Tim Gartland – Right Amount Of Funky
Tim Gartland – Right Amount Of Funky
Format: CD
Label: Independent
Release: 2025
Release date: April 25, 2025
‘Right Amount of Funky’ was recorded at Biglittle Recording studio in Nashville, TN and co-produced by Tim Gartland and studio owner Andy Peake. Joining Gartland on the album are Jack Bruno (Joe Cocker, Tina Turner) on drums, Mike Joyce (Delbert McClinton) on bass, Robert Frahm on electric guitar and Nalani Rothrock on background vocals. Andy Peake adds percussion and additional background vocals. Dennis Drummond provides acoustic guitar and backing vocals and Jolie Grace delivers backing vocal support.
The eight songs on the album blending blues/soul/roots rock and reggae, were all written or co-written by Tim Gartland. The album was carefully crafted and constructed ensuring each song could reach its’ full potential.
The album’s lead track, “Waste A Worry” is a contemporary blues song with a message to an inquiring friend concerned about a man who lost his job and his woman at the same time. “Don’t waste a worry on me, I’ll be my old self eventually. I’m going to take the time I need, so don’t waste a worry on me”. The title track,” Right Amount of Funky” celebrates to the personal nature of music appreciation. “What’s funky enough, is up to you you see, what’s funky for you, might not work for me. The groove, that feels true, and makes you move, is the one to use.You know this funk right here, is the right amount of funky for me”.
The rhumba infused song “A Better Life” (co-written with Karen Leipziger – who also penned “Walk Away” with Gartland) makes a point of how immigration to America throughout our history includes people of a wide variety of ethnicities who have the shared desire for opportunity and freedom. “They left home, all they’d ever known, with little more than a pocketful of dreams. A chance at a better life, a promise of what could be”. And on the reggae tune “Alone Times”, we find a person reflecting on his life and realizing that the best times were spent with a past romantic partner. “Holding hands for the first time, kissing ‘neath the strawberry moon, nothing beat alone times with you. Choosing up the right wine, in bed way past noon, nothing beat alone times with you”.
The songs on TIM GARTLAND’s ‘Right Amount Of Funky’ are a culmination of a lifetime dedicated to the craft of writing and playing roots/blues music that began when Gartland entered his teens. Seeing Muddy Waters in concert in his home state of Ohio at age 13 proved to be a life changing experience that would inspire Gartland to learn the blues on the harmonica and begin his musical journey.
Upon moving to Chicago after graduating college, Gartland immersed himself in the Chicago roots/blues scene. He studied with famed harmonica player, Jerry Portnoy (Muddy Waters, Eric Clapton) and played with such greats as Bo Diddley, Carey Bell, Big Jack Johnson and Pinetop Perkins. Gartland has been deeply influenced by the “greats” –Little Walter for his harp playing, Ray Charles for his interpretation of a song, Willie Dixon for his songwriting.
As Gartland gained a more in-depth knowledge of songwriting, he came to understand that if roots/blues music was going to stay relevant in today’s world, the songs had to tackle contemporary subjects. “The blues is essentially a genre in which the singer is having a cathartic experience. If you write about themes that are meaningful to your experience, you will create something new,” says Gartland.
After moving to Boston in 1989, Gartland became a key player in the Boston blues circuit. In 1998, he was a finalist in the Boston Blues Challenge Competition. He made frequent appearances at regional and national blues festivals as well as guest artist appearances with the top tier musicians in this talent rich area.
Tim Gartland embarked on his solo recording career with the release of his debut album, ‘Looking Into The Sun,’ in 2011. The Boston Globe stated “the bluesman is a true triple threat performer, equally accomplished as an emotive vocalist, eloquent harmonica player, and evocative songwriter”. Also in 2011, Gartland became a published author, writing an instructional book for the harmonica entitled “The Talking Harmonica”. He released his second album, ‘Million Stars’ in 2014.
Tim Gartland relocated to Nashville, TN in 2015. He became an active member of the Nashville Songwriters Association and was honored to be named to their “ones to watch list”. He is now actively playing, recording and writing in “Music City”. In 2017 he was invited to perform at the prestigious “Harmonica Blues Summit” in Nashville.
His album ‘If You Want A Good Woman’ (2017) reached #1 on Airplay Direct’s blues charts. Gartland released his fourth solo album, ‘Satisfied’ in 2019, followed by the critically-acclaimed ‘Truth‘ in 2022. “…on his excellent new album ‘Truth,’ bluesman Tim Gartland reminds us that ‘Facts are facts, there’s no spinning that.’ Here’s a fact: If you’re a fan of the blues, you’re gonna want to spin Gartland’s new record — repeatedly….Gartland’s fifth solo album features a dozen swinging cuts that range from barroom blues and roadhouse R&B to sophisticated blues-rock. At every stop on the journey, Gartland shows he is a clever and talented songwriter, a skilled harp player and a soulful vocalist. And that’s the truth.” (Daryl Sanders/Nashville Scene)
In 2021, Tim Gartland published a songbook entitled “50 Best Songs” with lyrics and music to his songs. He continues to actively record and perform his original music throughout the United States. Gartland’s song “Don’t Make More Trouble” was featured on the Nashville affiliate of NBC as part of a story on the rise in the crime rate in the city and across the country.
And now it’s time to groove on Tim Gartland’s ‘Right Amount of Funky’…his best work yet!
Website: https://www.timgartland.com/
Tracks:
01. Waste A Worry
02. Right Amount Of Funky
03. A Better Life
04. Walk Away
05. If This Ain’t Heaven
06. Alone Times
07. About To Cry
08. Stop Working Me