Back in February we were delighted to report on THE CALIFORNIA FUNK MACHINE, a soul collective that was marshalled by French-born, Los Angeles-based soul and jazz guitar man U-NAM. Other members of the “machine” included  bassist Freddie Washington, drummer Michael White, keyboardist Wayne Linsey (both ex-Maze) and vocalists  Marva King (ex-Stevie Wonder band), Frank Burke (ex-Heatwave) , Tony Tatum and Tom Owens… oh, and a full brass and string section! 

Their eponymous first album –  energized covers of  classic 70s and 80s funk, disco and soul classics – was critically acclaimed and sold well and the band is now busy working on a second volume. Ahead of that release, U-Nam and the gang have just released a taster single – an explosive take on Herbie Hancock’s 1983 blockbuster ‘Rockit’. 

You may remember that at the time, Rockit’ was a real ground breaker – featuring a distinctive scratch style which came courtesy of DJ Grand Mixer DXT. For this new version U-Nam calls on LA based DJ, composer, music producer, remixer, and sound designer DJ Puzzle to craft the same sort of vibe and to enhance   U-Nam’s dextrous and funky guitar work … he says: “May The Funk Be With U”! Amen!

https://www.soulandjazzandfunk.com/news/rockit-man/

Great start at #16 on the UK Top25 Soul Chart!

https://www.soultracks.com/first-listen-unam-california-funk-machine-stomp

(February 28, 2022) SoulTrackers are certainly familiar with multi-instrumentalist Emmanuel “U-Nam” Abiteboul, who has been lighting up the R&B charts for over a decade. U-Nam has made a reputation as a powerful player who has a love for the funk, dance and soul heydays of the 1970s and 80. 

All those loves come together on his new project and band, California Funk Machine. CFM is a collection of top tier artists who have come together to create a fiery hot album of covers of many of the most celebrated get-your-body-moving songs of the 70s and 80s, along with some hidden gems. And though he has brought in some incredible players, U-Nam is all over the project, playing rhythm guitars, talk box, vocoder,  moog bass, rhodes, clavinet, synth guitar, keyboards, and drums, as well as taking a vocal or two. 

California Funk Machine, Vol. 1 arrives on March 4, but we have a great sneak peek for SoulTrackers. “Stomp!” is an iconic dance single from The Brothers Johnson, written by Rod Temperton and produced by Quincy Jones. And CFM gives is a shiny new look, faithful to the original, but with a few twists that are keeping us listening, even while we dance in our seats. It features former Michael Jackson bass player Alex Al, and vocalist Frank Burke. 

Check out this great new take on “Stomp!” below, and get ready for more from California Funk Machine. 

By Chris Rizik 

U-Nam and California Funk Machine 
"Stomp!"

Listen exclusively on Soultracks.com

http://www.smooth-jazz.de/InFokus/CFM/Volume1.htm

Paris born guitar virtuoso Emmanuel “U-Nam” Abiteboul always had a great affinity for funk. This passion runs through his entire life's work and reaches its peak with the California Funk Machine. Volume I is a collection of selected pieces of funk history that brought it the greatest success and had a decisive impact on it. 

Ain't No Stopping Us Now is a song by American R&B duo McFadden & Whitehead and keyboardist Jerry Cohen from 1979. This super smash hit was already covered by the late Wayman Tisdale, Bobby Wells, Peter White and many more. U-Nam does his interpretation in a big way with multiple instrumentations and with the great singer Marva King who is known to us as the vocal accompanist of Phil Collins, Tupac Shakur, Prince, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Jimmy Cliff, Chaka Khan, and Lionel Richie. 

EWF had with September their ultimate top hit in 1978 with more than 2 million digital copies. U-Nam creates a cover which is close to the original and yet has the twist that makes it worth listening to as a novelty. The Brothers Johnson had a huge hit with Stomp! in 1980, perfectly recovered by Quincey Jones on Q's Jook Joint in 1995. Now comes U-Nam with his version bringing the song to explosion. 

Back in Stride is a 1985 charts storming song by Frankie Beverly and Maze. U-Nam ensures a high degree of authenticity for his rendition, in that he was able to win Wayne "Ziggy" Lindsey, the band's original keyboardist, and drummer Michael White, who has been with Maze for 21 years, for the recording. Ex-Maze bassist Freddie Washington and Tony Tatum provide the exciting vocal contribution. 

Give Me The Night was a tremendous success for guitar legend George Benson, certainly the peak of his career. U-Nam had already adapted this hit for his album Weekend In L.A. (A Tribute To George Benson). On this album, he comes up with two new versions at once, featuring the powerful-voiced singer Tim "TiO" Owens. 

Atlantic Star released the single Perfect Love in 1982 as part of their album Brilliance. When you recognize a certain similarity of this rendition to EWF and the Emotion'sBoogie Wonderland than is that no coincidence. Both songs are penned by the same multi-award winning songwriter Allee Willis. 

Act Like You Know by Fat Larry's Band came out in 1982 with the album Breakin' Out. With the long cover version recorded on this album, there is plenty of time to enjoy Unam's guitar improvisation as well. Al Jarreau's Boogie Down from the album Jarreau (1983) gets a new rocket stage with full ignition. 

Rod Temperton's Motor Mouth released by Herbie Hancock on his album Lite Me Up (1982) squints a bit after George Benson's Give Me The Night, which was released two years before. Unam does the impossible and adds a pinch of Nile Rodgers' guitar riffs. Fantasy, another famous Earth, Wind & Fire hit is served with great pleasure and accuracy. 

Unam intends to tour the California Funk Machine as an act. One can only recommend every promoter to book the whole package, because this album is a bomb. 

- HBH - Smooth-jazz.de  

SUNSHINE ON A STORMY MONDAY with U-NAM & CALIFORNIA FUNK MACHINE "Volume 1"

Non Stop Dancing with Emmanuel Abiteboul and his friends. The guitarist from Paris, who has been regularly providing well-off smooth jazz fans from California as U-Nam for some time, is shooting for his current projecton all soul funk wheels of art. The Funk is On! That's the motto. Appropriately motivated, Wayne Linsey, "Ready" Freddie Washington and Michael White get down to business, to which Tim Owens, Marva King, Tony Tatum and Frank Burke and the microphones get down to business, while the U-Nam itself uses guitars, various other musicians and am Vocoder pulls the strings and gives the funk monkey a lot of sugar. On top and all around, horns & strings let their beautiful sound prevail. Perfectly intoned, high-gloss and prepared in the house style. The program includes classics from the soul-feudal 70s and early 80s - Earth, Wind & Fire, Maze, Herbie Hnacock, Brothers Johnson, George Benson, Fat Larry's Band, McFadden & Whitehead or Atlantic Starr are completely re-dressed, still convince with the qualities of the originals and the freshly styled glitter power filled to the brim. Simply non-stop dancing.

https://www-sonicsoulreviews-com.translate.goog/2022/02/21/sunshine-on-a-stormy-monday-mit-u-nam-california-funk-machine-volume-1/?fbclid=IwAR3TWfjjdfV5aEIm4xBkWOLkMPAYiCaataTJtinCjD4nXkC1v7IVSYtWtn0&_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp

https://www.soulandjazzandfunk.com/news/california-souland-funk/

French-born, Los Angeles-based soul and jazz guitar man U-NAM (Emmanuel Abiteboul to his nearest and dearest) has just launched an exciting new project – THE CALIFORNIA FUNK MACHINE, a soul collective that includes players like bassist Freddie Washington, drummer Michael White, keyboardist Wayne Linsey (both ex-Maze) and vocalists  Marva King (ex-Stevie Wonder band), Frank Burke (ex-Heatwave) , Tony Tatum and Tom Owens. The team also includes full brass and string sections! 

These like-minded musicians have taken it upon themselves to breath new life into a collection of classic 70s and 80s funk, disco and soul classics like ‘Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now’, ‘Boogie Down’ and ‘September’. 

However, these covers aren’t  just faithful copies; a simple karaoke exercise if you would. Rather, with U-Nam producing and arranging as well as playing guitar (obviously), talk box, vocoder, Rhodes, clavinet and synth guitar, these faithful old soul and funk warhorses come on with new vigour, energy and impact. I guess a good way to describe what U-Nam’s California Funk Machine achieve is to say that they treat these classics with the respect they deserve but  add all sorts of new flourishes  and licks – notably lashings of George Benson style guitar – that open up new perspectives  to the familiar. 

And talking of Mr Benson, one of the focus tracks is a take on his ‘Give Me The Night’ on which U-Nam really takes flight. Vocalist here is Tom Owens. The album offers two mixes of the song  with one an extended tweak with an organic rap from Jeff Lacey. See what we mean by respectfully different?  There are also two mixes  of ‘Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now’. Marva King at the mic here  while Tim Owens also fronts the cool version of Fat Larry Band’s ‘Act Like You Know’. 

The other covers  on the 12 tracker are the Brothers Johnson’s  ‘Stomp’ (listen up to a U-Nam bass solo!), Herbie Hancock’s ‘Motor Mouth’, Atlantic Starr’s ‘Prefect Love’(fresh, sweet and lovely), EWF’s ‘Fantasy’ and Maze’s ‘Back In Stride’ – all sure to delight and surprise soul and funk aficionados. 

U-Nam is keen to take the California Funk Machine on the road but in the meantime enjoy the recorded music – good to go from the start of March. Good times guaranteed for all!

Look what just arrived! The CDs came out beautiful!!!

Make sure to get your copy now, it's a limited quantity for now!!!

After a few hours, already #1 Funk New Release on Amazon!!!