Credit: Ernest Stuart
Since 2022, particular Sundays have seen Brooklyn’s Bar LunÀtico transformed into a place of worship due impart to the musical excellence led by Jon Lampley. As a stimulant for the musician’s gospel-tinged roots, these performances functioned as the convergence of space and style, as snared on Lampley’s debut solo release, Night Service: Live at LunÀtico, due May 17.
A trumpet player, bandleader, and captivating frontman, Lampley propels his gift as a performer and songwriter to the forefront of the impending set, which aims to “take the zeal of church to a secular space, where folks could feel inspired regardless of their particular faith.” The grandson of a pastor, the artist ties his sonic intent to heritage and introduces himself to a larger audience through an amalgamated batch of original music and arrangements of his favorite songs.
Lampley’s history can be traced back to his 2015 initiation as a member of the house band on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, led by esteemed talents Louis Cato and Jon Batiste, in addition to co-founding the jazz-funk troupe Huntertones and touring with O.A.R. “I think I’ve learned a lot,” he said of his experiences. Adding, “I’ve grown a lot. I’ve watched other people lead and succeed in that capacity. And I feel like now is the time for me to put my artistry into the world from my own perspective.”
Building off his storied past, Lampley’s debut entry hits on “the core of my being both creatively and as a human being,” as told by the artist. On the set are covers such as Bill Withers’ “Grandma’s Hands,” Louis Armstrong’s“On the Sunny Side of the Street,” blues-laden “Spit Yo’ Gum Out,” and the initial single “Don’t Miss Your Blessing.”
Assisted by Colbert band members, saxophonist Louis Fouché and drummer Joe Saylor, Lampley recounts, “Getting to play with them outside of the Ed Sullivan Theater is a real joy, because we’re getting to express ourselves in a different way, for an audience that is there for what we’re doing and not necessarily there for the thing that we’re helping to facilitate.”
Describing the set, Lampley continues, “There are a lot of call-and-response moments on this album, and people are very comfortable,” Lampley says. “They understand how if somebody’s playing something that feels good, you can energize them, you can urge them on.”
Night Service will be available on vinyl and CD on May 17, and preorder here. Catch the album release show Sunday, May 19 at Bar LunÀtico, in Brooklyn, N.Y. Showtime is 9 p.m.
Stream today’s LP preview, “Don’t Miss Your Blessings,” below and watch the LP preview.
Night Service: Live at LunÀtico Track Listing
Night Service Theme Song (Lampley)
Grandma’s Hands (Bill Withers)
Spit Yo’ Gum Out (Lampley)
As It Is (Lampley)
Don’t Miss Your Blessing (Lampley)
All Night (Interlude)
On the Sunny Side of the Street (Jimmy McHugh, Dorothy Fields)
Amen (traditional, arranged by Lampley)