Soulganic
By Amena Brown
Photo By Mike Hammer

Soulganic is in the kitchen. And fresh out of the oven is a new album, All Directions Forward, featuring drummer and keyboardist Cory McClure, guitarist and background vocalist Ryan McKeithan, lead vocalist and bass player Anthony Rodriguez, and percussionist Lucas Torres. Based in Charlotte, NC, the band mixes smidgens of jazz, blues, rock, and funk with Latin and Caribbean influences to create a sound they hope will never be deemed cookie-cutter.

“We have a determined aversion to baking any kind of cookies,” says Rodriguez. “Sometimes we will purposely throw elements in that will prevent what we do from being categorized. We’re able to take our individual gifts, leave behind the ego, come together as real friends, and create good music. Whether it falls into a genre or not, hopefully someone likes it.”

Soulganic feeds on improvisation and their music is umbilically connected to live show jam sessions and life experiences that mix into songs. Previous players in the band have left their mark on the music and walked away to pursue individual paths, but the vision of the band is the same: to capture their live electricity while staying true to organic soul. All Directions Forward, recorded in Asylum Digital Recording Studio by Scott Slagle, is a taste of what a Soulganic live show can do.

“It’s an experience with the energy of a rock or jam band show,” explains Rodriguez. “No matter how big it feels or how loud, it is still something someone can relate to, whether it’s lyrics or percussion. And it’s fun. We try not to take ourselves too seriously.”

Charlotte’s indie music scene sometimes suffers from segregation based on race or genre, but Evening News and The Neighborhood Theatre have supported Soulganic’s good music cause by giving the band a place to create and jam.

“This isn’t ‘68 or ‘69 where people are just waiting for somebody to play good tunes,” says Rodriguez. “Times have changed and people are jaded, but the Charlotte scene has some artists who are willing to grab people by the lapel and say ‘listen to me.’ You have to be determined enough, and respect your own craft enough, to treat it like a business.”

For now, the band is taking a hiatus from performing live as they pursue other avenues for their music, such as television and movie placement, and begin work on their next album.

“We are trying to beat the bushes now. The album is a reference point so people can say, ‘Oh that’s what y’all do.’ We’re fortunate to have people who are anxious for something new in music and they’ve given us an audience. If you’re making music, you want somebody else to hear it. You can’t sit back and wait for somebody to call you. If you don’t give them a reason to pay attention to you, they won’t. We’re grateful that people are letting us engage them in conversation.”

Soulganic doesn’t stick to a recipe. They season their music to taste, improvising ingredients without straying from the authenticity in their name.

www.organicsoulmusic.com