The Motet
Colorado's the Motet is a large funk ensemble known for their energetic performances and immaculate arrangements. Incorporating elements of jazz, rock, soul, and Afrobeat into their mix, they have been led since their inception by drummer Dave Watts. The group emerged in the late '90s and built a loyal following through heavy touring and an appealingly cross-pollinated sound. For most of their career, the Motet has remained independent, self-releasing acclaimed albums like 2006's Instrumental Dissent, 2009's Fela Kuti-inspired Dig Deep, and 2016's Totem. After issuing 2023's all-instrumental All Day, the band added Portland-based vocalist Sarah Clarke to the lineup.
Formed by drummer and bandleader Dave Watts in 1998, the Motet originally began as a collective with rotating members. Watts self-produced and self-released the band's debut album, Breathe, in 1999, after which they recorded for a pair of indie labels: 2001's Play came out on aNOnym reCOrds, and 2004's Music for Life arrived on Harmonized. By this point, the Motet had built up a significant grassroots fan base and a core lineup with Watts joined by mainstays like Garrett Sayers (bass), Ryan Jalbert (guitar), and Joey Porter (keyboards). Beginning with 2006's fiery Instrumental Dissent, they handled all of their releases themselves and could found at major festivals like Electric Forest, Bonnaroo, Bumbershoot, and more. They also maintained a strong local presence in their home state, including playing an annual Halloween show during which they would cover a different artist's repertoire (Prince, Stevie Wonder, Earth, Wind, and Fire, etc.) each year. They have also headlined the famous Red Rock Ampitheatre several times.
In 2009, they released Dig Deep, an instrumental album that found them incorporating electronics into the mix and covering a handful of songs by Fela Kuti. The band's seventh studio album, 2014's eponymously titled The Motet, featured a more collaborative approach with all bandmembers composing together. In addition to regular tours, the band remained productive in the studio, first with 2016's Totem, featuring production from Soulive's Eric Krasno, followed in 2019 by Death or Devotion. While the Motet has featured regular vocalists (Jans Ingber, Lyle Divinsky), they also make the occasional all-instrumental album, like 2023's dense and funky All Day. Shortly after its release, they welcomed new vocalist Sarah Clarke into the group.
© Matt Collar /TiVo
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Electric Dream: Live at Red Rocks
Soul - Paru chez The Motet le 17 janv. 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Music For Life
Rock - Paru chez Harmonized Records le 21 juil. 2004
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Instrumental Dissent
Classique - Paru chez The Motet le 19 nov. 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Jam in the Van - The Motet (Live from Vail, CO 2016)
Jazz - Paru chez Jam in the Van LLC le 25 sept. 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -