When I saw The Savants of Soul live back in June, it was clear to me that they were determined to bring the feel of 1950s and ‘60s soul music to 2014 and beyond. Whether the band has three members, 12 members, or its current 10, it’s likely only a matter of time before its blaring horns, raspy vocals and catchy instrumentals reach your ears and make you get up and groove.
Over the last two years, the band, made up of mostly Gainesville natives, has been playing shows around the Gainesville area, building a fanbase without even introducing a tangible album.
Lead singer Justin McKenzie joked that the crowd usually knows the words to the band’s song “You’re All Mine” better than he does.
Much like the past two years, The Savants of Soul will be playing a show at The Atlantic, 15 N. Main St., Friday at 9 p.m. This time, it will be in celebration of the release of their first album, “Downtown Sound.”
The goal of the album, said drummer Alex Klausner, was to get the experience of the live show “on a piece of wax” or vinyl so the album could be physically available. People can buy the album on iTunes and stream it on Spotify.
“The reality is people aren’t going to buy CDs anymore,” said bass guitarist John Gray Shermyen.
Klausner added his new laptop doesn’t even have a slot for CDs. “Considering our image as a throwback band, why not have that throwback format, especially when it’s growing?” said Klausner, who also said the future of music lies in streaming.
The album was available on Grooveshark, a music-streaming company developed and based in Gainesville, a week before its Tuesday release, which Gray Shermyen said gave the band “the opportunity for much wider exposure.”
When you start playing the album, it’s as if you’ve been transported to the outdoor stage at The JAM.
Tickets for the show are $5, and trust me, it’s worth every penny and then some.
[A version of this story ran on page 10 on 11/13/2014]
