It’s been four years since we last heard from our favorite fast-talking, electro-funk, party-jams beat-maker Adam Dorn a.k.a. Mocean Worker. Since then tough economics have turned tougher, smug indie bands have become smugger and raving mad religious fanatics have grown, well, raving madder. What the world could use in these troubling times is some good ol’ fashioned, happy days are here again, get up on the good foot grooves. Mocean Worker–who has built a reputation for exactly that over a ten-year plus career as a recording artist, songwriter, remixer, DJ, bassist and more–returns made to order with his sixth studio album, Candygram For Mowo!
From the opening salvo of the record’s first track “Shooby Shooby Do Yah!” in which 1930s big band horns are met by the syncopated rattle of a tambourine, it’s apparent that the Mocean Worker feel-good brand is intact. Joined by a divers cast of special guests, including Lyrics Born, Mindy Abair, Bill Frisell, Charlie Hunter, John Ellis, Hal Willner and Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Mowo! brings the funk in all manner of delectable shapes and sizes. Whether crossing swing era rave-ups with ‘70s rare groove (“Do Like Ya Like”), Les McCann meets Marvin Gaye-flavored house party, soul jazz (“Sistas & Bruthas”), North Cali hip-hop with ‘50s hard bop (“My Own Little World”) or injecting deep house with Nuyorican rhythms (“Out There In The Random”), the beats are infectious, the hooks irresistible and the attitude always cheeky.
In Mocean Worker’s own words, “These ain’t good times, so why not have something that makes us feel good?”
Candygram For Mowo! is indeed what our collective sweet tooth craves.
Candygram For Mowo! track listing:
1. Shooby Shooby Do Yah! (featuring Steven Bernstein)
2. Swagger
3. My Own Little World (featuring Lyrics Born & Mindi Abair)
4. Hoot & Hollah
5. Sistas & Bruthas (featuring Mindi Abair)
6. It Still Don’t Mean A Thing (featuring Steven Bernstein)
7. Mel’s Torment (featuring Rahsaan Roland Kirk)
8. Out There In The Random
9. Do Like Ya Like
10. Ya Damn Right
11. Say Yeah Yeah Yeah
12. Jive, Jive, Jive
13. Sho Nuff (featuring Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Bill Frisell, Charlie Hunter & Hal Willner)
14. JD
“Shooby Shooby Do Yah!” | MOCEAN WORKER by Calabro Music Media
