first steps in the music world. It’s a vast pool of songs they are drawing from.
This is perhaps also one of the biggest misconceptions about this band. There is a reason why they are chosen to accompany the stars. They have to be thoroughly prepared, analyse and know the music inside out, rearrange it for smaller ensembles and maybe transcribe certain sections as well as doing the odd quick rehearsal under time pressure. On top of this, they have to be discerning and technically top-class musicians to transform a performance into a real show. This is the training ground where a group of musicians really gel together, the kind of work that turns them into a genuine band. Maybe not the classic route to take – but most certainly an eminently viable one.
With this wealth of experience to draw upon, the Heavytones went into the recording studio in October. On their music stands, alongside one handpicked cover song, sat their own compositions, all of them emphasising the strengths of the band: the tight playing, groovy beats and catchy hook lines which spring from the musicians’ unconditional trust in each other as well as their incredibly rich talent for arranging and performing music. On ‘Songs That Didn’t Make It To The Show’, the Heavytones casually demonstrate the full range of their mastery. Curtains up!
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