Sydney’s Five Coffees are looking to take the country by storm with their funky debut EP Flatline. I caught up by the band’s resident sax man, keyboardist, composer and all round nice guy Dean Adams to chat about his band’s unique sound, their EP, and what comes next.
I’ve heard people refer to so many genres when talking to about your music. How would you describe your sound?
Predominately its jazz inspired hip hop. We have always been inspired by funk like James Brown and the Cat Empire too. 70s keyboard legend Don Blackman (Earth Wind and Fire, Parliament) last week called us funky! It was the ultimate compliment.
You all come from such different musical backgrounds. How did you find one another and form Five Coffees?
I met Guy whilst studying at the Conservatorium of Music. We recruited the rest of the band members from all areas of their lives. I used to play in a covers band with singer Ay La Garde and play weddings with bass player Dave Groves!
You’re just about to release your debut EP Flatline. What can you tell me about it?
I wrote many of the tunes in 2008 after graduating from The Con. At the time, they were just eight-bar riffs. Now they are fully laid out, proper tunes with vocals and lyrics that amaze even me!
It’s got an unlikely title for music that’s supposed to engage and excite people. Why Flatline?
“Flatline” is the name of the final track on the EP. It best summarises what Five Coffees is all about: male and female disco/funk with sharp horn lines and a ripping sax solo.