Billboard chart-topping Boston saxophonist Walter Beasley was driving across the country after a concert when an idea struck him that forced him to postpone his trip. He contacted his recording band, who were just hours away from his next gig in Cincinnati, and booked them to record “Tribute to Soul,” a five-song EP of R&B classics out now on Affable Records. “I went home to these songs because I was going through a lot of stuff at the time. This music helped shape my musicianship. I learned and was well schooled in classical music, and I remember asking, 'What's next?' For me, that was going back to the beginning - go back to blues, go home to soul, go back to the music that I know and that moves me. There's no point in me saying a whole bunch of stuff musically that doesn't matter. What matters is the song, the music, the message. That's what I've always tried to do in my career and that's what this record is about,” said Beasley, who played soprano and alto sax, and also sang. Beasley gathered his "cats" — guitarist Michael O'Hara, bassist Derek Doc Johnson, keyboardist Robert Johnson, percussionist Chase Williams and drummer Ben Powers — in the studio and they played through the set list. What you hear on the EP are first takes. And he leaned more towards the music of Stax than that of Motown. The EP opens with ‘Hold On, I’m Coming’, a cover of Sam & Dave from 1966, written by Isaac Hayes and David Porter, and now another chart-topping single. Booker T & The MG’s swinging ‘Green Onions’ from 1962 comes next, and closely follows the original. On ‘Ballero’, a cover of War from 1974, you can hear vocalist Destiny Whited. This is a mix of Latin and R&B. The romantic ballad ‘Come Live With Me’ is the next track, and this is an original song by Isaac Hayes from 1975. It was also the first single from this EP. The closing track ‘Memphis Underground’ comes from Herbie Mann from 1969. Beasley pays tribute to the creativity of the artists from his youth. “This EP reflects community, things we were going through as a people. It feels good and this is the best feeling project I’ve ever done.” he said. I love Stax’s music, and especially Isaac Hayes’. This is a fantastic tribute!
		Website Walter Beasley Tracks: Hold On, I’m Coming Green Onions Ballero Come Live With Me Memphis Underground