CeCe Teneal & Soul Kamotion

Soul Kamotion defies genrefication. Their blues, soul, and gospel roots extend out into a lavish coppice of musical pageantry...If you’re a fan of Southern soul, jazzy blues, gospel-tinged funk, or just the kind of music that you can’t help but move to, #5or5000 is your ticket to the show. - American Blues Scene

Cece Teneal has a voice like a fighter jet. It rumbles along, rich and powerful, but is also capable of amazingly intricate maneuvers, quickly moving against the beat or executing an intricate vocal phrase. And like a high-performance jet, you almost feel her voice before you hear it. Teneal, along with the band Soul Kamotion, is what makes #5or5000 such an enjoyable rock/funk/soul live album.
The album works because of Teneal. But the work of Soul Kamotion supports and enhances her vocals.

“Danger” is a perfect example of seamless collaboration. It starts with a funky guitar riff that’s almost reggae, while the drums pound out a deceptively simple beat. Teneal sings over it all, as keyboards and bass gradually come in. The song builds to a huge chorus, along with background vocals, and the track is off and running. Teneal sings and the band answers. And everything is tight; all of the instruments fit together perfectly. And just when you think there’s no room for anything else, a trumpet (sadly, an uncredited one) emerges with a solo. Because every great funk song needs a trumpet.

The album also has some great rock moments. “4 On the Floor” is Bob Seger’s “Old Time Rock and Roll” made soulful with guitarist LaVon Rushing soloing fluidly and frantically over the whole song. “Alive” is a quiet ballad that gradually turns into a power ballad, thanks to James Adkins’ drums, which subtly grow louder and more prominent, eventually leading Rushing into an almost metal-like guitar break that resets the song. Rushing is a not-so-secret weapon on the album, taking the spotlight off of Teneal just long enough to reboot the listeners’ expectations. It also relieves Teneal of the pressure of having to carry an album (and show) all by herself. Chris Baptiste serves a similar role on “Lonely (Even When You’re Here),” a gospel-inspired number, where his organ provides the underpinning for the entire song, supporting Teneal and Rushing, but also encompassing them. And that’s no easy task, as Teneal’s vocals build to an almost impossible intensity.

The title track is one of the album’s best moments, a relentlessly catchy and optimistic track, with Teneal and the band singing, “I’ve got to go hard / I’ve got to be strong / Keep my head up to the sky.” Teneal continues, repeating, “We’re going up,” almost like a hypnotic mantra. You can feel the song lifting you, almost like a mystical elevator. The bass holds the song together from below, as the drums and guitar rise over the song.

#5or5000 doesn’t hit you over the head with the fact that it’s a live album. It’s a solid album that happens to be recorded in a live setting. There’s no audience patter or artificial crowd sounds. Instead, it’s five musicians playing their hearts out. Teneal is a fighter jet, but Soul Kamotion is more than capable of flying in formation with her. - Festival Peak

...a remarkable throwback to the glory days of soul music-making in Memphis, Muscle Shoals and all points south. - SoulAndJazzandFunk

Sometimes, something comes in the doors at SoulTracks that just makes us smile. And that’s the case with the funky band Soul Kamotion and their lead singer, CeCe Teneal. Together now for over a half decade, Soul Kamotion combines elements of soul, blues and roots music into a hearty stew that sounds just right to us.

The band is tight and funky, and provides the perfect backdrop for Teneal, whose big, expressive voice demands attention.

The band is releasing a new live album, #5or5000, in June, and we have a sneak preview with the wonderful first single, “What I’d Do To Get Your Love Back.” The song was originally recorded by CeCe’s mom, blues singer Yonne Jackson, and when the band listened to it, the words took over a whole new meaning. They tell us that “The song is an opportunity to reflect on what that moment would be like to get someone’s love back for just one day – a parent, sibling, friend or love interest. We’ve been all been there.” - SoulTracks

#5or5000 offers a superb blend of soul, blues, and gospel pigments, ranging from all-out surging blues to polished soul silkiness. And CeCe’s voice, an instrument of stunning expression, is the icing on the cake. - CelebMix