ROLLING STONE
August 7, 2003
REVIEW - NEW CD's
Howard Tate ***
By ANTHONY DeCURTIS

"...taut settings for Tate with the Uptown Horns providing muscle. ..."

New York Times
July 4, 2003
POP REVIEW | HOWARD TATE
Old Soul in a New Groove
By BEN RATLIFF

"... The unspoken conceit of Mr. Tate's comeback is that he's like Rip Van Winkle or Balzac's Colonel Chabert: he re-enters the world in astonishment, and the world responds in kind. In his prime, Mr. Tate toured the same circuit as Joe Tex and Wilson Pickett; his sound was hard-driving soul, peppered by little falsetto cries. When his record-making and touring career dwindled, he found a day gig, lost a daughter in a fire, fell into drugs for some years, experienced a religious reawakening and finally became a pastor of a church in New Jersey. Because he fell off the radar of soul-music historians, he was widely thought to be dead.
But two years ago, he turned up, declaring an interest in singing again to raise money for his church; then he gave a raved-about show at the Village Underground. Now he has an album released by Private Music, "Rediscovered," and he has returned to the club... The Uptown Horns, tried-and-true R&B professionals, were the horn section; the full band had 10 pieces... when the songs built to crescendos, as so many did, with Mr. Tate's voice breaking through them like a buoy bobbing up and down through waves, the music had a grand, heaving power. The best songs of the night - "I Don't Need No Monkey on My Back" and "I Learned It the Hard Way" - were slow enough so that Mr. Tate's voice could be heard through the open spaces... in "Hard Way," he began to work in the old style. He fell to one knee and dabbed his eyes with a handkerchief, imploring, "Baby, can't you see the tears rolling down my eyes?... Baby! Baby!" he shouted. "If you give me one more chance, I'll never do you wrong!"...

APRIL/MAY 2003 -- THE BLUES REVIEW
By Thomas J. Cullen III

Solomon Burke
"Soul Alive" Rounder 11661-2167-2

"... One of the greatest live soul albums of all time is now available as a remastered CD in its original, unedited glory. The King of Rock and Soul, at age 45 and in top form, recorded two electrifying sets in front of a an emotionally involved audience at Washington, D.C.'s Phoenix I Club in 1981; the self-produced double album was released a few years later to critical acclaim. The centerpiece of the similarly paced first and second shows is Burke's seamless blend of monologues and medleys of hit ballads....and the Uptown Horns provide the flexibility Burke's organic set lists and extemporaneous monologues require....Burke also recorded a live album for Black Top at the House of Blues in New Orleans in the mid-90's, but it lacks the definitive depth and breadth of its predecessor. "Soul Alive" is a must for soul music aficionados and for fans of Burke."

WJRT - ABC 12 News
March 29, 2007
RE: The Uptown Horns - " notoriously funky... "

THE BOSTON GLOBE
February 20, 2003 -- from CHOICE EVENTS
By Cheryl Sinapis
"... Howard Tate and the Uptown Horns Revue - For fans of soul, things don't get much better than this. "

THE OREGONIAN
December 27, 2002 -- from THE BUZZ THAT WAS:
"... If it's July Fourth, it's time for blues by the river, baby. Hits at this year's Waterfront Blues Festival include Austin, Texas, guitarist Monte Montgomery, who ended the festival with a show that blew a lot of people away, and Howard Tate's show with the Uptown Horns and a pickup band of hometown aces. If you've ever wondered why people make a fuss over great horn bands, this show answered the question. Back after disappearing for 20 years, Tate sounded as if he'd never left. "

THE NEW YORKER
November 18th, 2002 -- " ...Peter Wolf's voice may be the thing most often associated with foldout spreads (except for staples, of course) but in the years since he went solo he's become a successful curator of grownup bluesy pop. On his new album, "Sleepless", he runs with a noteworthy crowd, including Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, and the Uptown Horns..."

THE NEW YORK POST - " Flawless Performance leaves 'em Wanting Moore "
By Dan Aquilante
October 25, 2002 -- "The Southern gospel-flavored soul of the '60s was dusted off and polished up by original blues brother Sam Moore at B.B. King's 42nd Street joint Wednesday night. At this hour-plus club gig, Moore - the Sam half of Sam and Dave - show none of his 67 years as he performed the songs that made him famous. Any doubt if Sam still had it dissolved during the opening song, "Hold On, I'm Comin'." The boxing bass 'n' brass (provided by New York's Uptown Horns) was perfect, giving Moore a very familiar platform for his terrific vocals..."

THE NEW YORK TIMES - " Sam Moore Breaking and Mending Hearts "
By Jon Pareles
October 29, 2002
"...The band led by Leon Pendarvis on keyboards and bolstered by the Uptown Horns found Gospel undercurrents in 1960's soul and 1970's Funk as Mr. Dupree squeezed out bluesy solos and Mr. Purdie crisply underlined every phrase. It was old-fashioned soul done right, with shrewd timing behind every heartfelt moment..."

THE SUNDAY OREGONIAN - "Powerful Soul Performance": Howard Tate & The Uptown Horns at The Portland Blues Festival.
"As Tate retools classics to make them his own, the Uptown Horns' add their flair and polish. "There's no sweeter sound than a superb horn band fronted by a great soulsinger such as New Jersey legend Howard Tate -- as several thousand grinning, cheering folks might've attested to Saturday night...(7/6/02) The band was commendable, too. The four members of the New York's Uptwon Horns provided the punch both sonically and sartorially..."

Voyager Magazine -- Warren Haynes - "I did ["I've Been Lovin' You Too Long" by Otis Redding] with the Allman Brothers at the Beacon Theater... during the last run[March 2001]. The last night we hired the Uptown Horns to come out and play it with us; it was awesome. "

Howard Tate -- "We want to have that sound to really please the people. They’re such a great audience, and they deserve the best. And we wanna give it to them. And we feel the Uptown Horns is a great band. They’ve been my fans, and they know my music. They’ve played it. And we feel that me and the Uptown Horns, they fit, like hand and glove. ..." GADFLY ONLINE

Chuck Berry -- "These cats are cool."
Sammy Davis Jr. -- "I love these dudes."
Ray Charles -- "Good Horns!"
James Brown -- "Damm! My music touches all kinds of people."

Details -- "They are talented. They are perfectionists. They are closet comedians. They are nuts -- the Marx Brothers without dialouge or Equity cards. On stage, however, their funky personas are held in check by their professionalism. Let me tell you, these boys can rock 'n roll."

Billboard -- "...the New York-based Uptown Horns...not only write most of the material...but also because of their penchant for Polaroid sunshades, project an image of delectable narcissism and nonchalance."

Windplayer -- "All for one and one for all, four road warriors chase the spotlight and earn respect for the rock 'n roll horn section along the way."

New York Newsday -- "The Uptown Horns are a rarity in pop music: a self-contained horn section ready to record or go on the road. (The only comparable ensembles are the Tower of Power and the old Memphis Horns). Horn players are rarely stars, but as they marched around the club, it was clear that they can be the catalyst for the hippest of scenes. Now here's a band that really likes to play."

New York Daily News -- "The Uptown Horns...are New York's first great rock 'n roll horn section."

Boston Rock -- "The Uptown Horns...are New York's premier horn section."

New York Post -- "Precision teamwork was what electrified The Uptown Horns...the group has created a show that is as much homage to classic rhythm and blues acts as it's a contemporary outpouring of white soul. The Uptown Horns are a very serious group, in a very casual way."

New York Magazine -- "For years, the Uptown Horns have been heating up joints around Manhattan."

New York Hot Line Sept. 1994: The Tops In Town This Week - The Uptown Horns Revue with Keith Richards, Peter Wolf, Albert Collins: As side musicians, the Uptown Horns have played with the Stones, James Brown, R.E.M., Joe Cocker, and B.B. King. At last, they get a chance to be the stars of their own show, using old friends like Keith Richards and Peter Wolf to give their brassy funk a commercial appeal. But the real coup is the late Albert Collins, whose last raspy, raunchy performance with the Horns makes this a collector's gem.
-Richard David, Collector's Pipeline

The New York Times Weekend, June 16, 1995: Sounds Around Town, - ...With over 300 pounds of pure soul, Solomon Burke merges physical and spiritual love into rousing, rapturous shows. A licensed undertaker, an ordained minister and one of the most important soul singers of the 1960's, Mr. Burke is best known for "Down in the Valley," "The Price" and "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love." He will be backed by the Uptown Horns, who not only support singing greats but also write passionate soul songs....
-Neil Strauss

Billboard Album Reviews - Hailed for their collaborative efforts with everyone from the Rolling Stones to RuPaul, this four-man Ney York brass band (Crispin Cioe, Arno Hecht, Bob Funk and Larry Etkin on two saxes, trombone, and trumpet, respectively) puts itself and its favored instruments in the foreground on a fiery album that romps from rollicking blues to smooth R & B soul with the ease and speed of an uptown express. The billed "special guests" are indeed that, with two vocals from the late Albert Collins (including standout "Sugar Melts When It's Wet") and a collaboration-that-clicks between Keith Richards and Peter Wolf on the torrid "Trust Me."