Artist description Six musicians from those early Blue Room sessions rub their eyes, wave away the smoke and realize that they’re in a recording studio in Uptown Denver, unable to account for the last few years.Without rehearsal or preparation of any kind, they start tracking, and two days later they emerge with an album of sorts. This time it’s not really acid jazz, whatever that means. It’s not hippie-rock jamming, it’s not loungey noodling, or anything else you might expect from such an improvisational environment. It’s not radio friendly. But whatever it is, it’s ballsy, it’s organic, and they call it the United Dope Front.

Music Style Jazz / Funk / Alternative / Electronica / trance / trip-hop /

Similar Artists slip, mmw

Artist History The story so far... Spring, 1995: Gathering in dark underground rooms of Denver, Boulder and Breckenridge, a cadre of extraordinary musicians and DJs create what is to become Colorado’s very own acid jazz scene. The music is blistering, and before too long clubs are packed with awestruck crowds digging purely improvised grooves. Fall, 1997: Was it just a fad? Denver’s City Spirit Café and Key Club have closed their doors; the Underworld in Breckenridge no longer features live music; Boulder’s venerable Tulagi is temporarily out of business. The successful clubs are catering to the swing craze, and most of the enthusiasm for spontaneous, sweaty funk has been confined to a small room in tiny Nederland, CO. But the brotherhood of the Denver players remains strong… Spring, 1998: Six musicians from those early Blue Room sessions rub their eyes, wave away the smoke and realize that they’re in a recording studio in Uptown Denver, unable to account for the last few years. Without rehearsal or preparation of any kind, they start tracking, and two days later they emerge with an album of sorts. This time it’s not really acid jazz, whatever that means. It’s not hippie-rock jamming, it’s not loungey noodling, or anything else you might expect from such an improvisational environment. It’s not radio friendly. But whatever it is, it’s ballsy, it’s organic, and they call it the United Dope Front. Together, these strong young players put quite a blend in the bowl: soul-jazz, boogaloo, hip-hop, trip-hop, trance, electronica, turntablism, and your mommy. The result: an enormous wall of noise. People start to notice. Winter, 2000: In the two years since independently releasing the Sexual Chocolate Experiment, the United Dope Front has headlined up and down the Front Range and has supported The Funky Meters, Parliament/Funkadelic, Liquid Soul, The Rebirth Brass Brand, Hank Crawford & Jimmy McGriff, Galactic and Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe. Recordings from those performances make their way onto a new CD, Live Unity, Volume 1, which showcases the band’s unique and endlessly evolving live sound.

Group Members The members of the Dope Front converge from diverse backgrounds. Keyboardist Andrew Diamond honed his skills playing soul music in San Francisco in the early 90’s, and has since written and produced countless underground house hits for artists including the Pound Boys and Aquatherium. He now runs his own recording studio, and in his spare time pursues both an M.D. and a Ph.D. Guitarist Javier Gonzalez spends half his time in New Jersey, working on a masters in jazz history from Rutgers and gigging in NYC with jazz organ legend John Patton. Drummer Kenny James is one of the most in-demand drummers in the state, having played and recorded with P-Funk, the Samples, Sherri Jackson and Lord of Word and the Disciples of Bass. Saxophonist Ben Senterfit first tasted success singing with the a cappella group The Wayfarers. He later co-founded Chitlin with Javier Gonzalez and most recently toured with Zuba for a year and a half. Ben’s groups have played with such acts as Bonnie Raitt, Lyle Lovett, Willie Nelson and Maceo Parker. DJ Timbuk has been spinning at local hotspots like Soma alongside international DJs such as King Britt and Greyboy. His musicality and versatility on the turntables leave listeners in awe night after night. Bassist William Yale, hailing from New York City, has performed with dozens of acts ranging from ambient-dance freakout groups such as Space Farm to the avant-garde jazz performer Ron Miles. He has also worked as a producer, most notably for Boulder’s Cabaret Diosa. Together, these strong young players put quite a blend in the bowl: soul-jazz, boogaloo, hip-hop, trip-hop, trance, electronica, turntablism, and your mommy. The result: an enormous wall of noise. People start to notice.

Instruments Keyboard, Drums, Saxaphone, Turntables, Bass, Guitar, Electric

Albums Constant Elevation, Live Unity, Sexual Chocolate Experiment

Press Reviews In the two years since independently releasing the Sexual Chocolate Experiment, the United Dope Front has headlined up and down the Front Range and has supported The Funky Meters, Parliament/Funkadelic, Liquid Soul, The Rebirth Brass Brand, Hank Crawford & Jimmy McGriff, Galactic and Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe. Recordings from those performances make their way onto a new CD, Live Unity, Volume 1, which showcases the band’s unique and endlessly evolving live sound.

Location Boulder, Colorado - USA

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