NEW ALBUM AVAILABLE ON GORGEOUS BLACK VINYL!

ALL ABOUT THE EMINENT STARS

A True Vintage Music Experience

The Eminent Stars were founded by saxofonist Ben Mendes and drummer Toon Oomen. They both share the love for the great music emerging from cities like New Orleans in the 60's and 70's: Dr. John, Freddie King, The Meters and many more! Just mix up some soul, Rhythm and Blues, funk and Blues and there you have it: a record that consists of authentic elements: it's danceable, intriguing, vibrant and fresh!

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New Orleans

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Drummer Toon Oomen decided to live and studied in New Orleans some years ago just to capture the unique vibe and sounds of this region. When he came back to Amsterdam he wanted to share this musical richness. He found a great companion in saxophonist and producer Ben Mendes and they soon started to work intensively on fresh and original material .

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A Farmhouse in France

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Then the moment arrived when Toon & Ben planned a recording session (2012) in a rusty old farm in the middle of the French Ardennes. Here the basis-recordings for the new album 'Sittin' In' found place: all live, together in one big old dusty room, all vintage equipment was brought down there. Just to capture the authentic sounds & vibes of the songs.

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Vocalists

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Soon the great American singer-songwriter Bruce James joined the team, later other marvelous vocalists such as Imelda, Lana Gordon and Steffen Morrison jumped on board. All blending in with the Eminent Stars!

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Bumpin'On in 2019

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After a period of silence and writing sessions the new album Bumpin' On is released on Tramp Records! Strongly influenced by the city vibes of Amsterdam, Bruce James stepped into the studio again and wrote some great and poetic lyrics on top of the vibrant grooves!

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Boutique Studio

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All recordings for the new album were done live in a small boutique-studio in the heart of Amsterdam. Tons of vintage equipment and instruments were brought down there just to capture the authentic sounds & vibes of the new songs. After a long and intense weekend the musicians put down some great grooves and tracks.

Amsterdam

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The location added so much atmosphere that you can truly hear the nightlife of Amsterdam in the songs. The place was a great inspiration for Bruce James to write some great melodies and lyrics for the album.

Handmade Soul

Bumpin' On will surely convince the listener with its authentic, handmade soul sound of an era long gone. Whether you listen to the deep soul ballad "Closest I'll Ever Be" or the uptempo feel-good vibes of "Big Easy Dreams", The Eminent Stars' second album shows their amazing capability of writing songs, creating amazing grooves and giving the listeners a sonic-treat of the 1970s that so many people love.