Call it coincidence, or call it destiny. Either way, Soulive are breathing new life into soul music — and a long-dormant soul label.
The New York-based quartet, whose upcoming Japan tour starts next week, are the first act to release an album on the recently revived Stax Records, the record company that defined the Memphis soul sound in the 1960s and early '70s.
Though Soulive are being called "torchbearers" of some kind of soul revival, drummer Alan Evans takes the hype in stride. He dealt with it earlier when his band was signed to seminal jazz label Blue Note.