Who Parked The Car unleash their invigorating brand of Jazz fusion with Mad Weather Good Friends.
Who Parked The Car – Mad Weather Good Friends
Who Parked The Car are an exceptional Paris-based soul/fusion ensemble. The 8-piece band is comprised of musicians from France, Argentina and Honduras, all of them former or current students from the prestigious Paris College of Music.
Having sharpened their approach in intense underground jam sessions, they focus on delivering high-powered waves of a tasty, ever-shifting blend of soul, jazz, funk and rock. Influenced by acts such as Snarky Puppy, Stevie Wonder, Bruno Mars and Supertramp, they have taken a crucial step with the recent release of Mad Weather Good Friends, their debut full-length album.
The record starts off with the smooth jazz, bossa-flavoured groove of ‘Rock Climbing’. Deliciously carved with gorgeous saxophone bursts, the track features a layered, evocative vocal performance that is beyond captivating. On the other hand, ‘Candle Dance’ leans more towards pop, funk and disco, featuring a vigorous bass line and an addicting, dancing hook. Then, the elegant, jazz-pop instrumental cut ‘Third Circle’ comes into play, building from a subdued, atmospheric start before reaching its richly-nuanced peak. ‘W&G’ is approached similarly, with its slow tempo and elegant blues/jazz foundation providing the perfect structure for an extended and sumptuous saxophone solo.
Kicking off the second half, there is ‘Cesar’s Dream’, the most sonically diverse piece on the record as well as its most accomplished. It starts with tender vocals and a light-hearted indie pop approach before evolving into a funky disco groove. However, the song’s true climax occurs when it reaches its progressive rock mid-portion, in which the ultra-tight rhythm section perfectly accommodates the blazing, heavy assault of the guitar solo. This portion, specifically, is not a far cry from the type of highly-complex, hard-charging sound prog rock titans like Rush used to cultivate. It’s also another example of the band’s eclectic and rich palette of influences.
Mad Weather Good Friends is an exceptional effort, packed with both precise technique and diligent passion.
The band then dials down for the sophisticated, laidback vocal jazz outing of ‘Other Side’ while ‘Mad Weather Good Friends’ touches on soft rock. Lastly, the whole affair culminates in the prog-ish ‘Who Parked The Car’ with its quasi-swing structure and distinctive, sharp sax riffs.
Combining impeccable technique and execution with sentiment and taste, Mad Weather Good Friends is a brilliant first official step in the career of a band that has all the tools to go very far. So, make sure to connect with them on social media and keep them close to your radar. The octet of Laura Wamba (vocals), Thomas Salvatore (keyboards, vocals), Sebastián Muñoz (saxophones), Félix Reneault (saxophones), César Aouillé (guitar), Ludo Prieur (bass), Malo Ropers (percussions), Alejandro Dixon (drums) may just be the next big thing.
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