Free Me by JP Bimeni & The Black Belts
INTRODUCING J.P. BIMENI & THE BLACK BELTS... A ROYAL REFUGEE TURNED SOUL SURVIVOR
“I’m loving his voice...we'd love to have him on BBC Radio 2”
Cerys Matthews (BBC)
"Very few people have a soul story to compare and from all the trauma has emerged one of the very best soul voices i've heard for a very long time" Craig Charles (BBC 6Music)
“Lovely voice and arrangement…this has early Stax/Vault/Atlantic written all over it.The real soul fans will love it” Keb Darge
J.P. Bimeni is the Burundian-born, London based singer with a voice laced with pain, yearning and soul.
A royal refugee turned soul survivor from the country voted the world’s least happy place to live
On his debut album Free Me, Burundian-born JP Bimeni astonishes with a voice that recalls Otis Redding in his prime whilst resonating with the soul of Africa. A refugee who’s been living in London since the early 2000s, Bimeni sings songs of love and loss, hope and fear, with a conviction that comes from the extraordinary experiences life has thrown at him.
A descendant of the Burundian royal family, Bimeni fled Burundi aged 15 during the 1993 civil war. Following three attempts on his life, he was given refugee status and fled to the UK where he’s remained ever since.
With it’s classic 60s-sounding Motown and Stax-inspired grooves the album was written by Eduardo Martínez and songwriter Marc Ibarz, Lucas Duplá and Bimeni imbues these tales of love and loss with his tragic experiences making ‘Free Me’ a deep soul soundtrack to his pained life: “When I sing I feel like I’m cleansing myself: music is a way for me to forget”.
On “Free Me” tough funk jams segue into deep southern soul and heart-felt ballads, with a unique vibe present throughout this modern funk-soul masterpiece thanks to Bimeni’s uplifting African ‘soul’ and style of singing.
J.P. Bimeni’s debut album ‘Free Me’ set for release on Tucxone Records on October 26th.
Tracklist
| 1. | Honesty is a Luxury | 4:18 |
| 2. | Same Man | 3:13 |
| 3. | Don't Fade Away | 3:40 |
| 4. | Stupid | 4:07 |
| 5. | Pain Is The Name Of Your Game | 2:42 |
| 6. | Bangarang | 3:33 |
| 7. | Better Place | 3:39 |
| 8. | Madelaine | 3:50 |
| 9. | I Miss You | 5:06 |
| 10. | Free Me | 3:32 |
| 11. | Moonset | 3:51 |
| 12. | Keep On Running (CD and digital only) | 3:22 |
| 13. | I Miss You (Edit) (CD and digital only) | 3:20 |
Credits
J.P. Bimeni & The Black Belts are:
J.P. Bimeni "The Roaring Lion of Africa" - Voice
Rodrigo Díaz “El niño” - Drums
Pablo Cano “Bass man” - Bass
Fernando Vasco “Dos pistolas” - Guitar
Alex Larraga “Subtle Man” - Keyboards
Ricardo Martinez “Richy” - Trumpet
Rafael Díaz “Salsofon” - Sax
Special guests:
Eduardo “Duduman” Martínez – Guitar
Lucas “Duplash” Duplá – Keyboards
Songwriter: Marc Ibarz, Lucas Duplá and J.P. Bimeni
Recorded, mixed and mastered at Tucxone Records.
℗ (2018, All rights reserved, Tucxone Records)
© (2018, All rights reserved, Tucxone Records)
License
All rights reserved.
J.P. Bimeni…a royal refugee turned soul survivor
J.P. Bimeni is the Burundian-born, London based singer with a voice laced with pain, yearning and soul. His debut single, 'I Miss You' embodies heart-lifting hope that he carries with him having narrowly escaped the Burundian civil war at the end of last century.
Bimeni is paired with the Black Belts, a funk outfit from Spain.