Toronto -based U.N. Jefferson fuses the elements of Soul with the fundamentals of Motown and early R&B to create a sound that is both familiar and fresh.
Rooted in the vintage sounds of James Brown, The Temptations, and Wilson Pickett the band manages to keep one foot in the foundation of traditional Soul while cultivating an authentic take on a classic genre.
What are four words you would use to describe your music?
Feel good Soul music
How does a song come together for you? What is the songwriting process?
It’s different for every song. In most cases, the music comes before the vocal melodies or lyrics. It’s usually a drum beat, a bass line or a chord progression that sparks an idea. Once the musical foundation is established, I think about how that song makes me feel and what it makes me think about, and from there the lyrics take over.
What was the first album/CD you ever bought?
The first album I ever owned was “Sesame Street Fever”, but the first album I ever bought on my own was a Kiss record called “Lick It Up”. Believe it or not, I still have both of these records to this day; although, the “Sesame Street Fever” is pretty worn out.
What album do you know every word to?
That’s a tough one. I used to know every word to “Blood Sugar Sex Magik” by the Red Hot Chili Peppers back in the day. It’s been a while but I’m sure if I thought about it hard enough, I could still remember most of it now. ‘Give it Away’ was definitely one of my favourite tracks on that album.
Share some advice for other bands/artists creating original music?
Get out there and play as much as possible and build relationships within the music community. Also, support other musicians who are out there in the same scene.
What is the most memorable response you have had to your music?
We often have people singing along with us when we play live. It’s an amazing feeling to hear the audience sing your songs back to you. Those are the most memorable moments for me.
If you could create your own radio show, what kind of music would you feature and why?
I would love to program a radio show that focused on classic Motown and Soul from the ’50s and ’60s. I’ve always been a fan of that music and I feel it would put a smile on the face of anyone who tuned in.
Tell us about your upcoming releases?
We just released a video for our song ‘Shine On Me’. It’s the second single from our latest album. It’s an upbeat song with a gospel-inspired feel that’s about being able to count on someone when you’re at your lowest. You can check out the video on our YouTube channel or listen to it on Spotify or Apple Music. We are also in the process of writing new material for the next album so that is the works as well.
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