(February 4, 2021) On the video for the song “Baby You Got Me,” the Cleveland based funk fusion band Matthew Alec and the Soul Electric put you into the studio with them. The band wants the video to have a there-at-the-creation feel. It starts with vocalist and pianist Brian Woods riffing on the piano. It’s clear that Woods and his bandmates are in the studio, and that they are making socially distant and masked music in the pandemic era.
The video cuts between each musician. Jeremiah Hawkins and Jared Lees lay down a funky foundation on the drum and bass respectively. The camera moves from guitarist Steven Forrest Sanders and the wah wah pedals arrayed on the floor in front of him, giving view of where those soulful riffs come from. Band leader Alec improvises on his electronic flute.
Some shots show Woods, wearing a black sleeveless T-shirt standing in front of a microphone while holding a legal pad. Others show him sitting in front of the piano.
(February 4, 2021) On the video for the song “Baby You Got Me,” the Cleveland based funk fusion band Matthew Alec and the Soul Electric put you into the studio with them. The band wants the video to have a there-at-the-creation feel. It starts with vocalist and pianist Brian Woods riffing on the piano. It’s clear that Woods and his bandmates are in the studio, and that they are making socially distant and masked music in the pandemic era.
The video cuts between each musician. Jeremiah Hawkins and Jared Lees lay down a funky foundation on the drum and bass respectively. The camera moves from guitarist Steven Forrest Sanders and the wah wah pedals arrayed on the floor in front of him, giving view of where those soulful riffs come from. Band leader Alec improvises on his electronic flute.
Some shots show Woods, wearing a black sleeveless T-shirt standing in front of a microphone while holding a legal pad. Others show him sitting in front of the piano.
While the video for “Baby You Got Me” looks intentionally first take, the tune that you hear sounds decidedly final cut. “Baby You Got Me” is definitely ready for the radio, the streaming service or whatever your preferred method of musical enjoyment may be. The track finds Woods using his emotive and power packed baritone to declare his undying love and commitment to his woman will go down like sweet nectar to lovers of that classic, analog soul sound.
Band leader Alec provides some insight into the process that went into making the video and the challenges that the pandemic presented:
"This was the third music video I put together for the album as well as the third one I've ever made. For the other videos I had a clear artistic direction on what the final product would look like as well as the shots I was going for, but on 'Baby You Got Me' I didn't decide that until after I had a chance to review the footage. That day in the studio I was helping the band come up with the final arrangement for the tune, trying my best to listen to each take and give feedback, and I was running around setting up cameras and getting footage of everyone cutting their tracks for the video! To make matters worse, thanks to the pandemic I was not allowed in the control room with Jim Stewart (the engineer) so we all had to listen to the cuts through headphones. It was a stressful experience. As far as the finished product, after I reviewed everything I decided to try to mimic the look of the old Blue Note jazz album covers with the colorized hues of blues, purples, and greens. I think it did a nice job of capturing the mood of the song as well as Brian's personality."
Check out the video for “Baby You Got Me,” by Matthew Alec and the Soul Electric here.
By Howard Dukes
World Premiere!
Matthew Alec and the Soul Electric
"Baby You Got Me"