Remixes of the Hit Track from the Funk/Pop/Hip-Hop/Rock Group Out of Leicester Will Be
Featured From Arlen Figgis, Radio Riddler, and MORE
November, 2016 — On December 9th Uncle Frank– the funky, technicolored, UK group invoking the spirit of Barry White, James Brown, Hall and Oates and Nile Rodgers and many more will release striking new versions of 2015’s ‘MAXIMUM RESPECT’ with a brand new Remixes EP!
Along with being available on the usual platforms from iTunes to Amazon, the group will also be releasing limited edition vinyl EPs available exclusively on their website from the likes of Arlen Figgis, Switchblade, Radio Riddler and more.
Uncle Frank makes the best kind of music…. music with soul, funk, rage and love! The band, made up of multi-instrumentalists and producers Frank Benbini (also one third of The Fun Lovin’ Criminals) & Naim Cortazzi, the band has garnered National Radio plays from Huey Morgan on BBC6 Music and BBC Radio 2 and A-listed on Regional Radio throughout the UK. Already having made waves in 2016 with features in The Sun, Spindle Magazine, Music-News.com and The Daily Star, Uncle Frank took the last ever CMJ Music Festival by storm in October 2015 at Fat Baby in New York described as ‘The best Band at CMJ without a doubt’ by Spindle Magazine.
Touring with the legendary UB40 in America, Frank and Naim duetted with Ali Campbell and UB40 at New Jersey’s Performing Arts Centre singing a reggae version Prince’s ‘Purple Rain’ which is on the Radio Riddler album ‘Purple Reggae’ (produced by Frank and Fast from FLC) and featuring vocals from Ali Campbell, Sinead O’Connor, Suggs from Madness, Citizen Cope and Beverley Knight.
The band’s label debut album ‘SMILES FOR MILES’ released in May 2104 was Best described by Penny Black Music- ‘It is proving impossible to keep this out of my CD player at the moment. A fantastic album’. The pair’s love of music has led them to create an album that is an eclectic mix of soul, pop, jazz, funk, old-school hip hop and easy listening. Taking three-months to record ‘Smiles for Miles’ in their home studio, Benbini and Cortazzi arranged, played the majority of instruments themselves, and engineered the whole album.
Uncle Frank were signed to an unprecedented 3 album deal in 2013 by MITA Records, and their first single ‘STEP INTO MY ROOM’ was supported by an innovative tour of fans houses, performing concerts in their living rooms. This was featured by BBC 1 Television Evening News which reached an audience of 600,000 viewers. The band’s second single ‘SOMETHIN’ SOMETHIN’ accompanied by a robot animation video was featured by The Daily Express, saying “Frank Benbini and Naim Cortazzi, have spent years making music and their remarkable output ranges from soul to funk and old-school hip hop”. They then embarked upon a lengthy acoustic tour of universities in The Coffee House Sessions picking up new fans and playlists on the way. The Gay Times even premiered the Flashdance inspired video for ‘DANCE INSTRUCTOR’, which hit over 100,000 views on YouTube.
“The world needs this kind of music – because it’s real and self-made, feel-good and original.”- Uncle Frank
WATCH: Uncle Frank “Maximum Respect” Official Music Video below:
The band’s self produced music is mixed by Grammy Award winning mixer and producer Tim Latham (Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, The Rolling Stones and Erykah Badu). Benbini first met Latham during a Lou Reed session at Quad Studios in New York. They immediately hit it off, and when it came to mixing the Uncle Frank album, Latham believed in the project so much, he committed to it before the band even secured a record deal.
Now, with brand new remixes of ‘MAXIMUM RESPECT’ set to hit the airwaves on December 9th– you’ll get to hear how UK producer/composer/remixer Arlen Figgis, reggae/dub collective Radio Riddler, DJ Switchblade and more put their own spin on the smooth, funky, 80’s inspired original track!
Connect with Uncle Frank below:
