Freekbass has Love in his Pocket Cincinnati’s Bass master releases new video, tour dates, collaboration with Sammi Garett of Turkuaz, and eventual world bass domination. Photos by Rhonda’Lyn Jamison & Angie Wilson Check out the Live Music News and Review.com Facebook page for updates and announcements. To submit an article an article or review, or to just say hello hit us at [email protected]  Get ready for a funk party anthem. Today marks the release of “Love In Your Pocket” composed and performed by renowned funk bassist Freekbass and Turkuaz vocalist Sammi Garett. The track was produced by GRAMMY Award winner Itaal Shur and features  additional vocals by Lonnie “Meganut” Marshall. The song is an upbeat two stepper with gritty groove, catchy vocals, and retro synth sounds reminiscent of funk masters like Prince, Parliament Funkadelic, and Zapp. “Love In Your Pocket” is the first in a collection of singles due out later this year from Cincinnati Ohio native Chris “Freekbass” Sherman. Freekbass comments, “‘Love In Your Pocket’ is one of those songs that popped into my consciousness very naturally. I was playing the main bass groove and was thinking about how you can be addicted to a person, your art, a passion etc. Like having the person or passion having you wrapped around their finger. You become the ‘Love In their Pocket”‘ . A funk bass master, Freekbass is known for his technical virtuosity and dynamic live performances. Legendary funk icon Bootsy Collins calls Freekbass “The new Spiritual Warrior for the Funk”. Freekbass will be performing with Garett at this year’s Summer Camp festival in IL on Saturday May 26th. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iT09d8-L9rk We caught up with Freekbass himself to get his thoughts on the new single and video, his upcoming festival appearances, his thoughts on the band, and what is happening in the funk universe: LMNR: So how did you and Sammi Garett get together? Did you write together, or did she come to the project with ideas that were different than you expected? FREEKBASS: Sammi and I met from the times I sat in with Turkuaz at some shows. We started talking and realized we both had similar visions for both the music and the visual. When Itaal and I started writing this new material together it felt like it really needed a female vocal on it too. I gave Sammi a shout and asked her if she would be interested in being part of this project and she was down. Once she added her vocals to one of the tracks we knew we had to get her on as much as possible. She brought everything to another level. Sammi is so good with parts and pocket. I think she plays some drums and you can hear it in her delivery. She doesn’t riff, she comes up with parts which I love. LMNR: The video has a real cool visual style, who and what are behind it? FREEKBASS: Thanks you. Angie Wilson , who is both a very talented costume designer and graphic artist, approached me about directing the video. She had a great concept where I would be kind of a “man who fell to earth” character and Sammi a Men In Black character. In the first scenes I am supposed to be coming to earth for the first time and Sammi teaches me the Love In Your Pocket dance. At the end of the video I go back to my planet and show my peeps there the dance. LMNR: We’ve been hearing rumors about your plans for an upcoming set at Summer Camp in IL. Can you give us a glimpse of what you are doing there? FREEKBASS: It’s going to be great. We are playing midnight on Saturday night at the Camp Fire Stage, and it will be our official debut with Sammi as part of the Bump Assembly. I don’t want to give too much away, but we have some things planned from a galaxy far,far away. LMNR: You play with some amazing players, in Razor Sharp Johnson and Rico Lewis. How did they come to play with y’all? I always have to pinch myself onstage when I look over and see Razor playing next to me. He has played on some big time funk classics. I met Razor through Bootsy. He is an original member of Bootsy’s Rubberband. He started off by playing in the studio with me. When I started touring heavily a couple of years ago I asked him if he would be able to go on the road full time and he said yes. I talked to Bootsy too to make sure there would be no conflict with his touring schedule and he said it would work out fine. Rico had just finished 13 years on the road playing drums with George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic. He and I had played together once at a Bernie Worrell show a few years ago and it was pretty magical. After I lost my drummer and best friend ,Bamn to a car accident, Rico and I connected. He sent me this amazing heartfelt text about wanting to help me through that trying time and we connected on a deep level. Rico is the king of pocket-drumming and as a bassist, it is always a huge treat to play with him each night. LMNR: How is Bootsy doing lately? FREEKBASS: He is doing great. He just released a new album and is being an incredible mentor and visionary to myself and many other up and coming musicians. LMNR: Is it safe to assume that this isn’t the only single you’ve got at the ready? When can we expect some more new music? FREEKBASS: Oh yeah! Lots more. We decided instead of releasing an album all at once we would release a series of singles and videos to out attention on each. We will be releasing the next single soon so stay posted! LMNR: There is some tremors in the funk universe with some new funky bands and songs making waves in pop music in a way that hasn’t happened in decades. From Bruno Mars (“24K Magic”) to Portugal. the Man to Vulfpeck, we’re seeing funk in the pop and rock worlds as we have not in a long time. What’s going on here Freekbass? FREEKBASS: It is wild to see so much mainstream attention to Funk now. I am sure if we grew up in the 70s it might have felt similar. To me funk is life and air, so I am glad we are all breathing the same freshness now ! LMNR: We couldn’t help but notice that amazing double neck bass guitar in your video, what’s the story there? FREEKBASS: Tomm Stanley , of Stonefield Musical Instruments who makes the Freekbass Signature Model bass and I have been talking about the doubleneck idea since I went to New Zealand. Tomm worked his magic in his workshop in New Zealand and came up with that amazing instrument. I’ve just started using it live and it takes everything about another level onstage. I love it.   UPCOMING TOUR DATES: Sat 05.26.18 Three Sisters Park – Summercamp Music Festival Chillicothe IL Thu 05.31.18 Founder’s Brewing Company Grand Rapids MI Fri 06.01.18 Union Street Station Traverse City MI Sat 06.02.18 Union Street Station Traverse City MI Sat 06.16.18 West Virginia Day Fest Charles Town WV Fri 06.29.18 PigMania Hilliard OH Sat 06.30.18 Camp Reggae – Maypop Music and Arts Festival Turtletown TN Sat 07.21.18 Tabfest Mendon OH Fri 08.03.18 Musikfest Bethlehem PA Fri 08.17.18 Woods at Bear Creek – Nights of Fire Franklinville NY Fri 08.24.18 beWILDerfest Cincinnati OH Sat 09.01.18 Peace of Mind Festival Lehighton PA Fri 09.14.18 Blues at the Crossroads Terra Haute IN Sat 09.15.18 Paw Paw Festival Albany OH DAY Sat 09.15.18 The Lost Paddle at Ace Adventure Resort Oak Hill WV  NIGHT Fri 11.23.18 Southgate House FUNKSGIVING Newport KY   Check out the Live Music News and Review.com Facebook page for updates and announcements. To submit an article an article or review, or to just say hello hit us at [email protected]