Audio

Cold and gloomy city needs more funk to be more friendly place–and to overcome our hard times. This release is FBG’s first studio record in last two years. We put lots of feeling into this music so we hope that you’ll enjoy it.
credits

This release was recorded by Funky Bizness Gang:

Alexander Ashbel (guitars, lead & backing vocals)
Daniil Morozov (drums)
Alexander Nikolaev (bass guitar)
Anatoly Volochay (keyboards)
Alexander Rudovsky (trumpet)
Stanislav Shushkevich (alto sax)
Yury Psyanchin (tenor sax)
Pavel Lashuk (tenor sax)
Sergei Zhemchuzhnikov (percussion)

Music by Funky Bizness Gang
Lyrics by Alexander Ashbel

Recorded and mixed by Sergei Filipov at Octopus Lab
www.octopuslab.ru

Produced by Sergei Filipov and Funky Bizness Gang

Mastered by Ruslan Tagirov
www.uralmastering.ru

Design and illustrations: Alexey Gorboot (Slam Comics)


With love & groove, Funky Bizness Gang

Funky Bizness Gang:
Alexander Ashbel – guitar & vocals
Alexander Nikolayev – bass guitar
Kirill Kirpichev – drums
Anatoly Volochay – keyboards
Alexander Rudovsky – trumpet
Stanislav Shushkevich – alto sax & flute
Yury Psyanchin – tenor sax

Music by Funky Bizness Gang
Lyrics by Alexander Ashbel

Recorded and filmed live on the rooftop of Planetariy Café (Yekaterinburg, Russia), August 2018

Produced by Alexander Ashbel & Alexander Nikolayev
Co-produced by Sergey Filipov & Pavel Vorontsov

Recorded, mixed & mastered by Sergey Filipov
Recording assistant: Rostislav Turbin

Filmed and edited by Pavel Vorontsov
Filming assistant: Natasha Vorontsova

Video version: goo.gl/MDxDy2

Design and illustrations: Alexey Gorboot (Slam Comics)

The Gang would like to thank all the participants noted above and also Alexandra Kostina & Victor Telminov of Planetariy, Svyatoslav Korotovskikh, Konstantin Ovchinnikov, Pavel Lashuk, Alex of Wildboar Studio, and Ural Music Night team. Our special gratitude goes to our wives & families for constant support.

With love & funk, Funky Bizness Gang

This album was recorded by Funky Bizness Gang:

Alexander Ashbel (guitar, lead & backing vocals, shouts & handclaps)
Konstantin Ovchinnikov (drums, shouts & handclaps)
Alexander Nikolaev (bass guitar, shouts & handclaps)
Temur Gezaitov (keyboards)
Dmitri Zyryanov (trumpet)
Stanislav Shushkevich (alto sax)
Pavel Lashuk (tenor sax)
Andrei Mills (percussion)

With guest appearance of Yuri Psyanchin (tenor sax solo on track 3).

Music by Funky Bizness Gang
Lyrics by Alexander Ashbel

Recorded and mixed by Sergei Filipov at Octopus Lab
www.octopuslab.ru

Produced by Sergei Filipov and Funky Bizness Gang

Mastered by Ruslan Tagirov
www.uralmastering.ru

Cover design by Anna Nikolaeva
Photos by Alexander Nikolaev
credits
released December 26, 2017

We give our thanks and gratitude to:
Our families and friends for constant support; Yuri Psyanchin, Vitali Vladimirov, Flora Bichakhchyan, Gabriela Salas and Dionisius Erlan for recording contributions; Vadim Chikurov for the universal involvement; nice people at Wildboar Studio for the props; Stevie & Miles for inspiration.

With love & groove, Funky Bizness Gang

© 2017 FUNKY BIZNESS GANG
(A Black Music Promotion release)

The album was recorded by Funky Bizness Gang:

Alexander Ashbel (guitar, lead vocals, handclaps)
Ruslan Tagirov (keyboards, backing vocals, handclaps)
Konstantin Ovchinnikov (drums, percussion, handclaps)
Alexander Nikolayev (bass guitar, handclaps)
Dmitry Zyryanov (trumpet)
Stanislav Shushkevich (alto sax)
Pavel Lashuk (tenor sax)
Andrew Mills (percussion)

With guest appearance of:
Berenice van Leer — lead vocals on ‘Put the Lights Down Low’.
Yulia Dyachkovskaya and Elizaveta Rybalko — backing vocals

Music by Funky Bizness Gang
Lyrics by Alexander Ashbel
Remix and additional production on tracks 6 and 7 by Ruslan Tagirov.

Recorded at Octopus Lab
octopuslab.ru

Produced, engineered, mixed and mastered by Ruslan Tagirov
uralmastering.ru

Recording technician: Sergey Filipov

Package design by Anna Nikolayeva
Photos by Alexander Nikolayev


The Band would like to thank the following persons:
Our families and friends for the immeasurable support; Berenice van Leer for sharing her immaculate performance; Andrey Yasyukovich for his patented live sound; Vadim Chikurov for his funky business; Roman Chernikov for his high quality language supervising.

Ruslan Tagirov would like to thank Dasha, Timur, the Octopus team and Mr. Bill Murray.
Alexander Ashbel would like to thank Dianita, Pavel Vorontsov and also every person mentioned in ‘The Roots Reunited’ plus the unmentioned genius of Ray Charles.


With love & groove, Funky Bizness Gang

© 2016 FUNKY BIZNESS GANG
(A Black Music Promotion release)

Stay tuned:
funkybiznessgang.ru

The album was recorded by Funky Bizness Gang:

Pavel Vorontsov – vocals
Alexander Ashbel – guitar, backing vocals
Ruslan Tagirov – keyboards, programming, backing vocals, talk box
Alexander Nikolaev – bass guitar & hand claps
Konstantin Ovchinnikov – drums, hand claps and finger snaps
Andrey Mills – percussion
Kirill Minaev – trumpet
Stanislav Shushkevich – alto sax, soprano sax, flute
Vadim Chikurov – tenor sax
Sergey Sheetov – trombone

With guest appearance of:
Vladimir Demyanov (Blues Doctors) — guitar
Yulia Dyachkovskaya – backing vocals
Elizaveta Rybalko – backing vocals
LaLee (Groovbag) – rapping
Vital (Synoptix/ElectroGorilla) – talk box
Stout Quartet:
Sergey Astafiev — violin
Nikolay Usenko — violin
Irina Ahunova — viola
Dmitry Yakovlev — cello

Dmitry Zyryanov – trumpet
Pavel Lashuk – tenor sax
Ruslan Borisov – trombone
Tatiana Oberyukhtina and Nurina Ragimova — hand claps

Music by Funky Bizness Gang
Lyrics by Alexander Ashbel (’Just Givit to Me’ by Ilya Martirosyan & Alexander Ashbel)

Recorded at TeleClub Production studio and S.G.T.R.K. Media Lab (Yekaterinburg, Russia),
June 2014 – February 2015

Recording technicians:
Dmirty Ragutyonok (TeleClub Production)
Sergey Filipov (S.G.T.R.K. Media Lab)

Produced, mixed and mastered by Ruslan Tagirov
(Inbox Studio @ S.G.T.R.K. Media Lab)

Package design by Lyubov Feskova

The Band would like to thank the following persons:
Our families and friends for support; all recording participants on both sides of the glass and additionally Shamil Gaynetdinov, Mikhail Kontorovich & the whole S.G.T.R.K. Media Lab crew for the great work; Andrey Subbotin, Inna Zhelannaya and Roman Ryabtsev for the proper words; Andrey Yasyukovich for the perfect live sound; Roman Chernikov for the keen linguistics; Leo Fender for starting the whole story.
With love, Funky Bizness Gang

Funky Bizness Gang on this recording are:

Pavel Vorontsov (vocals)
Alexander Ashbel (guitar, backing vocals)
Alexander Nikolaev (bass)
Konstantin Ovchinnikov (drums)
Stanislav Shushkevich (alto sax)
Vadim Chikurov (tenor sax)
Kirill Minaev (trumpet)
Sergey Sheetov (trombone)
Andrey Mills (percussion)
Ruslan Tagirov (keyboards)

Recorded January 18, 2014 @ S.G.T.R.K. Media Lab
Yekaterinburg, Russia
Recording engineer: Shamil Gaynetdinov
Recording technicians: Anton Shelepov, Sergey Filipov
sgtrk.com

Audio tracks mixed and mastered by Ruslan Tagirov @ Inbox Project Studio
www.inbox-studio.ru

Package design by Lyubov "Penny Lane" Feskova

Remixes of some Funky Bizness Gang tracks from previous releases "Funk 2.0" and "Raw as Funk".
Also includes the re-worked version of "Share with You".

Track 1 was produced & mixed by Shaika Ninja (Cheljabinsk)
Track 2 was produced & mixed by Andrey Orenstein (Amor Entrave, Ekaterinburg)
Track 3 was produced & mixed by Iskander Gainullin (Lazy People Organization, Kazan)
Track 4 was produced & mixed by Alexey Zverev (Honey Universe, Ekaterinburg)
Track 5 was produced & mixed by Andrey Prilepsky (Industereo, Moscow)
Track 6 was produced & mixed by Ruslan Tagirov (Funky Bizness Gang, Ekaterinburg)

Additional recordings for track 6:
Pavel Vorontsov (vocals)
Ruslan Tagirov (keyboards & programming)
Alexander Ashbel (guitar)

Mastered by Ruslan Tagirov @ Inbox Project Studio www.inbox-studio.ru
Album design: Lyubov ’Penny Lane’ Feskova
Photos: Alexander Nikolaev


Funky Bizness Gang would like to thank all the remixers (Alexey Zverev, Andrey Orenstein, Andrey Prilepsky, Iskander Gainullin and Shaika Ninja crew), Lyuba Feskova and also Basie Count the cat and Mr. Bob Moog. In addition, Special thanks to our wives and girlfriends who were supporting us when we needed it most of all.

© 2013 FUNKY BIZNESS GANG
(A Black Music Promotion release)
funkybiznessgang.ru

This record was written by Funky Bizness Gang and recorded by the following cast:

Alexander Ashbel (guitar)
Alexander Nikolaev (bass, upright bass)
Konstantin Ovchinnikov (drums)
Stanislav Shushkevich (alto sax)
Vadim Chikurov (tenor sax)
Vasiliy Borisov (trumpet)
Sergey Sheetov (trombone
Andrey Mills (percussion)
Ruslan Tagirov (keyboards & electronica)
Andrey Murashov (live sound engineer)

With guest appearance of
Anton Churakov (tenor sax on ‘Illusion of Stillness’)
Alexander "Papa Layan" Omelchenko (voice on ‘Nigeria’)


Recorded, produced, mixed and mastered by Ruslan Tagirov
@ Inbox Project Studio www.inbox-studio.ru
Additional recording by Andrey Murashov @ Tutti Records
Track 6 produced and mixed by Boris Nazarov
Track 7 produced and mixed by Eugene Gorbunov

Remix and additional production:
Ruslan Tagirov (5), Boris Nazarov (6), Eugene Gorbunoff (7)

Album design – Lyubov "Penny Lane" Feskova
Graffiti work by Rayons
Photo – Eugeny Kazekin
Site re-design - Studio "Hello,World!"

The Band would like to thank the following persons:
Anton Churakov, Papa Layan, Penny Lane, DashaDasha, Eugeny Kazekin, Rayons crew, Anton Fedotov, Ivan Gogolin - and besides – Herbie Hancock, Kraak & Smaak, Zodiak, Alexander Zatsepin for musical inspiration.

Peace and love, Funky Bizness Gang


(c) 2012 FUNKY BIZNESS GANG
(A Black Music Promotion release)

This album was composed and recorded by FUNKY BIZNESS GANG members:

Andrey "Driulich" Yermakov (lead vocals)
Alexander "Fidel" Ashbel (guitar, backing vocals)
Alexander "Smyga" Nikolaev (bass guitar)
Konstantin "DJ Tihiy" Kanyukov (DJing)
Konstantin "Loud" Ovchinnikov (drums, percussion)
Stanislav "Steely" Shushkevich (alto sax, flute)
Vasiliy Borisov (trumpet)
Sergey "Severe" Sheetov (trombone)
Vadim Chikurov (tenor sax)
Ruslan Tagirov (keyboards, programming)
Andrey Mills (percussion)
Andrey Murashov (sound)

With the participation of:
Chris Huntley (radio DJ on Funk 2.0)
Grigory Dyagin (tenor sax on Sophisticated Lady)
Anton Sannikov (alto sax on Outside)

The recording was made on
TUTTI Records studio (Yekaterinburg), April to November 2011
with some sounds recorded at Funky Bizness Gang home studio.

Recording and mixing: Andrey Murashov, January 2012
Mastering: Igor Cherenkov, February 2012

Album design: Lyubov "Penny Lane" Feskova
Photos: Yevgeny Kazekin
Special Funk 2.0 site: "Hello, World!" studio


FUNKY BIZNESS GANG would like to thank:
Our wives and girlfriends for patience and support
Our listeners for five-year waiting
Zvukotehnika (ТAЕR-Group) and personally Dmitry Tarik & Andrey Yermakov for the deep support - this release wouldn"t exist without you Alexander Pantykin, Ulyana Yemlina, Igor Cherenkov
and everybody at TUTTI Records for heartly hospitality (you are the best!)
Vladimir Kazantsev for the invaluable financial help
Chris Huntley, Grigory Dyagin and Anton Sannikov for the quality
Lyuba Feskova for the fine design
Zhenya Kazekin for excellent shoots
Diana Gonzalez for the lessons of English
Oleg Petrakov for the responsiveness and the fair ear
Sergey S-Way for the technical support
Special gratitude goes to Mr. Jason Statham,
whose spirit came to us whilst bloopers

1. FUNK 2.0
This song was born when we found our own sound – neither classic funk nor funk-rock but exactly our style. The song’s title has appeared with a wave of a magic wand: “Funk 2.0” is a more open thing compared to classic funk, it shifts the old borders of the style, living its own life like the Web 2.0 generation does. DJ’s voice from an imaginary F.U.N.K. FM station belongs to our American friend Chris Huntley.

2. (NO WAY) TO GET DOWN
This song was created during a rehearsal jam being inspired by incomparable RHCP. Its lyrics became awfully biographical – this situation must be well-known to many of us when there is no way to get down so there is only one way left: to go back upwards. It’s a roaring fire-bursting trombone solo played by Sergey Sheetov that became the song’s true gem).

3. IT’S ALL ABOUT YOU
Absolutely real situation: a guy is deeply in love with a girl, he is admiring her every glance, but he doesn’t have the courage to say something to her. Nothing extraordinary? Actually yes, but with some exception: this story was inspired by the classic Soviet comedy movie called Mimino. Relationships between its characters Valiko and Larisa Ivanovna are described in the second verse which ends up with the equivocal phrase "Mean, mean - Oh...!"

4. SOPHISTICATED LADY
Probably, this song is the most rock-oriented one in our playlist. It goes to sophisticated ladies that can be found everywhere – at work, on the subway, in the elevator... And it’s quite hard when those ladies become our ladies – a rare man can tell them right in the face: "Better find another inexperienced lover!" Our long-time friend and ex-funkybiznessman Gregory Dyagin took part in this recording – vicious sounds of his tenor sax make the solid beginning of the song.

5. STAY TUNED!
The first instrumental track in the newest history of Funky Bizness Gang also became our first funk killer composed according to all genre’s standards and clichés. Giving a credit to the great Australian new-funk band The Bamboos, we’ve included here a flute solo performed by hyper-creative alto player Stanislav Shushkevich.

6. KEEPING THE FUNK ALIVE
This representative song explains easily why funk is so powerful and why a good groove will always be above the hype. The great part of this track being created in the suburban train was inspired by the legacy of Earth, Wind & Fire. In the middle of this song there’s a psychedelic pinkfloyd-esque solo played by our multi-talented keyboard player Ruslan Tagirov.

7. (GOTTA MOVE ON) OUTSIDE
A solid funk anthem that introduced our bandleader Fidel’s skills on rapping. In spite of its indelibly delightful mood, Outside became a real manifesto: in a very compressed form it urges not to spend a lot of time while soul-searching and to go outside, into the real world. The great solo part of our ex-member, alto saxophonist Anton Sannikov became the song’s acme and central point.

8. FUNK 2.1
This midtempo instrumental version of the title track was created as a joke during some rehearsal (Funk 3.0 also exists somewhere in our imagination but let’s talk about it next time) and was finished in the studio during track-by-track sessions. In other words, it was made in the postponed improvisation mode. Seems to be a good stuff.

9. BRAND NEW LIFE
Some might say this one is a pop-funk song or a mixture of Jamiroquai and Lenny Kravitz. Anyway, Brand New Life is a strong-brewed mixture that ends up with powerful disco-comeback in its extended live version. Also check the lyrics – there are quite sensible lines here, like these ones: "When you go thru change, don’t you hope that everyone will get it right".

10. SHARE WITH YOU
You can say a lot of words about this song and still they would mean nothing. Share with You is not a certain person’s story but it’s recognizable to everyone. It is a very mannish song that reflects both men’s powers and weaknesses. When your woman feels bad, you want to share everything you got with her to make her feel better. In this moment, you become a guardian angel who sacrifices his wings to prevent her from falling down. But even that is often not enough.

11. SEVEN MILLION WAYS
Despite the title, this song doesn’t exaggerate: "I’ve got seven million ways to put a smile up on your face". Who would argue that? If you want to “catch” the spirit of Funky Bizness Gang, it would be enough to listen Seven Million Ways – everything is in there already. You can feel it easily – just follow this album until the end and you will dig it. And if you do, then our several-years work is finally worth doing it. Thank you all! We love you!