The word "cover band" usually implies the verbatim regurgitation of pop songs from yesteryear. Terry Hsieh, band leader of The Spice Cabinet, has been trying to change the implication of that tired phrase. SpiceCab attacks the cover genre from the Jazz underworld, bringing a Jazz arranger's sensibility to modern pop music, mixing in heavy doses of electronic, funk, R&B, neo-soul and rock elements, all while keeping the feeling of the original, but with the intensity of a modern Jazz concert.
"Full Metal Spice Packet" represents the best of the Beijing-based ensemble's "dance jazz" arrangements, full of cheeky references to other songs within the Jazz AND pop worlds, there's something for everyone. There's R&B, funk, bebop. fusion, rock, soul and electronic-- hence the moniker for their style: "DeathBop". It's music that's fun to write, fun to play, and most importantly, fun to listen to.
FMSP also features additional solo work by guest artists: Lawrence Ku, Aaron Janik, Alex Cummings, Toby Mak, and Kevin Sun. Enjoy the ride!
credits
released June 25, 2019
Terry Hsieh: arranger, keyboards, synth, trumpet, trombone
He Haocheng: J Kyle Gregory: trumpet
David Diao: alto saxophone (track 1)
Liu Xiaoguang: tenor saxophone
Gabriel Beaudoin: guitar (track 1,2,3,4,6)
Chris Cui Wenzheng: bass
Anthony Vanacore: drums, percussion
Kaitlin Thomas: baritone saxophone
Special Guests:
Aaron Janik: trumpet (track 4)
Lawrence Ku: guitar (track 5)
Alex Cummings: alto saxophone (track 5)
Kevin Sun: tenor saxophone (track 6)
Recorded at 55tec Studios (Beijing)
Mixed by Damien Banzigou at OneDream Studio (Shanghai) and Chris Badami (New Jersey)
Mastered by Matthew Chalmers in Toronto, Canada
Additional Engineering by Juanma Trujillo, NYC
Cover art by Dashiell Robb @ Up All Night Productions
A BrassBird Productions Album 2019
license
Some rights reserved. Please refer to individual track pages for license info.
Named Editor's Choice for Best Local Band of 2016 by City Weekend Beijing, The Spice Cabinet, led by frontman keyboardist
Terry Hsieh, slices and dices Top 40 songs into instrumental postmodern dance beats of wonder. It's pop according to jazz, sprinkled with funk, hip-hop, bebop, rock and a healthy dose of the avant garde. Born out of the Beijing Jazz scene, Spice Cab now delivers worldwide!...more
Impressionistic, labyrinthine, Gothic improvisations and compositions that take you into different worlds with each song. It's a planetary musical experience. A rare and beautiful record. The Spice Cabinet
This is one of the history books. Cleanly and beautifully recorded, Janik and Cummings deliver perfectly timed melodic punches with vigor. Supported by an excellent rhythm section. The Spice Cabinet
This album is a fresh take on the long cross-continental dialogue between Black American jazz and West African popular music. Bandcamp Album of the Day Jun 19, 2020
A collection of jazz standards from this Chicago artist recalls the genre’s swing era, with waltzing rhythms and skipping guitars. Bandcamp New & Notable Jul 12, 2021