'Cookin' the Books' marks the latest full-length release from Australian Hammond organ trio Cookin' on 3 Burners releasing their new album via their own Soul Messin' Records.
Over the years, Australia have delivered a phenomenal array of funk & soul acts that have garnered attention from audiences, and record labels, across the world. Italy's Record Kicks and the UK's Freestyle Records serving as two prominent recording homes who have long recognised the brilliance emanating from the Australian scene that have seen bands like Dojo Cuts, Randa & The Soul Kingdom and The Bamboos receive international acclaim.
Amidst the expansive array of Australian funk & soul flag wavers that have surfaced over the last twenty years, it would be near impossible to recount any list that wouldn't cite the unbridled efforts of Cookin' on 3 Burners. With past releases on the aforementioned Freestyle Records, C3B have steadily been releasing their projects via Soul Messin' Records and have been subsequently cultivating an incredible label home as a result. With releases dating back to 2000, the Cookin' trio have continued to deliver powerhouse performances alongside innovative and inspired takes on the genre's contemporary landscape.
As a testament to the trio's overall abilities and gleaming reputation, the trio have evolved into something of a supergroup with each of the three band members achieving notable creative successes and achievements collectively and through their solo endeavours. As founder of Choi Records, drummer Ivan Khatchoyan has worked as a member and band leader of numerous ensembles including The Traffic and Mayfield; organist Jake Mason has established himself as a band leader in his own right with his own Jake Mason Trio as well as participating in projects for Albare, The Counterfeit, Chelsea Wilson and The Basics. And then there's guitarist Dan West who boasts a similarly impressive resume featuring not just collaborations with Mojo Juju, Jane Tyrrell and Azalia Snail, but also creating custom scores for artists and showcase installations in galleries around the world.
The C3B trio have carved tremendous avenues for themselves as solo artists but there's an unmistakable magic that finds Khatchoyan, Mason and West continue to come back to what brought them to the dance.
And on that note, 'Cookin' the Books' is an excellent testament to the funk & soul that has defined the band over the years. A fourteen track album that finds the trio in fantastic form alongside some fantastic guest appearances. The band's typical penchant for blazing, powerhouse performances are still evident throughout but the album finds its definitive sweet spot in the soul-drenched ballads, beautifully performed alongside Natalie Slade ('Only Words'), Stella Angelico ('Brighter') and Wilson Blackley ('Away from My Heart'). In typical Cookin' on 3 Burners fashion, their funk-y takes on known classics always serve as a real treat with Mos Def's 'Ms Fat Booty' and Bon Jovi's 'Livin' on a Prayer' afforded inspired renditions.
'Cookin' the Books' offers a soulful glimpse into what has helped Cookin' on 3 Burners endure for all of these years. A collective that continue to create fantastic music that positions them at the forefront of the genre's torch bearers.
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