The Sure Fire Soul Ensemble

Saturday, June 15, 2024

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. Tim Felten - Organ, Electric Piano Jesse Audelo - Bari Sax, Tenor Sax, and Flute Jake Najor - Drum Kit Kiko Cornejo Jr - Percussion 1 Omar Lopez - Bass Aquiles Magana Jr - Guitar Travis Klein - Tenor Sax, Flute Wili Fleming - Trombone, Vocals Sheryll Felten - Percussion 2