Headhunters release Platinum June 14th

Bridging Genres and Generations: The Legendary Headhunters Deliver "Platinum," a Bravura Collection for Hip-Hop and Jazz Fans, set for June 14th Release by Owl Studios

Guest Artists Include Snoop Dogg, George Clinton, Killah Priest, Jaecyn Bayne, Private Pile and More

In 1973 the legendary jazz/fusion ensemble lead by Herbie Hancock released their debut self titled album Headhunters. The album became the first Jazz album ever to go platinum and cemented the Headhunters place in history.

Other historic recordings followed, including "Thurst," "Flood," and "Manchild," before the band went on to produce seminal records without Hancock (including the renowned "survial of the Fittest," which featured the funk anthem "God Make Me Funky." one of the most sampled jazz/fusion songs in modern music history.

Fast forward to June 14, 2011 the release date for the Headhunters new release, ironically called "Platinum," an album that will mark the beginning that will mark a new movement in music and jazz. The true fusion of Hip Hop, Jazz, Rap, Salsa, Rock, New Orleans, African thythm and more. The Headhunters are steeped in the funk and jazz traditions. The groove in undeniable and the layers of rhythm, melody and spoken word will raise the bar and set a benchmark for the world to follow. "The truth of the matter is, we respect all forms of music and see a place in this unusual musical tapestry for every form of modern and ancient music forms. " For us , Platinum is a self-proclamation of acheivement for creating a project deserving of recognition and will be heard and appreciated by the millions of listeners worldwide."

Never a band to be categorized, the album kicks off with "Platinum Intro," a conversation between Mike Clark and Bill Summers that leads into a Buddist chant. The next track the funky groove oriented "Mission Statement," affirms the earlier conversation between Clark and Summers, and features rapper Jaecyn Bayne spitting lyrics like "platinum bound" that clearly state the objective of the CD.

After another spoken interlude called "Reality of It" featuring Bill Summers, the CD morphs in "Salamander," another funk soaked groove that immediately brings the classic Chameleon to mind, anchored by Donald Harrisons MOOG Bass vamp, Mike Clarks in the pocket time keeping, trumpeter Derrick Gardners firey trumpet solo and Patrice Rushen's flowing keyboard playing.

"I Predict A Good Year" another interlude featuring Summers, leads into "D-Funk" a funk-hip-hop jazz fusion featuring rappers Snoop Dogg, Jaecyn Bayne, Killah Priest and a "Philosophical Interjection" by funk master George Clinton.

The next interlude "I Feel Really Good About" leads into "Tracie," one of my favorites on the album, with Brazilian Samba rhythms driven by Summers and Clark, the soulful blues soaked solos by Maupin, Harrison and Gardner.

"Rehearse Everybody" another interlude leads into "Paging Mr. Wesley," a homage to the great James Brown alto saxophonist Fred Wesley and his band the J.B.'s

"M Trane " another homage, this time to John Coltrane's "Equinox," leads off with Patrice Rushen's spacious chords and Harrison, Dixon and Gardner playing a saxophone chorus over Goods' med-tempo bass vamp. This leads to a piano solo's by Harrison, Dixon and Gardner and displays Rushen's acoustic piano prowless as well as Clark's tasteful drumming.

"Apple Tree" opens with Clark's funky beat, and Summers scatting in unison with Goods' bass vamp. The song with its unusual breaks that revert back to the opening vamp, Dixon's alto solo and rap by Jaecyn Bayne, also features Summers speaking candidly about the cause and effect of crack.

"Palm Nut" is a fusion of African styles that but pure Headhunter. Lead by Clark in an updated "Meters" groove borrowing from Parliment Funkadelic style horn vamps, over Rushens Clavinet playing, solos by Maupin, Poussel, Gardner and Dixon, and Summers.

"Years Of Touring" an interlude in which Clark announces "We've got about 5 years of touring in front of us," leads into "Congo Place," pure New Orleans homage to Congo Square.

"On The Road" the next interlude describes the consequences of life on the road and leads into "Head Hunting," a musical journey into the African Diaspora across continents and hemispheres.

"Skizness" is a straight up funk jam with horn breaks featuring Summers and rapper Private Pile offering definitions like " involuntary funkinithis."

"Slow Glow" is a bass thumping jazz-rock number that takes us back to the heyday of jazz-fusion, featuring Dixon's soprano soloing

Owl Studios is an award-winning, independent record label, with an artist roster that includes a Grammy-nominated artist, two Independent Music Award winners, an American Pianists Association Jazz Fellowship recipient, and a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Performer Award recipient. In the short time since its inception, Owl Studios has become a well-respected, artist-friendly record label in the genres of Jazz, R&B, Neo Soul, Jazz Fusion and Jam Band.

More About THE HEADHUNTERS: Founded in 1973, they recorded their eponymous debut Head Hunters with Herbie Hancock. The Headhunters, legendary jazz-funk fusion band, immortalized as a result of their long recording and touring stint with jazz giant Herbie Hancock. Hancock's “Headhunters" album was the first to be recorded with the group and has been heralded as the first platinum Jazz/Fusion project in history. Thrust, Flood, Manchild and other historic recordings followed. The band went on to produce more seminal records on their own, including Survival of the Fittest, which featured the funk anthem “God Make Me Funky," one of the most sampled jazz/fusion songs in modern music history. The Headhunters' music is a complex but harmonious blend of many styles and genres, spanning the globe, from Africa to Broadway. The group is acclaimed for its musical pioneering and innovative concepts.

More about BILL SUMMERS: To say that Bill is a percussionist is like saying a Steinway is a piano: the noun conveys none of the history and quality of the owner of the title. Born in Detroit Michigan, a veteran of Herbie Hancock's Headhunters, knows literally hundreds of African, Cuban & Latin percussion rhythms from decades of study. Bill steers the helm of the Summers Multi-Ethnic Institute of the Arts, and is a musician of the highest order, playing anything from traditional African instruments to pop bottles.

More about MIKE CLARK: Originally from Oakland, California, Mike is credited with pioneering a particular style of East Bay funk drumming along with Dave Garibaldi of Tower of Power fame. Called "the most sampled drummer in hip hop" Mike's beats have been used on tracks by musicians as diverse as NWA, Grandmaster Flash, Britney Spears, Prince and many others. His diverse genre-defying talent continues to astound audiences and influence successive generations of drummers since his explosive arrival on the music scene with Herbie Hancock and the Headhunters. It is widely accepted that Clark is one of the few, in the category of Elvin Jones and Tony Williams, to have changed the fundamental language of the drums. Clark’s Owl Studios debut, ‘Carnival of Soul’, has earned universally rave reviews.

Linda Reynolds provides some context, in her engaging liner notes: “The Headhunters, founded in 1973, were a legendary jazz-funk fusion band immortalized from their recordings and tours with jazz giant Herbie Hancock. The inaugural Head Hunters album with Hancock went on to become the first platinum jazz/fusion project in history....the intro to their song “God Make Me Funky" is one of the most sampled pieces in hip hop music, an homage to the Headhunters revered elder status and their direct lineage to the continuation and continuum of the music—that one song has been identified in the samples of dozens of rappers from pioneers like Eric B. and Rakim to De La Soul to Mobb Deep to the Fugees to Prince, and on and on and on." Full liners follow, below.

The range of artists on 'Platinum' is top-shelf: Mike Clark—Drums; Bill Summers - Percussion, Vocals; Richie Goods—Bass; Kyle Roussel—Keyboards; Donald Harrison—Alto Saxophone, MOOG Bass, Keyboards; Rob Dixon—Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Keyboard;Derrick Gardner—Trumpet. Guest Artists: Snoop Dogg—Rap; Killah Priest—Rap; Jaecyn Bayne—Rap; Private Pile—Rap; George Clinton—Philosophical Interjection; Cynthia Layne—Vocals; Alexei Marti—Timbales, Vocals; Patrice Rushen - Keyboards; Bennie Maupin—Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone; Azar Lawrence - Soprano Saxophone; Gary Mielke—Bass, MOOG Bass, Keyboards; PJ Yinger—Trumpet; Jerry Stucker—Guitar.