Geoff Mann Reimagines of His Father Herbie Mann’s Landmark Album ‘Memphis Underground’ in New Album ‘Underground’

Acclaimed drummer, composer, and producer Geoff Mann is set to release Underground, a full-length tribute to his father Herbie Mann’s landmark 1969 album Memphis Underground on Friday, August 8th via Color Red.  Listen to Underground HERE.

On Thursday, August 7th, Geoff Mann will be spinning some of his favorite tracks across his father’s vast catalog and previewing tracks off of his new album. Tune in via Geoff’s Instagram channel HERE starting at 9am PST.

Herbie Mann’s original Memphis Underground remains a landmark in the melding of jazz and Southern soul and is often cited as one of the first albums deemed as “fusion.” Released on Atlantic Records, the album brought together a merger of New York jazz soloists including Roy Ayers, Larry Coryell, and Sonny Sharrock with the rhythm section at Memphis’ American Sound Studio, a hub for R&B and soul hits. Produced by the legendary Tom Dowd, the record blended deep groove and improvisational freedom to create a genre-crossing sound that resonated well beyond the jazz world. It remains one of the best-selling jazz albums of all time and was famously praised by Rolling Stone as “a piece of musical alchemy.”

Speaking about the new reinterpretation project, Geoff Mann says, “Memphis Underground deserves to be remembered for the impact that it had, but in my opinion it could only be properly re-presented as an evolution of the original concept. There are others who could’ve made a similar record with the same intention, but having a unique insight into my father’s music, being both intimately familiar and detached at the same time, I was the only one who was going to do it.”

Mann’s reimagining of the title track preserves the soulful core of the original while bringing a modern edge with expanded arrangements and a subtle nod to rock aesthetics. “I wanted to honor the original groove but give this version a bit more grit,” he explains. “This band really shines when given space to stretch, so I leaned into that without straying too far from the DNA of the piece.”

The musicians featured on the new track include Latin GRAMMY Award-Winning flautist Domenica Fossati, frequent collaborator guitarist Marcos Garcia (Antibalas, Here Lies Man, Chico Mann), Daptone Records mainstay Victor Axelrod on piano, and Here Lies Man bandmate J.P. Maramba on bass. The album was mixed by Eddie Spear, who mixed Brandie Carlile’s GRAMMY-Award-winning album By The Way, I Forgive You and the A Star is Born soundtrack ft. Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper.

In addition to honoring a staple in his father’s catalog, Geoff’s journey sparked an unexpected personal transformation. After finishing the recording, Mann, primarily known for his work as a drummer and composer, picked up the flute for the first time. “It started as a curiosity,” he recalls. “I was trying to learn my dad’s solo on ‘Comin’ Home Baby’ and downloaded a flute fingering chart just to see if I could get a few notes out. A few days later, I had part of the solo down. Within a few weeks, I realized I might actually be able to learn to play this instrument someday.” He has since begun formal lessons and continues to explore the instrument that defined much of his father’s legacy.

A New York City native now based in Los Angeles, Geoff Mann is a versatile drummer, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and film composer. He has toured and recorded with celebrated acts including Antibalas, Here Lies Man, and has collaborated with avant-garde artists such as Ori Kaplan (Balkan Beat Box). His work as a composer spans independent films, documentaries, television campaigns, and video games.

Mann’s current projects include drumming with the LA psych-rock band Here Lies Man and leading his own cinematic soul-jazz ensemble. Notable credits in his discography include: Herbie Mann & Sona Terra — Eastern European Roots (Lightyear Records, 2002); Here Lies Man – Ritual Divination (Riding Easy Records, 2021); Antibalas – Where the Gods Are in Peace (mixing, Daptone, 2017); Geoff Tries New Shit, Vol. 1 (2022); Yuganaut ft. Roscoe Mitchell – Four Ways (Nessa Records, 2017); and Sharon Leal – Leal (producer, 2014).

Reflecting on the upcoming  release of Underground and the legacy behind it more than five decades after Herbie Mann’s original release, Geoff Mann adds, “This album is a love letter to my father, to the musicians who created the original, and to the idea that music can evolve across generations. The original ‘Memphis Underground’ was a radical blend of voices and backgrounds. I’ve tried to approach this tribute with that same spirit of creative risk and reverence.”

Mann is currently scheduling release shows on both the west coast and east coast. Stay tuned for announcements on upcoming live performances.

For more information and to learn more, please visit geoffmann.net.