Flyjack - New Day (2017)

FLYJACK got its start in 2007 playing a weekly residency at TC’s Lounge on Austin’s deep eastside – a dilapidated but much-loved holdover from Austin’s “chitlin’ circuit” days. In 2008, the band initiated a funk/soul series called “Superfly Soul Party” – featuring other like-minded groups, performing at the Victory Grill and other establishments in and around Austin. In April 2008, FLYJACK moved their residency to Antone’s – Austin’s Home of the Blues – initiating the successful “SuperSoul Mondays.”

In 2008, FLYJACK’s deep-funk single "Black Water Gold" was featured on the tastemaking Craig Charles Funk & Soul Show on the BBC in the UK – gaining the ear of several influential DJs and musicians in the UK deep soul scene, including DJ Snowboy, who introduced the group to Hammondbeat Records. Later that year, the group performed at the ASPEN-SNOWMASS JAZZ FESTIVAL with Widespread Panic and the New Mastersounds. More recently, the group has shared the stage with DJ Numark (of Jurassic 5), Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Stanton Moore, Marc Broussard, The Scabs and Brownout.

In 2010, FLYJACK released its second EP "On The One" on Portland, Oregon-based label Hammondbeat Records. The platter features legendary James Brown drummer Jab’o Starks on the tubs; Paolo "Apollo" Negri from Milan, Italy on keyboards; and Austin chanteuse Tameca Jones on vocals.

On March 31, 2017, Flyjack will release its third record, "New Day" - a love letter to late 60's/early 70's underground soul and funk. The record was painstakingly assembled at guitarist Buck McKinney's Rocky Coast Studio, and features seven carefully curated underground rare groove classics - including crate digger's gold "It's a New Day" - originally recorded by the Skull Snaps and released in 1973 on the tiny GSF label. The song's opening drumbreak has been sampled on countless hip-hop albums by everyone from Gang Starr to Ol' Dirty Bastard to DJ Shadow, but has never received a proper full-length cover until now. Flyjack's version begins with the same tight kick/snare/hi-hat featured on so many hop-hop classics, but takes the song to new psychedelic heights - with a heavy percussion breakdown followed by an Ernie Isley-ish guitar solo, and a call-and-answer to close-out the piece. The remaining five tracks on the album are Flyjack originals, including the propulsive "Motherlode" - reminiscent of Stevie Wonder's "Superstition" - which tells the story of an everyman who finds good luck and fortune, but knows better than to believe it will last. Motherlode features the Hellfire Horns and Grupo Fantasma alum Rudy Canales on congas; and a honking, gut-bucket saxophone solo by Topaz McGarrigle (Golden Dawn Arkestra).

Flyjack's founding members - guitarist Buck McKinney and bassist Brad Bradburn - hail from the groundbreaking Austin alternative-jazz group Gnappy, which released 3 well-received albums between 2001 and 2006, and was featured in the 2003 book "Jambands" by Dean Budnick. Flyjack is rounded out by Nigel Finely (Keyboards, Vocals), Andy Rumelt (Keyboards, Harmonica), Jeremy Portwood (Drums), Ari Dvorin (Sax), Mike Shields (Trumpet), Wyatt Corder (Trumpet) and Will Wright (Trombone).