Live Performance of the Week: Chops N Soul gives that "Old School" Funk

Share this article

    (January 11, 2017) Last month we introduced SoulTrackers to the supergroup Chops N Soul. And you loved them.

    The Chops Horns played a big role in the musical lives of many SoulTrackers. From 1980-1982, ​they were the house horn section for ​Sugar Hill Records​, playing on countless classic hip hop tracks like “Freedom,” “She’s Fresh,” “8th Wonder,” and “That’s the Joint.”  Saxophonist and New Jersey native ​Darryl Dixon cut his teeth as a member of ​George Clinton’s Parliament-Funkadelic​ collective.  After his exit, he founded Chops, and in short time they were recording with ​Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five​, ​The Sequence​, ​Spoonie Gee​, and ​The Sugarhill Gang​.

    Often sampled but seldom credited, the ever in-demand horn section spent the next thirty years lending their credibility and signature arrangements to some of the biggest artists in the world (​The Police​, ​Alicia Keys​, ​The Rolling Stones​, ​Bob Dylan​, ​Christina Aguilera​).

    (January 11, 2017) Last month we introduced SoulTrackers to the supergroup Chops N Soul. And you loved them.

    The Chops Horns played a big role in the musical lives of many SoulTrackers. From 1980-1982, ​they were the house horn section for ​Sugar Hill Records​, playing on countless classic hip hop tracks like “Freedom,” “She’s Fresh,” “8th Wonder,” and “That’s the Joint.”  Saxophonist and New Jersey native ​Darryl Dixon cut his teeth as a member of ​George Clinton’s Parliament-Funkadelic​ collective.  After his exit, he founded Chops, and in short time they were recording with ​Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five​, ​The Sequence​, ​Spoonie Gee​, and ​The Sugarhill Gang​.

    Often sampled but seldom credited, the ever in-demand horn section spent the next thirty years lending their credibility and signature arrangements to some of the biggest artists in the world (​The Police​, ​Alicia Keys​, ​The Rolling Stones​, ​Bob Dylan​, ​Christina Aguilera​).

    That horn section has teamed with producer Soul Joel Parisien, and brought in guests like P-Funk alumni Bernie Worrell​, ​Dennis Chambers​ and ​Fred Wesley​, to create a true funk supergroup, Chops N Soul

    We have another performance from the band to share: It is a live in studio performance that shows them at their funky best. Check out the song "Old School" below. It is our Live Performance of the Week.

    Chops N Soul - "Old School"

    Personnel: 

    CHOPS HORNS:
    David Watson -- flute, baritone saxophone 
    Darryl Dixon -- alto saxophone 
    Freddie Hendrix -- trumpet

    Joel Parisien -- Hammond Organ, background vocals  
    Josh Toal -- electric guitar 
    Rich Moore -- bass 
    Mark Rogers -- drums 
    Toni "TJ" Scruggs -- background vocals