Toysauce has ignited a ring of beats that rip and roar with a second-line presence on their forthcoming single “Feel The Rhythm.” Today, the group’s curator and guitarist, Leon Toye, has shared a behind-the-scenes look at the historic session that yielded the official song and music video, slated to arrive on Tuesday, April 28. As an initial preview, a six-minute documentary-style look at the making of the track shines light on the six New Orleans contributors and their independent come-ups.
“Feel The Rhythm” features a crew of New Orleans luminaries known for their tenacity behind the kit—Shannon Powell, Herlin Riley, Stanton Moore, Terence Higgins, Terrence Houston, and Alvin Ford Jr.—to develop a sound that mimics The Big Easy’s flair; a funk-laden tapestry that elicits a lively sense of the 504.
For the feat, the group assembled at Marigny Studios, where they kept count and layered a six-piece bounty of individuality into a single song. Backed by Crescent City vocalist Jelly Joseph, and Nashville’s Amber Woodhouse and Janelle Means, with a dynamo horn section composed of Big Sam (trombone), Brad Walker (saxophone), and Emmanuel Echem (trumpet). Filling out the track are JBlakk on bass and Toye’s guitar.
“This wasn’t just about getting six great drummers in a room,” Toye remarks. “It was about creating a moment in New Orleans music history.”
Individual introductions and a sampling of their might, the insider’s view delves into the roots of each player’s experience, the necessary movements taken to reach this point in time, and sound.
“Leon has actually come and done lots of tunes in New Orleans now, and it’s really cool because he comes in and gives work to New Orleans musicians, and he’s gotten to know some of these guys now. So we like it when Leon comes to town and puts us to work,” Moore says. “With this project right now, he’s got Jerry, JBlakk, helping him write–and he is a great writer and great producer as well.”
In the documentary short’s final moments, each player expresses their gratitude for the experience and the opportunity to perform as a collection and honor the city that shaped their sound. If this is their introduction, just wait for the results.