Naughty Professor, a New Orleans-based jazz-funk sextet, is an iconoclastic jazz-funk group whose innovative recordings and high-energy live performances have won them a large fan base and critical acclaim.
Naughty Professor has become a favorite live act thanks to their tireless roadwork. The band fuses complex, original compositions with loose, organic improvisation to honor their hometown’s brass-band, jazz, and R&B traditions. They also look forward.
Naughty Professor increases the stakes with its new album Identity. Release date May 5, 2017. Identity, which is the fifth album from the band, showcases their ability to self-contained instrumental experimentation. Identity sees them team up with more than a dozen of the most innovative collaborators. Their vocal, instrumental, and compositional contributions take the music into new musical territory.
Identity’s distinguished gallery includes Jurassic 5’s Chali2na. She’s featured on two tracks, “Darker Daze”, and “Sugar Coat.” The album also features Ivan Neville’s contributions. David Shaw, a member of the Revivalists, lends his vocals to “Stray” while Dexter Gilmore, a singer/guitarist, contributes to “I Can’t sleep at Night”. Other special collaborators include Mike Dillion, Mike Bloom of Lettuce, and Sasha Masakowski, a jazz vocalist and trumpet player. Soul Rebels are a New Orleans horn group that cranks up the brass on “Funk 4 Lunch”.
Sam Shahin, drummer for Naughty Professor, says that they are more than guests. “The collaborators for this album were selected because we respect their work and believed they could complement our ensemble.”
David Shaw shares his excitement about working with Naughty Professor, “When these kids first began to come up on the scene I could immediately tell that there was something very special in their energy and music.” “I believe the sky is the limit for these boys.
Chali 2na writes that “Naughty Professor was my first impression.” Naughty P is one of many New Orleans musicians who are masters at their craft. They are perfectionists and avid students of the art. You can see this immediately when they play.
Chali says, “I love the resurgence in jazz combined with the youthful mindstate that musicians today,” Chali adds.” Naughty Professor is pushing this envelope.
Each track was recorded live by the band in the studio. This increased the spontaneity of the performances and strengthened the band’s relationship with their guest collaborators. With an eye toward releasing a video version, the sessions were also recorded on video.
Naughty Professor has been driven by a wide variety of musical impulses since its inception in 2010. The band was formed from members who met as students at Loyola University’s jazz program. The band’s strong collective chemistry quickly attracted attention to New Orleans’ music scene. They began touring after graduating and grew their audience across the country.
Naughty Professor’s three first albums, Until the Next Time (2013), Out On A Limb (2015) and live In the Flesh (2016), further raised the band’s national visibility. Naughty Professor is praised by critics for their musical vision and depth. His name often appears alongside New Orleans’ veterans. Gambit’s Weekly’s Big Easy Music Awards nominated Naughty Professor for “Best Emerging Act” in 2013, and every year for “Best Funk Group” since. Offbeat Magazine’s Best of the Beat Awards in 2015 and 2016 nominated Naughty Professor for “Best R&B/Funk Act.” Drummer Sam Shahin and bassist Noah Young were also named Finalists for the “Best at Their Instruments” award, further cementing the band’s outstanding musical reputation.
Identity continues Naughty Professor’s relentless exploration of New Orleans’ eclectic musical landscape. Nick Ellman, alto and baritone jazz saxophonist says that New Orleans was the reason they were able to all come together and continue making music together. “We were all drawn to New Orleans, and we all have great respect for New Orleans’ music culture. We are not a New Orleans traditional band. This is not a New Orleans traditional record. However, New Orleans’ cultural and musical traditions are integral to how we make music.
Identity is a celebration of New Orleans’ vibrant spirit. It combines studio creations with live performance material. Shahin says, “We enjoy being creative and cerebral, but we also like having fun.” We have a jazz mentality but love verse/chorus structures. We embrace the idea of bridging the gap between jazz’s more thoughtful side and popular mainstream music and making it accessible and fun.
Identity is the result, Naughty Professor’s most ambitious and powerful musical statement yet. This record, which combines diverse musical voices to create a cohesive whole, honors the past while pushing into the future.
The Naughty Professor is: Ian Bowman – Tenor Saxophone John Culbreth (Trombone) Nick Daniel – Guitar Nick Ellman, Alto and Baritone Saxophones Sam Shahin (drums) Noah Young – Bass