Shaolin Temple Defenders
Shaolin Temple Defenders
From Deep Soul To New Funk
As honorable heirs of the 60’s & 70’s Soul Funk movement, the Shaolin Temple Defenders stay true to this tradition while extending their influences towards current musical moods.
‘At a time when the Western world is developing technologies which shorten every moment of our lives as if to accelerate our deaths, our Shaolin monks have decided to slow down the pace.’ They wish to push things forward in time but they want to keep a more organic rhythm in order to stay close to Nature’s cycle. This desire has found expression in a musical world which combines classic Soul & Funk with modern urban grooves.
According to this quest for a musical balance, they now present their 3rd and new album ‘Take It Slow’ set for release on Soulbeats Records.
After working in Leeds(UK) on their previous album under the musical supervision of Eddie Roberts(New Mastersounds), this time the band hired the services of Patchworks(Mr President, Uptown Funk Empire, Mister Day..) for both the mixing and mastering processes. As a groove scientist, he has managed to enhance the density of their sound which is illustrated by the original artwork of Mr Day. The record features Gift Of Gab, the talented and experienced MC from Blackalicious, who delivers his highly-recognizable rap style on the title track, ‘Take It Slow’, recorded in Oakland, CA, but also a good deal of the Bordeaux music scene(The Jouby’s, Gang Of Divas…). Always interested in new musical experiences, our faithful monks have shared their love for Soul with artists such as MARTHA HIGH, Dionne Charles, as well as The Dynamics, a band from Lyon that has recorded a Jamaican-styled remix of the single, ‘International Soul’.
The Shaolin Temple Defenders keep on preserving the temple of Soul, now armed with greater inspirations. In particular, one may enjoy the versatility and the charisma of their vocalist, Lion Of Bordeaux, who is also the leader of the Soul Revolution Project. 6 tracks playlisted on the BBC 6 in 2009 on the Craig Charles show and a national presence that appealed to media such as TF1, France O, RFO, Arte, Trace Tv , MCM, France 3, FIP, France Bleu, Vibrations, World Sound, Blues Magazine, Longueur d’Ondes, SoulBag Mag, Soul R&B, WeGofunk, Fonkadelica…
The band has been touring for 5 years: Montreal International Jazz Festival, Francofolies of La Rochelle, Bobital festival, Italian Tours, Switzerland, Olympia Bruno Coquatrix opening for Sly & The Family Stone…Their talent and the faith in their music become fully dimensional when they take to the stage. The audience is given far more than just a mere live show. Actually, they provide the attendants with incredible stage performances in which the ‘Raw FUNK Boogaloo spirit of The Shaolin Temple Defenders’ explode.
Without the Shaolin Temple Defenders, there would not be any Soul Funk revival in France!!!!- Previous Next
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Chapter I : Enter The Temple
A first album which appears as a explosive cocktail of soul and funk. The first seconds of the CD give the tone of this energetic group: A t...
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Chapter II : Gettin' The Spirit
The second chapter of their discography, ‘Gettin’ The Spirit’, is to be released in February 2009 on Soulbeats Records/M’A Prod/ Discograph....
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International Soul
As the hard-boiled keepers of an authentic Soul legacy, the Shaolin Temple Defenders blow a breath of fresh air on the French musical sounds...
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Take It Slow
After working in Leeds(UK) on their previous album under the musical supervision of Eddie Roberts(New Mastersounds), this time the band hire...
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