Song info and credits
The story of NY Cafe (Bumpin')
Hear "NY Cafe" on the Songs page
This song was originally called Bumpin'. It was a staple of Robin Hód / Cappuccino & Cream live shows and usually featured an extended solo by Kós László. The song is basically a bass guitar riff with a funky beat, but I added a more mellow interlude section to showcase Tóth Viktor's jazz skills. With such divergent musical interests in the band it was important to find songs that appealed to a broad spectrum. Linked below is a studio version we recorded in one take for a demo cassette. There are definitely some timing issues but you can hear the talent.
https://soundcloud.com/user-1781007/bumpin
For the 2022 remake, the bass line and drums were pretty well set in my head, but the length of the solo sections meant that player would really lead the tone of the tune. I was so blessed to find Ilia. When I first sent him the tracks I asked him to try the main line on both alto and tenor, plus improvise one solo phrase of each. My intent was to choose the best of the solos but both were so good I extended the song to fit them both in. I am often asked who the sax players are on this track and I am pleased to say although there are two sax solos, there is only one horn player.
Much of my music is international, but this track is especially so, with musicians from Columbia, Turkey, and Latvia following the funky beat of DC drummer Jay Williams. Jay and I seem to feel the same beats, the same way. This recording sounds like he has played this song for years but I sent him a drum machine idea and he sent me back the finished track in like an hour. Maybe playing with Marcus Miller gave him a special sense for dealing with bass heavy arrangements.
I don't know if the point gets across, but the idea is a battle between a street musician and a band that is playing in a club. I chose New York as a fictional location, but it could be anywhere you have buskers outside of established venues.
This was almost called Covid Cafe, as this was produced during Covid lockdowns around the world, but after the deaths started mounting I decided I didn't want to treat the topic with any sort of frivolity. NY Cafe it became.
Kós László