Theo Katzman is a prolific songwriter and instrumentalist from Los Angeles, California. You may have seen him doing his thing in bands like Ella Riot and Vulfpeck. Here in this session we've got his solo project with backing band Four Fine Gentleman.
Katzman's music can best be described as a tapestry of funk, soul, and rock music, while hitting everything in between on the way to each genre distinction. Each song in this session embodies a different kind of music, a different era, and completely different arrangements. Besides the groups instrumental alacrity, the most amazing thing about this session is watching the band go chameleon every couple of minutes and switching it up on the listener with Katzman as the nucleus, always bringing it back into his established world.
Theo Katzman is virtuosic. His songwriting abilities are matched only by his instrumentalism. Most of these songs will get you dancing, but he still retains the ability to enter your heart and attach himself to your saddest thoughts. He can change up his playing style just as fast as he can find a different range for his voice, exploring different moods and genres all the while. "Good to be Alone" is a highlight in the session, a tender song that brings folk/pop into his varied mix.
This session is just a demo of his most recent album "Heartbreak Hits", which is full of pop songs (literally. See "Pop Song (Bonus Track)"), funk songs, and of course, heartbreak songs. The production is top-notch and the lyrics are often self-aware and quite funny.