Diplomats of Solid Sound • A Higher Place

 

Review from PopMatters:
Diplomats of Solid Sound like it greasy. Their soulful music is rooted in the tunes of the past when steaks were marbled with fat and one was attracted to those from the wrong side of town. You can hear this in the girl group snappiness of their singing trio of Sarah Cram, Katherine Ruestow, and Abbie Sawyer. You can find this in the slurred notes of Nate "Count" Basinger's heavy organ and the brassy blasts of Eddie McKinley's saxophone playing. Or maybe you can simply enjoy the funky drums and bass of groove masters Forrest Heusinkveld and Ben Soltau. It's all there. But the special sauce that brings these elements together and makes it into something special lies in the sound of Douglas Roberson's guitar. Roberson's been at the core of the band since their inception 18 years ago and has kept the musical action moving.

Diplomats of Solid Sound originally hail from Iowa City, and as any Hawkeye can tell you (in a state where pigs outnumber people) that there are many ways to kill a pig, but only a true master can make it scrumptious. Roberson is the top chef who takes this tasty list of ingredients (re: musicians) and makes it into something especially delicious. He does this the old fashioned way, through collaboration. Roberson leads by example not by dictate. The eight-piece combo work together to create their soulful sounds. They bring out the best in each other. Roberson inspires them to be their best.

The 12 tracks on A Higher Place come across like a greatest hits package of rock from before the British Invasion where each track is from a different act but somehow belong on the same collection. Sure, there are some echoes of post-Beatles music here. For example, the female vocalists owe as much to the Supremes as they do to the Chiffons or the Shangri-Las on "Gotta Find that Man". That's a good thing. Diplomats of Solid Sound aren't retro purists trying to recreate museum style pieces. They take inspiration wherever they can, from the smooth New Orleans R&B roots of "Take Some Pity on Me Baby" to the rootsy Dale Hawkins style boogie of "Sometimes" to the Shirley Ellis clap pat beat of "Already Gone". There are many sonic references to artists like Booker T. Jones, King Curtis, and other great soul instrumentalists from the past.

A rock historian could pick out the multitude of sources that inform A Higher Place. That may be fun and even illustrative, but it's beside the point. This is music to party with, dance to, enjoy for its own sake. The band tells us that we need to find "Common Ground", but it's not a location. It's "moving to a higher place" with an emphasis on motion. Diplomats of Solid Sound understand that raising one's spirit is sourced in keeping the body active and mobile. They don't expect you to over-intellectualize their music. The band just wants you to have a good time.
https://www.popmatters.com/diplomats-solid-sound-higher-place-2637327855.html

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Resena de PopMatters:
A los Diplomats of Solid Sound les gusta lo grasoso. Su musica llena de alma esta arraigada en los temas del pasado, cuando los bifes estaban marmolados de grasa y uno se sentia atraido por los del lado equivocado de la ciudad. Puedes escucharlo en la chispa de grupo femenino del trio vocal de Sarah Cram, Katherine Ruestow y Abbie Sawyer. Puedes encontrarlo en las notas arrastradas del pesado organo de Nate "Count" Basinger y los potentes disparos de saxofon de Eddie McKinley. O quizas simplemente puedes disfrutar de la bateria funky y el bajo de los maestros del groove Forrest Heusinkveld y Ben Soltau. Todo esta ahi. Pero la salsa especial que une estos elementos y lo convierte en algo especial reside en el sonido de la guitarra de Douglas Roberson. Roberson ha sido el nucleo de la banda desde su inicio hace 18 anos y ha mantenido la accion musical en movimiento.

Los Diplomats of Solid Sound son originarios de Iowa City, y como cualquier seguidor de los Hawkeyes puede decirte (en un estado donde los cerdos superan en numero a las personas) que hay muchas formas de matar un cerdo, pero solo un verdadero maestro puede hacerlo exquisito. Roberson es el chef de cocina que toma esta sabrosa lista de ingredientes (los musicos) y la convierte en algo especialmente delicioso. Lo hace a la antigua usanza, a traves de la colaboracion. Roberson lidera con el ejemplo, no con ordenes. El conjunto de ocho piezas trabaja junto para crear sus sonidos llenos de alma. Se sacan lo mejor el uno al otro.

Los 12 temas de A Higher Place suenan como un disco de grandes exitos del rock anterior a la invasion britanica, donde cada tema es de un artista diferente pero de alguna manera pertenecen a la misma coleccion. Claro, hay algunos ecos de la musica post-Beatles. Por ejemplo, las vocalistas femeninas le deben tanto a las Supremes como a las Chiffons o las Shangri-Las en "Gotta Find that Man". Eso es algo bueno. Los Diplomats of Solid Sound no son puristas retro que intentan recrear piezas de museo. Se inspiran donde pueden, desde las suaves raices del R&B de Nueva Orleans de "Take Some Pity on Me Baby" hasta el boogie rootsy estilo Dale Hawkins de "Sometimes" y el ritmo de palmas de Shirley Ellis de "Already Gone". Hay muchas referencias sonicas a artistas como Booker T. Jones, King Curtis y otros grandes instrumentistas del soul del pasado.

Un historiador del rock podria identificar la multitud de fuentes que informan A Higher Place. Eso puede ser divertido e ilustrativo, pero no es el punto. Esta es musica para festejar, bailar y disfrutar por si misma. La banda nos dice que necesitamos encontrar "Common Ground", pero no es un lugar. Es "moverse a un lugar mas alto" con enfasis en el movimiento. Los Diplomats of Solid Sound entienden que elevar el espiritu se origina en mantener el cuerpo activo y movil. No esperan que intelectualices demasiado su musica. La banda solo quiere que la pases bien.
https://www.popmatters.com/diplomats-solid-sound-higher-place-2637327855.html

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The Diplomats Of Solid Sound • Featuring the Diplomettes

Review by Steve Leggett
Undoubtedly the funkiest thing to ever come out of Iowa City, the Diplomats of Solid Sound, led by the Hammond B-3 playing of Nate Basinger, have had a series of jazz-inflected instrumental funk albums that recall at times a sort of breezier version of Booker T. & the MG's. For this outing, though, the Diplomats, who also include Doug Roberson on guitar, Jim Viner on drums, David Basinger on baritone sax, and Eddie McKinley on tenor sax, have added vocals, courtesy of the Diplomettes (singers Sarah Cram, Katherine Ruestow, and Abbie Sawyer), and the result is a pleasantly varied and jazzy take on a set of R&B and funk pieces. the Diplomats don't really stomp the funk so much as they skate around it in a kind of soul-jazz mode, strong enough to dance to but light enough to allow for some real interplay between the players, and the addition of vocalists actually adds a little Caribbean lilt to things. Among the highlights here are the sturdy, muscular "Come in My Kitchen," the bright, snappy "Trouble Me," and the interesting reggae remix of "Hurt Me So" that closes things off, a track that is more dancehall than Sly Stone. It's all fun, but assuming the Diplomettes are going to stick around, the Diplomats of Solid Sound may be on the edge of breaking into a whole new place with their next release. Until then, this set shows some interesting possibilities, and it's the perfect album for a little summer dance party on the patio.

 

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Review by Steve Leggett
Undoubtedly the funkiest thing to ever come out of Iowa City, the Diplomats of Solid Sound, led by the Hammond B-3 playing of Nate Basinger, have had a series of jazz-inflected instrumental funk albums that recall at times a sort of breezier version of Booker T. & the MG's. For this outing, though, the Diplomats, who also include Doug Roberson on guitar, Jim Viner on drums, David Basinger on baritone sax, and Eddie McKinley on tenor sax, have added vocals, courtesy of the Diplomettes (singers Sarah Cram, Katherine Ruestow, and Abbie Sawyer), and the result is a pleasantly varied and jazzy take on a set of R&B and funk pieces. the Diplomats don't really stomp the funk so much as they skate around it in a kind of soul-jazz mode, strong enough to dance to but light enough to allow for some real interplay between the players, and the addition of vocalists actually adds a little Caribbean lilt to things. Among the highlights here are the sturdy, muscular "Come in My Kitchen," the bright, snappy "Trouble Me," and the interesting reggae remix of "Hurt Me So" that closes things off, a track that is more dancehall than Sly Stone. It's all fun, but assuming the Diplomettes are going to stick around, the Diplomats of Solid Sound may be on the edge of breaking into a whole new place with their next release. Until then, this set shows some interesting possibilities, and it's the perfect album for a little summer dance party on the patio.

diplomatsofsolidsound.com ...

Diplomats of Solid Sound • Instrumental, Action, Soul

 

Reviving the lightly funky but deeply soulful instrumental R&B sound of Booker T. & the MG's and the Meters, the Diplomats of Solid Sound not only prove that there's still a place for the mighty Hammond organ in 21st century pop music, but confirm the existence of dancefloor-filling soul music in Iowa City, IA. The Diplomats of Solid Sound originally formed in 1998 as a side project of retro-rockers the Bent Scepters, with three members of the Scepters -- bassist Dustin Connor, guitarist Doug Roberson, and drummer Jim Viner -- teaming up with keyboardist Pat White. After the Bent Scepters called it a day in 1999, Connor, Roberson, and Viner decided to continue performing as the Diplomats of Solid Sound, and replaced White with Nate "Count" Basinger, though White occasionally guested on the band's recordings. The group cut its first single, "Bullfrog Boogaloo," in 2001, and released its first album, Instrumental Action Soul, on its own label, Prescription Records. In the summer of 2002, the Diplomats of Solid Sound released a single through premier garage rock label Estrus Records, and Estrus signed on to release the band's second full-length release, Let's Cool One, a year later. The group's third album, 2005's Destination...Get Down!, marked its first recording with new member David Basinger, who plays alto and baritone sax. For 2008's The Diplomats of Solid Sound Featuring the Diplomettes, the group expanded its sound with vocalists Sarah Cram, Katherine Ruestow, and Abbie Sawyer.

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Reviviendo el sonido R&B instrumental ligeramente funky pero profundamente conmovedor de Booker T. & los MG y los Meters, los Diplomáticos del Sonido Sólido no sólo prueban que todavía hay lugar para el poderoso órgano Hammond en la música pop del siglo XXI, sino que confirman la existencia de la música soul llena de pistas de baile en Iowa City, IA. Los Diplomats of Solid Sound se formaron originalmente en 1998 como un proyecto paralelo de los retro-rockers Bent Scepters, con tres miembros de los Scepters - el bajista Dustin Connor, el guitarrista Doug Roberson, y el baterista Jim Viner - trabajando en equipo con el teclista Pat White. Después de que los Bent Scepters se retiraran en 1999, Connor, Roberson y Viner decidieron seguir actuando como los Diplomáticos del Sonido Sólido, y reemplazaron a White con Nate "Count" Basinger, aunque White ocasionalmente participaba en las grabaciones de la banda. El grupo grabó su primer single, "Bullfrog Boogaloo", en 2001, y lanzó su primer álbum, Instrumental Action Soul, en su propio sello, Prescription Records. En el verano de 2002, los Diplomats of Solid Sound lanzaron un single a través del principal sello de garage rock Estrus Records, y Estrus firmó para lanzar el segundo lanzamiento completo de la banda, Let's Cool One, un año después. El tercer álbum del grupo, Destination...Get Down! de 2005, marcó su primera grabación con el nuevo miembro David Basinger, que toca el saxo alto y barítono. Para el 2008 The Diplomats of Solid Sound Featuring the Diplomettes, el grupo amplió su sonido con las vocalistas Sarah Cram, Katherine Ruestow y Abbie Sawyer.

diplomatsofsolidsound.com ...

Diplomats of Solid Sound • What Goes Around Comes Around

The Diplomats of Solid Sound are back with their 5th full length, and if the last album was their senior effort, with What Goes Around Comes Around the band has officially graduated! Once again mixed and edited by Freestyle's boy wonder Adam Gibbons aka Lack Of Afro and featuring The Diplomettes on vocals, the cuts included here are a strong showcase of the growing maturity and sophistication of the group. From the sing-along chorus of opening track B-O-O-G-A-L-O-O, to the smooth soul number that gives the album its title, the uptempo Back Off, or the instrumental groover Bailout, What Goes Around Comes Around draws on a variety of styles but always keeping things soulful and funky! The vintage sound of The Diplomats has been fine-tuned by almost a decade of releases, and ever since their first album in 2001 the band has been making a name for itself by firmly establishing it's credentials as one of the tightest contemporary soul outfits out there. The group can already count on the support of names such as Pete Isaac (Jelly Jazz), Mark Lamarr (BBC 2), Craig Charles (BBC 6), Rob Luis (Tru Thoughts), and Michael Ruetten (Compost Records), just to name a few, but with What Goes Around Comes Around The Diplomats Of Solid Sound raise the stakes up a notch. Though the formula remains unchanged, there's an added depth to the music, making this album a heavyweight must-have no matter how you listen to it!

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Los Diplomáticos del Sonido Sólido están de vuelta con su 5º álbum completo, y si el último álbum fue su último esfuerzo, con What Goes Around Comes Around la banda se ha graduado oficialmente. Una vez más, mezclado y editado por el chico maravilla de Freestyle, Adam Gibbons aka Lack Of Afro, y con The Diplomettes a la voz, los cortes incluidos aquí son una fuerte muestra de la creciente madurez y sofisticación del grupo. Desde el estribillo de la canción de apertura B-O-O-G-A-L-O-O, hasta el suave número de soul que da título al álbum, el uptempo Back Off, o el groover instrumental Bailout, What Goes Around Comes Around se basa en una variedad de estilos, pero siempre manteniendo el soul y el funky. El sonido vintage de The Diplomats ha sido afinado por casi una década de lanzamientos, y desde su primer álbum en 2001 la banda se ha hecho un nombre por sí misma estableciendo firmemente sus credenciales como uno de los conjuntos de soul contemporáneo más ajustados. El grupo ya cuenta con el apoyo de nombres como Pete Isaac (Jelly Jazz), Mark Lamarr (BBC 2), Craig Charles (BBC 6), Rob Luis (Tru Thoughts) y Michael Ruetten (Compost Records), por nombrar algunos, pero con What Goes Around Comes Around The Diplomats Of Solid Sound suben la apuesta. Aunque la fórmula permanece inalterada, hay una profundidad añadida a la música, lo que convierte a este álbum en un peso pesado que hay que tener, independientemente de cómo se escuche.

diplomatsofsolidsound.com ...

The Diplomats Of Solid Sound • Destination ... Get Down!

Biography by Mark Deming
Instrumental Action Soul
Reviving the lightly funky but deeply soulful instrumental R&B sound of Booker T. & the MG's and the Meters, the Diplomats of Solid Sound not only prove that there's still a place for the mighty Hammond organ in 21st century pop music, but confirm the existence of dancefloor-filling soul music in Iowa City, IA. The Diplomats of Solid Sound originally formed in 1998 as a side project of retro-rockers the Bent Scepters, with three members of the Scepters -- bassist Dustin Connor, guitarist Doug Roberson, and drummer Jim Viner -- teaming up with keyboardist Pat White. After the Bent Scepters called it a day in 1999, Connor, Roberson, and Viner decided to continue performing as the Diplomats of Solid Sound, and replaced White with Nate "Count" Basinger, though White occasionally guested on the band's recordings. The group cut its first single, "Bullfrog Boogaloo," in 2001, and released its first album, Instrumental Action Soul, on its own label, Prescription Records. In the summer of 2002, the Diplomats of Solid Sound released a single through premier garage rock label Estrus Records, and Estrus signed on to release the band's second full-length release, Let's Cool One, a year later. The group's third album, 2005's Destination...Get Down!, marked its first recording with new member David Basinger, who plays alto and baritone sax. For 2008's The Diplomats of Solid Sound Featuring the Diplomettes, the group expanded its sound with vocalists Sarah Cram, Katherine Ruestow, and Abbie Sawyer.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-diplomats-of-solid-sound-mn0000124065/biography

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Biografía de Mark Deming
Alma de acción instrumental
Reviviendo el sonido R&B instrumental ligeramente funky pero profundamente conmovedor de Booker T. & los MG y los Meters, los Diplomáticos del Sonido Sólido no sólo prueban que todavía hay lugar para el poderoso órgano Hammond en la música pop del siglo XXI, sino que confirman la existencia de la música soul llena de pistas de baile en Iowa City, IA. Los Diplomats of Solid Sound se formaron originalmente en 1998 como un proyecto paralelo de los retro-rockers Bent Scepters, con tres miembros de los Scepters - el bajista Dustin Connor, el guitarrista Doug Roberson, y el baterista Jim Viner - trabajando en equipo con el teclista Pat White. Después de que los Bent Scepters se retiraran en 1999, Connor, Roberson y Viner decidieron seguir actuando como los Diplomáticos del Sonido Sólido, y reemplazaron a White con Nate "Count" Basinger, aunque White ocasionalmente participaba en las grabaciones de la banda. El grupo grabó su primer single, "Bullfrog Boogaloo", en 2001, y lanzó su primer álbum, Instrumental Action Soul, en su propio sello, Prescription Records. En el verano de 2002, los Diplomats of Solid Sound lanzaron un single a través del principal sello de garage rock Estrus Records, y Estrus firmó para lanzar el segundo lanzamiento completo de la banda, Let's Cool One, un año después. El tercer álbum del grupo, Destination...Get Down! de 2005, marcó su primera grabación con el nuevo miembro David Basinger, que toca el saxo alto y barítono. Para el 2008 The Diplomats of Solid Sound Featuring the Diplomettes, el grupo amplió su sonido con las vocalistas Sarah Cram, Katherine Ruestow y Abbie Sawyer.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-diplomats-of-solid-sound-mn0000124065/biography

 

 

 
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The Diplomats Of Solid Sound • Let's Cool One

 

 Review by Mark Deming

In a world where the average person's knowledge of funk doesn't seem to go far beyond what Dr. Dre borrowed from George Clinton, it's a pleasure to have the Diplomats of Solid Sound around, who with cool and concision conjure up the shades of the Meters and Booker T. & the MG's on their 2003 album Let's Cool One. While it would be a mistake to say that Hammond handler Nate "Count" Basinger and his partners in crime are quite up to the level of their role models, they hit the target with a lot more accuracy than one might expect, and while these guys know how to brew up a percolating groove (try "Ribsticker" or "Swamp Chomp" and you'll see), they also have an admirably laid-back approach to old-school soul, knowing not to force it if it doesn't fit. Featuring 11 swank originals and a quality cover of Sly Stone's "You Can Make It if You Try," Let's Cool One doesn't stray terribly far from its influences, but these guys are just good enough to capture not just the sound but the ineffable feel of vintage instrumental soul, and they do it with taste, flair, and just the right amount of grit. And any band who not only knows enough to call a song "Pistol Allen" but makes the name-check stick must be doing something right. Cool stuff.

 

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Reseña de Mark Deming
En un mundo en el que el conocimiento de funk de la persona promedio no parece ir más allá de lo que Dr. Dre tomó prestado de George Clinton, es un placer tener a los Diplomáticos del Sonido Sólido alrededor, quienes con frescura y concisión evocan los matices de los Meters y Booker T. & the MG's en su álbum Let's Cool One de 2003. Aunque sería un error decir que el manejador de Hammond, Nate "Count" Basinger, y sus compañeros en el crimen están a la altura de sus modelos a seguir, dan en el blanco con mucha más precisión de lo que uno podría esperar, y aunque estos tipos saben cómo preparar un surco percolador (prueba "Ribsticker" o "Swamp Chomp" y verás), también tienen un enfoque admirablemente relajado del alma de la vieja escuela, sabiendo que no hay que forzarla si no encaja. Con 11 originales de lujo y una versión de calidad de "You Can Make It if You Try" de Sly Stone, Let's Cool One no se aleja mucho de sus influencias, pero estos chicos son lo suficientemente buenos como para capturar no sólo el sonido sino también la sensación inefable del alma instrumental clásica, y lo hacen con gusto, estilo y la cantidad justa de agallas. Y cualquier banda que no sólo sabe lo suficiente como para llamar a una canción "Pistol Allen", sino que también hace la palanca del nombre, debe estar haciendo algo bien. Algo genial.

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