SFSE (Album Release Show)
The Sure Fire Soul Ensemble is a 9 piece heavy, instrumental funk band from San Diego, CA. Their influences are vast and include Hip Hop groups like Wu-Tang Clan and A Tribe Called Quest, as well as funk and soul masters like Isaac Hayes, The Meters, and James Brown. Their last two LPs debuted in the top 15 on Billboard's Contemporary Jazz Chart. SFSE is equally at home in the studio as they are on the stage, where their original songs transform and take on new life through live performance. They have shared the stage with Kamasi Washington, Quantic, Lee Fields, Monophonics, Jungle Fire, and most recently served as backing band for Hip Hop legend, Big Daddy Kane. The Sure Fire Soul Ensemble are definitely still on a roll coming off of their fourth LP, Step Down, which debuted at #14 on Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz Chart....
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SFSE (Album Release Show)
The Sure Fire Soul Ensemble is a 9 piece heavy, instrumental funk band from San Diego, CA. Their influences are vast and include Hip Hop groups like Wu-Tang Clan and A Tribe Called Quest, as well as funk and soul masters like Isaac Hayes, The Meters, and James Brown. Their last two LPs debuted in the top 15 on Billboard's Contemporary Jazz Chart. SFSE is equally at home in the studio as they are on the stage, where their original songs transform and take on new life through live performance. They have shared the stage with Kamasi Washington, Quantic, Lee Fields, Monophonics, Jungle Fire, and most recently served as backing band for Hip Hop legend, Big Daddy Kane. The Sure Fire Soul Ensemble are definitely still on a roll coming off of their fourth LP, Step Down, which debuted at #14 on Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz Chart.
It seems that the “Live” record is mostly an art form of the past. In the diaspora of funk, soul, and jazz music, we have so many legendary live albums we can reference, from Cannonball Adderley, Jimmy Smith, Curtis Mayfield, Donny Hathaway… the list is endless really. We present SFSE’s first outing in this noble arena. “Live at Panama 66” showcases songs from SFSE’s first 4 LPs as well as some choice cover tunes. The record was performed and recorded live in a beautiful outdoor setting in San Diego, CA. It was indeed a picture perfect Mother’s Day in Balboa Park, with SFSE throwing down their uniquely funky, cinematic vibes. We hope you enjoy it.
Mitchum Yacoub
Mitchum Yacoub is an Egyptian-American multi-instrumentalist, producer, and DJ based out of San Diego, CA. As a lifelong drummer that has supported many projects in the vein of afrobeat, soul, funk, dub, and rocksteady, he's been slow brewing a unique feel for roots and dance music. Inspired by artists like Fela Kuti, Dr. Dre, and James Brown, his group harkens back to Africa in the 70’s with the bass and drums turned up a notch. Strong, repetitive grooves layered with Afro-Latin percussion and vibrant, tightly executed horn lines that call all dancers to the floor.
Since beginning his first live performances in late 2019, Yacoub has played alongside roots music heavies like The Original Wailers, Jungle Fire, and Boostive. In 2022, his group supported Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 for six shows across the U.S.while also playing percussion and drums for Kuti's band, Egypt 80 (formerly of Fela Kuti). The experience trained him well in the rhythmic strength of the music and earned him and his band a place in the global scene of afrobeat.
The band has an all-star line up, featuring members of San Diego's Sure Fire Soul Ensemble, Boostive, and Electric Voodoo. Originality, musicianship, and a massive sound are three marks keeping this group on the road. With only a few songs released since 2021 and his debut LP coming in 2023 (via All-Town Sound), it’s clear that Yacoub’s rise is only beginning.
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