Artist:     Neal Francis

Album:     Changes

Label:     Karma Chief Records

Release Date:     12.13.2019 91

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Neal Francis. Who? You’ve probably not heard of him—yet. In a world filled with young “artists” who sound like they have emphysema, along comes a young man with a deep voice and an old soul. As a piano prodigy playing in several blues bands, Neal deepened his appreciation for the ’70s soul of Earth, Wind, & Fire and, as he shows on Changes, the funk of Kool & the Gang.

From the opening notes, his deep-dish vocals (with a tinge of Chuck Prophet) and big funkadelic band raises the roof and pounds the floor with every ounce of energy they can muster. The bass and drums kick and thump; the horns are smooth, sassy, and a force to be reckoned with; the organ begs comparison to Booker T and Garth Hudson, maybe the Italian soul of Felix Cavaliere.

Francis seems to be listening to his own advice when the title song says, “I’m not sure how to live my life; I’ll just take it slow.” Though there’s nothing slow about the sound, there’s a carefree easiness that captures the essence of the journey. He dares you to get up and dance, laughs when you find it impossible to sit back down, but gives you a break on the Dr. John-inspired New Orleans funky blues of “Can’t Live without Your Love” (“I don’t love you cause I want to; I don’t love you cause I have to; I love you cause I need you, and I’m lucky just to have you…”). Neal Francis. Who? It’s time to wake up, get up, and let this young man with the old soul give you a jump start.

—Gene Knapp