INTERVIEW: Munk Duane shares latest single

Munk Duane, the Boston-based recording artist, producer and film composer, has once again served up a grooving funk hit with his new single, “My Fellow Americans.” With a musical style deeply rooted in the soulful sounds of the late 60s and early 70s, Munk pays homage to legends like Curtis Mayfield, Marvin Gaye, Prince and Stevie Wonder. However, he brings a fresh and modern twist to his music, combining traditional influences with a 21st-century aesthetic and a knack for social commentary.

Munk’s talent and artistry have been recognised and celebrated through numerous licensing deals for television and film productions. His music has graced the screens of shows like The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Hawaii Five-O and The Sopranos, as well as major events like the Super Bowl Half Time Show and NCAA March Madness. Additionally, Munk’s work as a film composer, including the original score for the 2015 indie thriller ‘The House Across The Street,’ showcases his versatility and mastery of his craft.

In his latest single, “My Fellow Americans,” Munk takes on the divisive climate of modern-day America with a powerful message of unity and independent thought. The song’s funk-inspired sound defies the forces that seek to divide us and instead promotes love for our shared humanity. Munk urges listeners to resist the agendas of those who seek to drive a wedge between us and reminds us of the societal and generational consequences of such division.

With “My Fellow Americans,” Munk Duane showcases his musical prowess and his ability to deliver a timely and impactful message through his art. The song’s infectious groove and profound lyricism creates a sense of optimism and togetherness, inviting listeners to embrace our commonalities and celebrate our differences. The expertly produced track, with additional bass by Steve Davis and mastering by Brian Lucey, is a testament to Munk’s dedication to delivering high-quality and sonically captivating music.

Opened by playful bass line, a patter of tapping rhythm and light guitar tones as Munk’s vocal glide in and build the tension before the jam kicks off with a snapping beat and staccato organ shots, “My Fellow Americans” hosts infectious rhythm and charm. Undeniably catchy from start to finish as the sensational arrangement ebbs and flows, peppered with piquant instrumental touches and vocal flair, it’s a single that’ll stick with you long after the final cymbal crash fades.

Munk Duane’s “My Fellow Americans” is a superb anthem, with his soulful vocals, infectious funk-infused sound and thought-provoking lyrics, Munk continues to push boundaries and deliver music that resonates with audiences on both a sonic and emotional level. As he navigates the ever-evolving music landscape, Munk’s dedication to his dazzling sonic vision and his commitment to social commentary set him apart as an artist with a distinct voice. With each release, he solidifies his position as a musical force to be reckoned with, always leaving audiences entertained and eagerly anticipating his next move.

We caught up with Munk Duane to find out more about his musical journey, his new single “My Fellow Americans” and what he’s got lined up for the future. Check out our interview with Munk Duane below.

How has your own style and sound evolved since you started out?

There is generally a through-line of consistent inspirational elements from my R&B roots since the beginning for sure, but I definitely go through “periods” like a painter would. Explorations of different sound palettes from a production standpoint, deep dives into adjacent or completely unrelated genres and pendulum swings from minimalism to the cinematic can all be heard through my catalog over time. I love to explore, hate to repeat myself, and I’m always looking for new ways to express, both sonically and lyrically. I’ve become better and bolder with experience but I do think my core inspirations are the anchor that ground the experience through each excursion.

How did you find making your new single “My Fellow Americans”?

“My Fellow Americans” was the result of a convergence between the music I wrote for a film, and lyrics that would later follow to complete the song. The film required a sound grounded in quintessential American roots music, like Soul, Jazz and Funk, which was right in my wheelhouse. After I handed the song off to the film, it occurred to me that the piece just wasn’t finished and I went back to it with the lyrical notion that was based in its musical inception… the idea of “difference” coming together to form unity, like the disparity of styles that birthed the uniqueness of American music.

What message did you want to get across with this release?

Americans are being systematically wedged apart by the relatively recent construct of Cable News. We’re being fed opinions disguised as facts, and most of us fall for it, hook, line and sinker. We have allowed this construct, along with political opportunists from both sides of isle, to present the false choice that if you believe something contrary to the opposing tribe, you are by definition un-American and a threat to the existence of Democracy itself. The irony is that this philosophy not only thumbs its nose to the very core of the foundations of Democracy, but is historically utilised as tool for Authoritarianism. This false choice narrative has been woven into our existence as if nothing else could be more important and nothing but complete agreement could hold us together. Commonalities like basic concepts of love for our families, the dreams for our children to flourish in a safe and nurturing environment, and the notion of community, are being perverted into absolute and opposing notions. We are being trained by our media and our leaders to seek out and ostracise the “other”, rather than celebrate the differences that formed our very foundation. There is more to life than what we are being bludgeoned with and more unites us than divides us. We can only see that if we extract ourselves from the monitor screen addictions and talk to each other again, eye to eye, face to face.

What artist have you been listening to most recently?

My playlists are usually all over the place but right now… Jon Batiste for an injection of positive musical spirituality, Sufjan Stevens, Kali Uchis, Vulfpeck, Bruno Major, St Paul and the Broken Bones, to name a few

What’s the main thing you want people to get out of listening to your music?

Connection

As a guest lecturer at Berklee College of Music, how important is sharing your experience and educating the next generation of musicians to you?

That experience at Berklee, as well as a Keynote I recently gave at the DECA District 1 Conference in Boston to 650 high school students who are future business professionals, was gratifying and enlightening on a whole new level for me. In my head, I’m still a student, still learning, but the reality is I also have quite a bit of the road behind me. To pass along gained insights to kids just starting their journey down that road is to pass along institutional knowledge and memory of both the tangible and intangible. Mentoring in this way is not just valuable to the students in front of you but also to the music industry as a whole. It’s a conduit to evolution via knowledge of what came before. Rather than making the same mistakes, the next gen have an opportunity to adopt past lessons to new circumstances in new times. Bill Gates said, “Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire”. If I can assist in providing even the smallest spark, musicians, future and past, win.

What’s been your favourite live show so far?

There are too many in contention for that slot. I will tell you that my favorite of this past year was not a packed house with my band, but a solo gig I had played on a very slow night in Boston. Slow nights happen to us all on occasion but something special occurred this night. There couldn’t have been more than a dozen people in the venue. When a room is quiet like that, I tend to stretch out and take more chances. I began to play this melancholy version of Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” I had been working on with a more sombre, longing vibe, coming from a place of loneliness rather than celebration. It caught the attention of a young lady at the bar, who turned to watch, then slowly moved to a table directly in front of me. She sat down and locked eyes with me as I sang, and before long, I noticed tears running down her face. I was trapped in the performance of the song and couldn’t really verbalize comfort but I tried to smile and give her a feeling that it was going to be alright. Her friends noticed and all came over to console her before all of them locked eyes on me for the duration of the song. I don’t know what she was going through but this kind of connection epitomizes the reason I continue to perform. As she and her friends left when the set was over, they all looked back at me with smiles, saying “thank you”. What it meant to her, I’ll never know. What it meant to me… well, whatever imposter syndrome I wrestle with as a performer was summarily dissmissed that night, at least temporarily.

Who would be 3 artists to headline your dream festival? And where would it be?

I’m assuming that means living or dead? Off the top of my head, I’d have to go with Prince, Stevie Ray Vaughn and “Voodoo” era D’Angelo with Questlove on drums and Pino Palladino on bass. I’d love to see it at the jaw-droppingly beuatiful Théâtre Antique d’Orange in France. I reserve the right to change this answer in the next 5 minutes.

Do you have any advice for a new artist wanting to follow your footsteps?

Do you. Focus on what made you love music and put your signature on it. Be a conversation starter. Be original. Raise the bar.

Finally, what do you have lined up for the rest of 2023?

A busy gig schedule, a composing project for an animated film and writing/recording a new album.

Listen to My Fellow Americans below