PLANET EARTH

Planet Earth have been called soul, funk, acid jazz, R&B, power funk and so on. But whatever you want to call them, they are sure to make you move. Emerging as one of the vanguards of funk revival, they have been playing the Toronto club scene since 1999 and now boast two releases of original material out on the band-owned label Sleeping Eddie Music (THE ALI SHUFFLE-1999, and ELASTICITY-2001) with a third new disc scheduled for release in spring 2008.

In recent years, PE have made appearances as an opening act for Maceo Parker, K-OS, Maestro, and Joey DeFrancesco. Three sold-out Soul in the City concerts, Toronto International Film festival cast parties (1998 and 1999) at Skydome for Dreamworks), Beaches jazz festival appearances (1998-2004), charity events, and a six year running thursday night slot at famed Toronto nightclub The Orbit Room. PE recently had six of their original songs chosen for two feature films: "Fall" (starring Michael Madsen) and "Silver Man" (starring fellow Canadian Eugene Levy). Both records, produced by the band, have received excellent reviews and sold well as independent releases.

Since 2000, the quartet has used weekly gigs to create a buzz and get their live act down. Now as an eight piece band, PE hires the elite of Toronto's music scene to flesh out their signature sound on stage and in the studio. Appearing on saxophone: John Johnson, Shawn Nykwist, Chris Mitchell, Vern Dorge, Perry White and Steven Kennedy; on trombone: Gord Myers, Russ Little, & Steve Donald; guitarists Jake Langley, Arvil Wray, John Tilden, Kevin Breit, Donna Grantis, and Dan Nordermeer; members of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, along with special appearances by Alex Lifeson, Lee Oskar, Holly Cole, Jackie Richardson, Doug Riley, Kevin Turcotte, Guido Basso, and others.

PRESS

"The Ali Shuffle settled nicely into my consciousness. Songs like "Lovetown" seem to be more rooted in jazz, with eclectic tempos and easy keyboards. The verses in "What's dat Funk" are reminiscent of Macy Gray's "Caligula." Granted, this CD isn't for everyone, but the mixture of jazz and funk works. There are definite 70's and 80's funk influences at play here. Some of the stronger tracks are "Lovetown" and "Dont f**k with the sh*t on the kit."

CHART
CANADA'S MUSIC MAGAZINE
4/5 stars

"If you're tired of the same old top 40 hit music, Planet Earth may be the band to take you out of that funk. Their live performance should not be missed."

DAYNA HAHN
Et Cetera magazine

 

"The dark pink and purple light atmosphere of the Reverb transformed into an orange and red glowing funk party. Planet Earth's front man, self-taught vocalist Nathaniel Littlejohn, appeared in an oversize pair of yellow sunglasses, a strawberry ice cream coloured top, and pants that looked like a collage of old cereal box designs bearing the words: "Jim Dandy Enriched Hominy Grits" in red letters. Planet Earth IS funk."

JESSE KOHL
Just Isn't Music contributer

 

"It's obvious that Planet Earth takes an original spin on just about everything under the sun.It certainly won't be long before Planet Earth funks you right out of the world you know and straight into theirs. Look out, its gonna be one funky ride!"

KRISTINA KOSKI
Pop Can magazine

 

"These musicians brought back a feeling I had certainly not experienced in the city since the late70's; funkafied R&B vibes complete with strings, which the band poured out to us in large doses and the joint let loose and bodies began to move. It can be said that funk has officially arrived in the Megacity. It was Afrika Bambaataa who said it first in his classic Planet Rock: "Y'all wanna get funky!" Now as you listen to Planet Earth, you can dig what that truly means."

DJ CHAZ
Club Music magazine

 

"Littlejohn, in superb falsetto vocals, creates the ultimate Funk/Blues/Soul groove along with the mastery of the his band that includes Ben Riley with a fearless attack on drums, Glenn Olive playing outstanding bass lines, and on the beloved Hammond B3 that is a regular fixture at the Orbit Room, Dylan Heming harmonizing and capturing the essence of each vocal selection of Littlejohn's, both vocally and instrumentally, at times coaxing the organ to sound like another voice. Littlejohn has captured the era of Soul and puts his heart into each song presented. He has developed an enthralling style of medley singing that begins with his title choice, with the band all the while executing the precision instrumental beat and harmonically perfect sound complementing throughout, culminating in an experience of each song flowing into the next as one smooth, continuous movement of spirit, sound and soul!"

CARLA JACKMAN