Mentored by EWF’S Ralph Johnson and Motown Funk Brother Uriel Jones, drummer DREW SCHULTZ is one of soul music’s finest percussionists. For five years he was drummer in the road band of The Four Tops and he’s also worked with the likes of the Temptations, Aretha Franklin, the Dramatics, the Contours, the Miracles, the Chairmen of the Board and Harold Melvin’s Bluenotes.
A few years back Drew released his first solo album. Called ‘Back To Class’, he described it as “his love letter to soul music and to those who make it” and it featured Spyder Turner, Dennis Coffey, McKinley Jackson, James Jamerson JR and Drew’s old employers, The Four Tops
To make the album even more special Drew donated half of all the profits from the project to the music programmes in the Detroit Publics Schools so that the pupils could continue to create and celebrate classic soul.
On October 17th Drew takes his project to a new level by branching out nationally. The drummer will be releasing an A-and-B-side tribute single to Curtis Mayfield & The Impressions, with 50% of profits benefiting the Chicago Public Schools’ music programmes. The single features The Impressions’ lead singer Reginald Torian Sr, Lee Goodness of Curtis Mayfield’s longtime touring band, and Cecil Jones from the Chicago Black Ensemble Theatre’s production of ‘The Story Of Curtis Mayfield.’ (Cecil and Reggie are alongside Drew in our picture, above).
The single’s A-side is a wistful mid-tempo groove called ‘Please (Don’t Give Up On Your Dreams)’. It starts with a children’s’ chorus before Reggie’s fragile vocal soars while the lyric makes reference to several Mayfield classics. ‘Waiting Game’ is the official B side and it’s another gentle piece of vintage soul with a poignant spoken passage. Both recall prime time Impressions and I’m sure dear Curtis would be proud of both and until that promised Impressions’ Daptone album materialises this is the nearest to new Impressions’ material you’ll get.
Drew says of the single: “The music that Curtis Mayfield created continues to motivate, inspire, and encourage me every day. Hopefully this new single can help to carry on his positivity, and give a boost to the musical education of the Chicago’s children.”
Find out more at www.DSdrums.com . ‘Please (Don’t Give Up On Your Dreams’ b/w ‘Waiting Game’ will be available digitally through iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, and more on October 17th, 2014.
Our site archive will give you access to an interview with Drew and a review of ‘Back To Class’.
