Josef Leimberg

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Josef Leimberg (born November 29, 1972) is a producer, lyricist, and trumpet player from Los Angeles. He contributed to Kendrick Lamar’s Grammy Award-winning album, To Pimp a Butterfly, and is currently signed with World Galaxy, the jazz imprint of Alpha Pup Records.

Career[]

Leimberg initially got his start in 1993 as a member of the group Mad Kap. They released one album on Loud Records, Look Ma Duke, No Hands, which featured the single "Proof Is In The Puddin'".[1][2]

After being introduced to Snoop Dogg, Leimberg produced numerous tracks on the rapper’s platinum albums R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta): The Masterpiece and Paid tha Cost to Be da Boss - followed by extensive touring with Snoop Dogg as part of the band. Leimberg would then tour with singer Robin Thicke as a dominant force in his band’s horn section.

In 2014, Leimberg linked up with Terrace Martin under a new alias LoveDragon. The two would collaborate on Kendrick Lamar’s upcoming project, the Grammy Award-winning LP, To Pimp a Butterfly. On the album, Lovedragon contributed to the track "You Ain’t Gotta Lie (Mama Said)" as well as the track "How Much a Dollar Cost" - which was President Barack Obama’s favorite song of 2015.[3] and featured "neck-snapping drums, a somber piano melody and heavenly horn stabs".[4] Leimberg's baritone vocals can also be found on the "Wesley's Theory" and "For Sale?". "As a trumpeter, Leimberg’s work appears in six tracks on To Pimp a Butterfly: "For Sale?", "Wesley's Theory," "These Walls," "Complexion (A Zulu Love)," "You Ain't Gotta Lie (Momma Said)" and "Mortal Man"[5]

In 2016, Leimberg released his first solo album Astral Progressions on World Galaxy, the jazz imprint of Alpha Pup Records, an independent label co-founded by Daddy Kev of Low End Theory. The album is a blend of jazz, ballads, hip hop, funk, and meditation.

National Public Radio member station KCRW presented a guest mix from Leimberg and also included his album Astral Progressions on "KCRW’s Best of 2016."[6]

Leimberg's music has also been featured on Hypebeast,[7] The Boombox of Townsquare Media,[8] Music Is My Sanctuary,[9] Soulbounce,[10] and DJBooth.[11]

Collaborations[]

Leimberg has recorded with numerous well-known artists and musicians, including Kendrick Lamar, Erykah Badu, Om’Mas Keith, Chance the Rapper, Bilal, Zap Mama, Robert Glasper, Thundercat, Nate Dogg, Angie Stone, Miguel, Sa-Ra, Maliah Franklin, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, Suga Free, Terrace Martin, SZA, Tha Eastsidaz, Frank Ocean, George Clinton, Lyn Collins, Madlib, Iman Omari, Jimetta Rose, Shafiq Husayn, Snoop Dogg, and Xzibit.

Discography[]

Albums[]

Title Details
Look Ma Duke, No Hands (with Mad Kap)
Astral Progressions
  • Release date: October 7, 2016
  • Label: World Galaxy Records

Reviews[]

Astral Progressions[]

The album takes influence from ’70s jazz fusion, world music, R&B and hip-hop.[12][13]

Astral Progressions has been described by the Wall Street Journal as "stellar jazz-funk… heavy on virtuosic jazz solos…".[14] According to the Los Angeles Times, "Leimberg blasts into a decidedly cosmic realm...It’s a trippy record, thick with reverb, echo, layers of voices and a free-floating spirit that celebrates sonic spontaneity".[15]

The Good Men Project explores the LP's cultural significance: "The album explores West Coast G-funk and two major historical components of Afrofuturistic sound art: spiritual cosmic jazz in the vein of artists like Pharoah Sanders and Alice Coltrane, and cosmic funk as created by Parliament-Funkadelic".[16]

References[]

  1. ^ Kellman, Andy. "Josef Leimberg Biography". allmusic.com. RhythmOne Group. Retrieved 2019-04-22.
  2. ^ Wang, Oliver. "The L.A. Roots of Kendrick Lamar's 'To Pimp a Butterfly'". kcet.org. Public Media Group of Southern California. Retrieved 2019-04-22.
  3. ^ McAfee, Tierney (9 December 2015). "Kendrick Lamar Vs. Bruno Mars: POTUS and FLOTUS' Favorite Songs, Movies and Moments of 2015". People. Retrieved 21 February 2017.
  4. ^ Markman, Rob (20 March 2015). "Hey Kendrick, Who Is Lovedragon?". MTV. Retrieved 21 February 2017.
  5. ^ Schiche, Ericka (28 May 2015). "The Jazzy Undercurrents of Kendrick Lamar's 'To Pimp A Butterfly'". Houston Press. Retrieved 21 February 2017.
  6. ^ Schreyer, Mathieu (26 November 2016). "Josef Leimberg Guest Mix". KCRW. Retrieved 21 February 2017.
  7. ^ Montes, Patrick (30 August 2016). "Kendrick Lamar & Dr. Dre Collaborator Josef Leimberg Enlists Kamasi Washington for "Interstellar Universe"". Hypebeast. Retrieved 21 February 2017.
  8. ^ Howard, Jacinta (14 October 2016). "Joseph Leimberg Drops Off a Dope New Single Featuring Bilal, 'Between Us 2'". The Boombox. Retrieved 21 February 2017.
  9. ^ Lexis, DJ (6 December 2016). "The Astral Progression of Josef Leimberg". Music Is My Sanctuary. Retrieved 21 February 2017.
  10. ^ Cakes, B (13 September 2016). "Josef Leimberg Takes Us To His 'Interstellar Universe' With Kamasi Washington". Soulbounce. Retrieved 21 February 2017.
  11. ^ G, Lucas (9 April 2015). "Josef Leimberg on LoveDragon's Identity & Working on "To Pimp a Butterfly"". DJBooth. Retrieved 21 February 2017.
  12. ^ Payne, John (22 November 2016). "Josef Leimberg". LA Weekly. Retrieved 21 February 2017.
  13. ^ Kaye, Ben (30 August 2016). "Josef Leimberg announces debut solo LP, shares "Interstellar Universe" feat. Kamasi Washington - listen". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 21 February 2017.
  14. ^ Johnson, Martin (27 December 2016). "How Kamasi Washington Revived Jazz Funk". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 21 February 2017.
  15. ^ Roberts, Randall (28 October 2016). "California Sounds: Hear new music from Johnny Jewel, Josef Leimberg and Sudan Archives". LA Times. Retrieved 21 February 2017.
  16. ^ Conversation (21 December 2016). "Yes, 2016 was Crazy. But the Future of Art is Bright and Black". The Good Men Project. Retrieved 21 February 2017.

External links[]

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