Album Notes

You dont become Bostons most boasted big band overnight. Should The Eclectic Collective debut slide under the right doors and win next years Grammy for Best New Artist, it would be a complement, but it would also be bullshit.

Mission Developing... The snowball first rolled in 2001, when vocalist Dua Boayke and guitarist Salim Akram tag teamed as an acoustic duo called The Kaizen Komplex. The two unraveled politically fueled poetic sets for the coffee shop crowd.

Mission Begun... In 2003, the group gained momentum when drummer Sheel Dave of the Boston metal magnate Irepress signed on to help Salim and Dua twist unique blends of jazz, hip-hop, rock and rhythm. They started calling themselves The Eclectic Collective, but they hadnt truly earned the title yet.

Mission Rolling... Late in 2003, the unit emboldened its eclecticism when keyboardist RP Thompson, bassist Graham Masser, turntablist Special Blend and guitarist Santi Araujo joined the ranks. The extended rhythm section added not only to the crews instrumental depth, but to its multiracial fabric: not only can EC jam, but a group shot of its roster would make for a proper college brochure cover.

Mission Expanded... By 2004, the group had locked down the Boston scene. With the range to serenade rock, jazz and blues clubs, plus the addition of trumpet playing rap artist AfroDZak, EC arrived at the ability to provide undeniable relief from pop culture and its predisposed restrictions on modern music. And to ice the layer cake, they enlisted queen vocalist Noni Kai to beef up the soul and saxaphonist Rob Oswald to polish the brass. The sound finally came full-circle at the rare intersection where jazz, soul, metal, rock and boom bap rev their engines in unison.

Mission Accomplished... With many of their contemporaries rushing annual projects, EC deliberately focused on the necessary efforts needed to get ten individuals clockworking well-synched tracks. The result of their live grind and studio hustle is Time Flies, the bands ten-song debut that transcends niche nonsense and showcases the groups dynamic structure, conglomerate of talent and massive crossover potential in every genre outside of honky tonk.