Remember the good old days, when jazz-fusion wasn't all about showing off your chops, it was more about creating sweeping moods and the importance of songwriting? Well the Bombastic Meatbats certainly remember those days. Having studied the classic early-to-mid 70's recordings of such fusion greats as Return to Forever and Jeff Beck, the group which includes Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee/Grammy winning drummer, Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Chickenfoot), Keyboardist Ed Roth (Sophie B. Hawkins, Coolio, Brothers Johnson), guitarist Jeff Kollman (Jill Scott, Glenn Hughes), and bassist Kevin Chown (George Benson, Uncle Kracker), continues to reinvent and introduce the jazz genre to a new generation of fans.
The Bombastic Meatbats' current third album release, "Live Meat and Potatoes," was recorded at the renowned Los Angeles jazz haunt, The Baked Potato. It features live versions of songs from their first two studio releases, "Meet the Meatbats" (an iTunes Top 10 Jazz Album) and "More Meat" (iTunes Top 10 Jazz Album & Billboard Top 25 Jazz Album).
Chad Smith originally crossed paths with Kollman and Roth via their mutual associations with singer/bassist Glenn Hughes (Smith, Kollman, and Roth act as his solo band). Through jam sessions the trio developed an instant chemistry and Kollman suggested that Kevin Chown would be the perfect four-string fit. Voila!...the Meatbats were born. Their funky compositions are typically written while the band jams in the infamous Malibu Tiki Room at Chad's home in Malibu. The origin of the songs are all a bit different; it could start with a drum groove, bass line, or Ed Roth key progression.
The Bombastic Meatbats are already leaving their mark on musicians around the world with tribute bands popping up in both Japan and South America. Numerous critical accolades include Spin Magazine, "The music is crammed with enough thrilling tracks to give Phish-heads a contact high" and Rolling Stone noting, "There is a heavy 70's fusion vibe (a la vintage 'Return to Forever')." Anti-Music says, "This is super-charged music that runs the gamut of moods...Chad and the guys are pouring their joy of music out through each and every note," while Ultimate Guitar remarks, "Bombastic Meatbats were born and are now delivering the monstrous dose of funk that has been missing for a while. This is one act that shouldn't remain under the radar."
With an overabundance of funk, rock, and fusion at their disposal, the Bombastic Meatbats continue to elevate "daddy's jazz" to a whole new level, or as Ed Roth sums it up in exactly five words, "Sexy. Funky. Heavy. Forbidden Fun." We couldn't have said it better ourselves. Catch Bombastic Meatbats featuring Chad Smith performing December 6-9, 2012, at the Iridium, 1650 Broadway (at 51st), New York, NY, 10019, 212.582.2121. http://www.WarriorRecords.com/bombasticmeatbats/
