Miss Fairchild

de cover tunes, and extended jams that would make even the Purple One smirk and bat his lashes with approval. Think of her as your favorite aunt: flashy, freewheeling, funky as hell, and most importantly not your parents. Only she isn’t a flesh-and-blood person; she’s an idea—a muse for a band. Songwriting partners Travis Richard and Schuyler Dunlap—along with renowned producer/DJ, Sammy Bananas (Fools Gold Records)—started MF as a recording project at a time where home studio resources were newly available en masse. Tucked away in a basement on Nantucket Island, MA, they developed a unique sound and singular sense of cool, putting their own spin on Pop-oriented Funk and R&B. But the studio could not contain them; Richard was destined to be on the bandstand interacting with a live audience. Taking his cues from genre-defining heroes James Brown and Sly Stone, Richard applied his care for songcraft and music production to the development of an engaging live show that balances polished arrangements with off-the-cuff vamps and grimacing Funk breakdowns. Some of the most sought after players in New England were assembled to help realize his dream. Guitarist Dan Thomas, saxophonist Jeff Fennell, and drummer Jimmy Robitaille—all hailing from Western MA—are regularly featured in some of the funkiest and most reputable bands in New England (The Mary Jane Jones, Beau Sasser). Boston-area bassist/songwriter Blain Crawford (City of Four) authenticates the rhythm section with thumps ‘n’ plucks and fusion-esque precision. The year 2021 saw the band emerging from a pandemic-induced creative slump, complete with new material and a renewed sense of purpose; people need Miss Fairchild today. Their new album, The Other (release date TBD), which reunites the band with songwriter Dunlap, rockets through the atmosphere fueled by instant Party-Funk classics (“Tryin’ For The Weekend,” “Hit The Ground Runnin”) then floats amongst the stars with sexy, slow-burn numbers (“Body Right,” “You Got To Be Heaven”).