Progressive jazz-funk ensemble Naughty Professor has revealed that their highly-anticipated collaborative album, Identity, is set for release on Friday, June 23. The 12-track record finds the band working with talented artists from New Orleans and beyond, including Jurassic 5 emcee Chali 2na, The Revivalists frontman David Shaw, Ivan Neville, members of The Soul Rebels, Mike Dillon, Sasha Masakowski, Cliff Hines and many more.
While Naughty Professor’s last few album focused on their intriguing brand of instrumental songwriting, the new effort features a variety guest vocalists, as well as a handful tracks in the instrumental style their fans already know and love. Two of those vocal tracks—”Stray” with David Shaw and “Darker Daze” with Chali 2na and Dexter Gilmore—have already been released as singles. The former is a laid back, heartfelt tune that incorporates Shaw’s emotive style to great effect, while the latter is a socially conscious anthem inspired by the uncertainty of the present political climate.
Naughty Professor has come a long way since the band’s inception at New Orleans’ Loyola University in 2010. Their journey has taken them from college sessions and local dive bars to national tours and collaborations with critically-acclaimed producer Qmillion (Robert Glasper), who mixed their forthcoming album. It’s a story that was told in February 2017 issue of OffBeat, which featured a cover story on the young New Orleans-based six-piece.
In addition to the release date for Identity, Naughty Professor has also announced the dates for their summer West Coast tour. The group will embark on this outing will take place in July, just a couple of months after the band perform on Jazz Fest’s prestigious Acura Stage for the first time on Friday, May 5.
Here’s a look at the tracklist for Identity:
1. Mirrors (feat. Cole DeGenova and Alexi Marti)
2. Sugar Coat (feat. Chali 2na and Ivan Neville)
3. Without A Trace (feat. Eric Benny Bloom)
4. Stray (feat. David Shaw and Cole DeGenova)
5. Do You Like Dragons (feat. Jason Butler)
6. I Can’t Sleep At Night (feat. Dexter Gilmore)
7. Through it All (feat. Sasha Masakowski and Cliff Hines)
8. Venison Poetry (feat. Mike Dillon)
9. Darker Daze (feat. Chali 2na and Dexter Gilmore)
10. Stolen Ones (feat. Mykia Jovan)
11. Psycho Switch (feat. Cliff Hines)
12. Funk 4 Lunch (feat. Members of The Soul Rebels)
Here’s a look at Naughty Professor’s upcoming tour dates:
4/19 YLC Wednesdays at the Square w/ Big Sam’s Funky Nation – New Orleans, LA
4/27 Orpheum Theater w/ St. Paul and the Broken Bones – New Orleans, LA
5/2 Old Ironworks – New Orleans, LA
5/5 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (Acura Stage) – New Orleans, LA
5/5 d.b.a. w/ special guests Chali 2na, Nate Werth, & more – New Orleans, LA
5/7 Tipitina’sw/ Dumpstaphunk, DJ Soul Sister – New Orleans, LA
5/11 Martin’s – Jackson, MS
5/12 Scruffy City Hall – Knoxville, TN
5/13 Lafayette’s – Memphis, TN
5/26 – 5/28 Summer Camp Music Festival – Chillicothe, IL
6/16 Bell’s Eccentric Cafe – Kalamazoo, MI
6/17 Taste of Randolph Street – Chicago, IL
7/6 O.P. Rockwell – Park City, UT
7/7 Crystal Bay Club Casino (The Red Room) – Crystal Bay, NV
7/8 Lost On Main – Chico, CA
7/13 Winston’s Beach Club – San Diego, CA
7/14 Last Exit Live – Phoenix, AZ
7/15 Flagstaff Brewing Co. – Flagstaff, CO
7/16 191 Toole – Tucson, AZ
7/20 Sam’s Burger Joint – San Antonio, TX
7/21 The Parish – Austin, TX
7/22 Last Concert Café – Houston, TX
9/9 David Shaw’s Big River Getdown – Hamilton, OH
