TEA
Guitarist Franck Balloffet, from Lyon, France, and Southern California drummer/keyboardist Phil Bunch first met as members of Los Angeles’ premier African band, Bateke Beat, featuring multi-instrumentalist Fidel Bateke, formerly with the iconic Fela Kuti. The group was the house band at the legendary L.A. club Flaming Colossus, as well as Malibu’s Adobe.
F&P departed Bateke Beat to lead the soul-afrobeat Orchestra Shegemo and Savwa, which included saxophonist Ravi Coltrane. They emerged as the house band at infamous L.A. venues Po Na Na Souk and Bokaos.
Legendary keyboardist and “The Godfather of Acid Jazz,” Brian Auger recorded with Tea on their “Dreams” album, and Tea continued the collaboration by producing Auger’s solo album “Language of the Heart”. Guitarists Jeff “Skunk” Baxter and Julian Coryell were featured on the release. Brian was also part of Tea’s “Grand Cru” album.
Tea is currently recording and writing with Grammy-nominated keyboardist Neil Larsen. . His major sessions and associations include George Harrison, Gregg Allman, Miles Davis, Leonard Cohen, B.B. King, Rickie Lee Jones, Al Jarreau, Elvis Costello and many (many) others. Neil’s classic “Jungle Fever” and “High Gear” albums have always been some of F&P’s major inspirations. Creating with Neil and Brian are truly rewarding experiences and great fun.
Also featured on Tea’s albums is Nigerian percussionist Remi Kabaka (Paul Simon’s “Rhythm of the Saints”, multiple Rolling Stones’ live performances, and the only African musician on Paul McCartney’s “Band on the Run” album, heard on “Bluebird”). Cameroonian bassist André Manga (Manu Dibango, Angélique Kidjo) and guitarist Chris Darrow (Kaleidoscope, James Taylor) have been included as well.
Tea’s music is all about groove and atmosphere, a mix of dreams and travels, a multi-cultural crossroad…
“Tea offers a bracing brew of boss nouveau, French and Afro-pop, refreshing as a sweet summer evening breeze washing over lovers in moonlight. It’s the perfect party music for the 21st hipoisie.”
Roger Steffens, The Beat
“A multi-colored musical fabric of many strands, Tea can be listened to and enjoyed on many levels, from dance beats all the way to scrutiny of intricate guitar embroidery and percussive synchronicity. Tea is brewed from musical sources known and unknown, far-flung and local, and there’s always some surprise or another that comes bubbling to the surface…”
Kirk Silsbee, Contributor, Downbeat
“Tea delivers a tight tonic of high quality ingredients that bring together wide-ranging influences… Gentle good vibes with a rhythmic drive that can’t be beat. When you fall under the spell of Tea, seas are calm, weather bright, life is good. Sail on and away a la carte everyday. Go there.”
Doug Wendt, Midnight Dread.com
