Connie Price & The Keystones

Biography

Connie Price & The Keystones is a Los Angeles-based instrumental funk band led by guitarist, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Dan Ubick, who founded the project after years as a key member of Breakestra. Ubick's early career included contributions to Breakestra's The Live Mix Pt. 2 on Stones Throw Records, the Word Of Mouth tour with Jurassic 5, Dilated Peoples, and The Beat Junkies, and international tours in Japan, Europe, and the US. In 2003, ready to produce independently, he recorded raw funk instrumentals on an 8-track using drums, bass, and guitar, releasing the first 7" singles on Now-Again Records—'The Badger'/'Sweet Soul Music' and 'Highland Park'/'Time To Kill'—marking the birth of Connie Price & The Keystones, with an additional release as The Sand Dollars featuring Chris 'Peanut Butter Wolf' Manak.[1][3][7]

The band's sound fuses funk, '60s and '70s film scores, Jamaican production, African and Brazilian elements, psychedelia, and soul, drawing hip-hop influences in later works. In 2004, Ubick collaborated with horn arranger Todd M. Simon (The Dap Kings, El Michels Affair, Macy Gray), leading to more Now-Again releases including a funky soundtrack-inspired EP with UK drummer Malcolm Catto and their debut LP featuring members of Wildflowers, Funk Inc., Poets Of Rhythm, and L.A. Carnival. They served as the live backing band for Now-Again artists on Cold Heat and L.A. Carnival LPs. By 2008, they moved to Ubiquity Records for the hip-hop-infused Tell Me Something, featuring rappers like Percee P, Ohmega Watts, Wildchild, Soup/Daakiri from Jurassic 5, Aloe Blacc, and Myka Nyne from Freestyle Fellowship. From 2007-2009, alongside Rhythm Roots All Stars, they backed hip-hop legends including Big Daddy Kane, EPMD, Slick Rick, and others on Scion's Live Metro series, becoming Big Daddy Kane's full-time band from 2008-2012 for major shows.[1][2][5]

In 2019, the band released their third full-length album as a tribute to session musician Doug Lucas, featuring his son Zach Lucas and original samples from Lucas' High S.S.O. Orchestra and Plus. Emerging from L.A.'s vibrant scene, Connie Price & The Keystones boasts a revolving cast of players from Orgone, Breakestra, Beck, DJ Z-Trip, Mayer Hawthorne, David Holmes, Macy Gray, The Rebirth, The Lions, and Greyboy Allstars, solidifying their legacy in contemporary deep funk and live hip-hop backing.[1][4]

Fun Facts

• Despite the name suggesting a female lead singer, Connie Price & The Keystones is helmed entirely by male guitarist/producer Dan Ubick.
• The band's first recordings were made solo by Dan Ubick on a cheap 8-track with basic mics, playing drums, bass, and guitar himself.
• They backed Big Daddy Kane for epic shows including Cold Chillin' 20 Year Anniversary with Biz Markie at B.B. King's and two nights at Billboard Live in Tokyo with Kurtis Blow.
• One early release was under the pseudonym The Sand Dollars, featuring Chris 'Peanut Butter Wolf' Manak.

Members

• Davey Chegwidden
• Josh Cohen
• James King
• Pete McNeal
• Connie Price
• Jeremy Ruzumna
• Todd Simon

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Eothen “Egon” Alapatt - Label founder who released their first singles on Now-Again imprint and recruited them as backing band (‘The Badger’/'Sweet Soul Music', Cold Heat and L.A. Carnival release parties) [2003-2005]

Key Collaborators

• Todd M. Simon - Ace horn arranger and former Breakestra cohort (Funky soundtrack EP, debut LP) [2004]
• Big Daddy Kane - Full-time backing band and recording partner (‘Give A Demonstration Pt.2’ 12", Scion Live Metro series, tours including Brooklyn Bowl, B.B. King’s, Tokyo) [2007-2012]
• Malcolm Catto - UK drummer on EP (Funky soundtrack-inspired EP) [2004]
• Zach Lucas - Son of session man Doug Lucas, featured on tribute album (Third full-length tribute album with Doug Lucas samples) [2019]
• Members of Orgone, Breakestra, Beck, DJ Z-Trip, Mayer Hawthorne, Macy Gray - Revolving cast of players from L.A. scene (Various albums and live performances) [2003-present]

External Links

• Spotify
• MusicBrainz