Summer of Sorcery

by Little Steven & the Disciples of Soul, Little Steven

Overview

Thinking big is just something Little Steven (aka Steven Van Zandt) does. As a longtime member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, the idea man behind Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes, and the founder and leader of Little Steven & the Disciples of Soul, the notion of two guitars, bass, and drums just doesn't cut it for him -- he wants the scale and dynamics that come from multiple guitars and keyboards, horns, and massed vocals. But there's big and then there's big, and Van Zandt has truly upped the ante with 2019's Summer of Sorcery, the first studio album from Little Steven's new edition of the Disciples of Soul. The fact this band now has a credited Musical Director (Marc Ribler, who also plays guitar) should tip anyone off that this is one big rock & roll band, and the official lineup includes a whopping 15 musicians and vocalists, with another 12 guest artists pitching in. Unsurprisingly, Summer of Sorcery presents 12 songs imagined and executed on a grand scale, using every bit of musical firepower at Steven's disposal, and while the blue-eyed-soul-on-steroids sound of 1982's Men Without Women is clearly the starting point for this music, that's hardly where it ends. "A World of Our Own" conjures the spirit of Phil Spector's salad days, "Vortex" could have come from the soundtrack of some lost '70s action movie, "Party Mambo" sounds like, well, a Party Mambo, and "Gravity" cuts a seriously funky groove. These days, Little Steven is less interested in politics than he was in the '80s, though he certainly has social commentary on his mind (it appears he has little use for smartphones or social media) and there's a phantasmagorical bent to the lyrics, though if he believes in any sort of magic, it's clearly music. The sheer scale of Summer of Sorcery sometimes gets to be a bit much, between the wordiness of the lyrics and the everything-but-the-kitchen-sink arrangements, but if this a bit much to take in in a single sitting, it's all but impossible not to be impressed by the scope of Little Steven's vision, and the skill with which he and his collaborators bring it to fruition. And he still knows how to write a song that speaks from his heart, regardless of what is on his mind. Imagine Asbury Park, New Jersey encompassing an entire musical planet and you'll have an idea of what Little Steven & the Disciples of Soul are doing on Summer of Sorcery, and if you dig rockin' soul, this should be right up your alley. ~ Mark Deming

Product Details

Release Date:	05/03/2019
Label:	Universal / Wicked Cool
UPC:	0602577484605

Tracks

1. Communion
2. Party Mambo!
3. Love Again
4. Vortex
5. A World of Our Own
6. Gravity
7. Soul Power Twist
8. Superfly Terraplane
9. Education
10. Suddenly You
11. I Visit the Blues
12. Summer of Sorcery

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Little Steven   Primary Artist
Little Steven & the Disciples of Soul   Primary Artist,Handclapping,Featured Artist,Vocals (Background)
Marc Ribler   Music Direction,Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric)
Steven Van Zandt   Guitar,Vocals
Clark Gayton   Trombone
Ravi Best   Trumpet
Jorge Gonzalez   Bongos,Cowbell,Vocals (Background)
Ed Manion   Horn Director,Sax (Baritone)
Gary Trew   Handclapping,Vocals (Background)
Anthony Almonte   Percussion
Jessie Wagner   Vocals (Background)
Sergio Ruelas Jr.   Guitar
Tania Jones   Vocals (Background)
Joel Feitzinger   Vibraslap
Ryan Celli   Vocals (Background)
Jack Daley   Bass
Matt Mcdonald   Trombone
Sarah Devine   Vocals (Background)
Jonathan Dinklage   Viola,Violin
Lowell Levinger   Piano
Stan Harrison   Flute,Sax (Tenor)
Andy Burton   Piano,Synthesizer,Organ (Hammond)
Ron Tooley   Trumpet
Rich Mercurio   Drums
Luisito Quintero   Timbales,Vocals (Background)
Anja Wood   Cello
Juan Gerena   Guiro,Vocals (Background)
Michael Wolf   Keyboards
Yeissonn Villamar   Piano,Vocals (Background)

Technical Credits

Stan Harrison   Group Member
Marc Ribler   Producer,Group Member
Steven Van Zandt   Arranger,Composer,Producer,Group Member
Clark Gayton   Group Member
Frank Frazetta   Inspiration
Ravi Best   Group Member
Carlo Massarini   Sleeve Photo
Ed Manion   Group Member
Anthony Almonte   Group Member
Jessie Wagner   Group Member
Sergio Ruelas Jr.   Mixing Assistant
Tania Jones   Group Member
Joel Feitzinger   Assistant Engineer,Synthesizer Programming
Ryan Celli   Photography
Bob Clearmountain   Mixing
Bob Ludwig   Mastering
Jack Daley   Group Member
Geoff Sanoff   Engineer,Producer
Jeff Ross   Back Cover
Sarah Devine   Group Member
Lowell Levinger   Group Member
Andy Burton   Group Member
Ron Tooley   Group Member
Rich Mercurio   Group Member
Louis Arzonico   Design,Artwork
Steve Berkowitz   Production Consultant