This week, Aaron welcomed Jamil Rashad of Boulevards on Live and Local, on the release date of his new album “Carolina Funk: Barn Burner on Tobacco Road.”
Visit Boulevards.band to stream the full album and learn more.
Rashad has released five albums as Boulevards in the last eight years; “Carolina Funk” is his first since 2022’s “Electric Cowboy: Born in Carolina Mud.”
“I started really writing this record right after ‘Electric Cowboy,’ probably within that week – so it’s been a two-year process,” he says. “I’ve done everything in my power to make the best possible funk record that I can possibly make.”
Boulevards’ music follows in the grand tradition of funk icons like North Carolina native George Clinton – but Rashad says he’s always pushing forward, never just looking back.
“My goal in every record is to grow,” he says. “If I’m not growing, then there’s no point in doing this.”
Photo via Instagram.
In this case, Rashad says “Carolina Funk” was driven by the vision of taking Boulevards’ energetic live shows and recreating that energy in the studio.
“This is the first record that I’ve ever recorded live, with the (band) in the room,” he says. “So I’m vibing with the guys, they’re vibing off me, (and) we’re looking at each other while I’m performing these songs.”
Follow Boulevards on Instagram.
Rashad released three singles ahead of the full album’s release – led by “Run and Move,” a favorite on 97.9 The Hill. But he says the entire album works together as a single piece – specifically a piece that barbecue fans will appreciate.
“It sounds like brisket,” he laughs. “It’s a slow simmer, we start out banging, and then we settle in, and things start to pick up. And then you got your well done brisket right there.”
Jamil Rashad came on Live & Local to chat about the album and play the opening track, “My Town: Introduction to Carolina Funk.” Listen:
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