WorldwidE

Local favorite WorldwidE goes world class on its new CD, a sunny collection of non-stop party grooves guaranteed to cure the late winter blues.
Imagine a jam with Chicago, Sly Stone, Rusted Root, Stevie Wonder adn Dave Matthews, and you have a rough idea of WorldwidE's infectious blend of tight horns and loose-limbed rhtthms.
"Fade" spins a "Smooth" Santana sound into the mix. "Pride" adds some rap. "Thanks for leaving" closes the 10 song set with a mid-tempo pop-soul ballad.
With production help from Marcos Sastre of the Blue Birds, the seven man WorldwidE (singer Pete Hall, guitarist Christian Robles, keyboardist Phil Ritchey, bassist J.T. Thigpen, drummer Taulbee Jackson, trumpeter Hubert Glover and saxophonist Danny Manning) has made a superb debut. They're augmented by guest trumpeter/arranger Gary Winters, saxophonist Brian Hogg and on the opening track, "Hey", singer Shannon Belcher, creating an even more expansive sound.
Avoiding jam-band excesses, WorldwidE has come up with a tightly played, strongly focused debut. Don't miss this one. - Larry Nager, The Cincinnati Enquirer

WorldwidE Teamwork Hard-working local Funk crew, WorldwidE, are releasing their tasty new CD, Pieces of Life, on Friday at the BarrelHouse, with special guests, Princes of Babylon. The multi-culti seven-piece band formed in 1999, went through a few lineup changes in 2000, solidified themselves in 2001 as a solid local club draw and, with the new release this year, are set to embark on a regular touring schedule throughout the region.

Pieces of Life is a soulful, groovy party in a jewel case, highlighted by well-constructed songs, not always a strong point for Funk-oriented bands, who often overlook songwriting finesse in favor of overdoing their dance-centric rhythms. Not that these guys are lacking in the rhythmic department: Pieces also brilliantly shows off the band's trump tight musical telepathy and locked-in pocket grooves. If WorldwidE were in the Superbowl, they, like the New England Patriots, would probably ask to be introduced as a team, since each piece of the band is a vital part of its overall success. While a group like Jamiroquai (who the band somewhat resembles) chooses to push their frontman's image over everything else, WorldwidE functions as a 14-armed, singular unit. That said, singer Pete Hall is a great field general, leading the troops with slippery melodies and his personality-laden vocal ability. The horn section also helps set the band apart, giving them an Earth, Wind & Fire-like punch, and Phil Ritchey's anchoring keyboard work holds everything together. Even if you're not a huge Funk music fan, WorldwidE's Rock and Pop-inflected brand is hard to resist. WorldwidE is already working on their next recording project, a planned EP that will include outtakes from the Pieces sessions, as well as a possible remix or two (a promising prospect). For more on the band, dial up www.worldwidefanclub.com.

- City Beat By Mike Breen

....a catchy collection of party tunes that features both fine writing and musicianship...Worldwide's release is full of crisp horn arrangements and some stellar guest star work from local trumpet player Gary Winters....Worldwide's lineup is a wonderful ethnic stew whose members' ethnic backgrounds include Filipino, Mexican, African-American, Lebanese, and Irish. ''And there's Taulbee, our drummer, just your all-American white boy from Indiana,'' Ritchey said with a laugh. ''He's the motor.''
- Cincinnati Post

Cincinnati's Worldwide hit RBC with a funk-rock tornado that had the wooden floors undulating under the weight of the dancing crowd. - The Cincinnati Enquirer By Larry Nager