Mad Satta lets the groove get in on their new single “Break Me Free.” The New York-based ensemble, comprised of seven male instrumentalists (Ben Carr on electric bass; Ted Morcaldi on electric guitar, acoustic guitar, vibraphone and marimba; Kevin Theodore on keyboards, organ, acoustic piano; Zane West on drums, tabla, electronic drums; Jason Fitch on tenor saxophone; Collin Wade on alto saxophone and flute; and Eric Zeiser on trumpet and flugelhorn) and frontwoman, Joanna Teters, wave the flag for future-soul, mixing old-school vibes with jazz and modern-day funk.
On their latest track, the funky guitar riffs and crisp horns grab a hold of your ears as Teters’ cozy alto vocals urge your feet to the dancefloor. It’s a more uptempo jam than Mad Satta’s other gem, “Reach Out,” off their 2014 debut Comfort. Here, they take a cue from 1982.
“This song was inspired when Don Blackman’s “Let Your Conscience Be Your Guide” record was on repeat, the heat of summer was starting to creep in and the love in the air was enough to make you want to dance,” Teters tells VIBE.
“It started as a bass line, but quickly the whole song began to uncover itself to us— horn lines, drum groove, melody, etc. Playing this song live is insanely fun because the audience loves to sing along with us when we get to the end, and that’s the kind of shit we live for.”
Bust a move or three to “Break Me Free” below and catch them perform this month at the Atlanta Jazz Festival.