Soulelujah’s been packing ZuZu with soul-searchers and hip-shakers each week for the past 15 years. But this Saturday (July 14) the famed Cambridge dance party packs a different type of punch: A full band.
Taking advantage of its expansion into the adjacent Middle East Upstairs, Soulelujah’s upcoming party this weekend welcomes Ben Pirani & The Means of Production. The Chicago soul man’s been in the game for a bit, but his releases with Ohio label Colemine Records are giving a modern shine to a well-worn sound that remains timeless.
“You can be sure that we strive to bring you the best in all things, and Ben Pirani and The Means of Production are no exception,” writes Soulelujah in the event page. “You can expect sweet melodies over sharp drums and bubbling bass lines. There will be something for everyone, with ballads for the lovers, and dance floor burners for the toe tappers.”
And that’s par for the course for Pirani, who knows real soul doesn’t have time for fakery. “It’s called soul music,” says Pirani. “You’re supposed to sing from your heart and your soul and not your record collection… The music has a message. If you listen for it, it’s there. I think that’s important because soul music without a message isn’t soul music. Soul music is political, art is political, and it should be. If your music doesn’t come with some level of cultural understanding, then it’s just pastiche, and that’s corny.”
Get down with 2017’s Dreamin’s For Free via YouTube below, and score pertinent details in funk flyer form after the video jump. Featured image courtesy of Soulelujah.
