No loops were used and no samples. All musicians contributed their part in live recordings. rad. and husband/producer Michael Kirsch have been a team for well over a decade. Back in the 1980's Michael was a student of sound engineer Fred Catero who along with David Rubinson, recorded the early Tower of Power and Headhunters albums in the Bay Area. The couple shares a mutual love for the analog sound and conventional 70's style album production as an art form.
No doubt they have a drummer fetish, and this is for all of us to enjoy. On this ride, they enlisted the talent of drummer extraordinaire John Blackwell, a fellow Prince alumni and East Bay resident. He deals a good dose of pyrotechnical exchanges, quoting and innovating in the fields of Funk and Soul. John particularly shines on heavy Funk tunes like the Bushcritical "That Ain't No Way".
Also on the bus is rad.'s usual Bay Area crew of drummer David Garibaldi, guitarist Ray Obiedo and bassist Marc van Wageningen. When not on tour with his band Tower of Power, David Garibaldi is always enthusiastic with the musical challenges rad. serves up. He skillfully blends Afro-Cuban Rhythms with his own funk sensibilities.
The drummers are tastefully complimented by percussionist Michael Spiro, who lent his talents to artists from Ella Fitzgerald to Latin legends like Cachao or Airto. Bassist Marc van Wageningen, a definite talent deserving wider recognition, lays his driving and poetic bass. Herbie Hancock veteran Ray Obiedo adds special flavor as he has on rad's previous albums. Adding to the explosive Funk numbers, French Bistro flavored Cha cha "Baby Girl" and the powerful soul ballad "Before We Say Goodbye", featuring Saxophonist Charles McNeal, make EAST BABE a versatile reflection of the East Bay's musical melting pot.
Guest appearances by another Prince (and rad.) alumni, Norbert Stachel, on Soprano saxophone and Nigerian master drummer Sikiru Adepoju, who the Grateful Dead's Mickey Hart refers to as the Mozart of the Talking Drum, round off the album.
