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All Music Guide:
Chicago acid jazz outfit Liquid Soul originally comprised saxophonist/musical director Mars Williams, DJ Jesse de la Peña, guitarist Tommy Klein, bassist Ricky Showalter, trumpeter Ron Haynes, keyboardist Frankie Hill, and drummer Dan Leali; formed in 1993, the group quickly emerged as a Windy City club favorite thanks to their regular Sunday night gigs at the Elbo Room, and soon recorded a self-titled debut LP for their own Soul What label. A series of high-profile gigs including appearances at President Bill Clinton's inaugural parade in Washington, D.C., as well as basketball star Dennis Rodman's birthday party greatly boosted Liquid Soul's visibility, and in 1996 their album was reissued on the Ark 21 label; moving their regular Sunday gigs to Chicago's Double Door, the group -- now featuring Williams, Showalter, Haynes, Hill, and Leali in addition to new recruits including DJ Ajax, rapper the Dirty MF, guitarist Tommy Sanchez, trombonist John Janowiak, percussionist Newt Cole, and vocalist Simone (the daughter of the great Nina Simone) -- issued their sophomore record, Make Some Noise, in 1998. Here's the Deal followed two years later. Evolution appeared in 2002 on Shanachie Records and One-Two Punch in 2006 on Telarc Records.
Wikipedia:
Liquid Soul is a jazz, hip-hop, funk, freestyle fusion ensemble formed in 1994 from Chicago, Illinois which helped pioneer the Acid Jazz movement in the United States in the 90's. Coined "Beyond Acid Jazz" by founder Mars Williams of The Psychedelic Furs and The Waitresses, and co-founded by guitarist Tommy Klein, the band's 2000 album Here's the Deal was nominated for a Grammy in the Best Contemporary Jazz Album category.
History
Their first regular venue was at Chicago's Elbo Room, where their quickly-growing popularity led to the release of their self-titled, debut album Liquid Soul by Ark 21 Records. A well-popularized appearance at Dennis Rodman's birthday party added to their notoriety. They were the main feature at Double Door in Wicker Park for almost four years (Feb. 1996 to Dec. 1999). Subsequent tours took them across the United States and Canada, plus performances in Germany, Turkey and Japan. They have opened for Sting, played at Bill Clinton's second Inaugural Parade and 21st Century Ball, and appeared twice at the South By Southwest Music Festival. The Austin American-Statesman referred to them as "the single hottest showcase of the festival." They have recorded four more CDs: Make Some Noise (produced by Ark 21 in 1998) and the Grammy-nominated Here's the Deal (produced by Shanachie in 2000), Evolution (produced by Shanachie in 2002) and most recently One-Two Punch (produced by major label Telarc in 2006).
