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Bill Warfield & the Hell's Kitchen Funk Orchestra
New Single Featuring Paul Shaffer and Dave Riekenberg Arrives July 24, 2026, and Is Featured on The Not Just Jazz Network
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New Single Featuring Paul Shaffer and Dave Riekenberg Arrives July 24, 2026, and Is Featured on The Not Just Jazz Network
NEW YORK, NY — July 24, 2026 — Trumpeter, composer, arranger, and bandleader Bill Warfield brings the classic rhythm-and-blues favorite “Love Potion #9” into the sound world of his acclaimed Hell’s Kitchen Funk Orchestra.
Released on July 24, 2026, the new single features the powerful vocals of Chrissi Poland, Paul Shaffer on Hammond B3 organ, an explosive tenor saxophone solo by Dave Riekenberg, and Warfield’s distinctive large-ensemble arrangement.
“Love Potion #9” is featured on The Not Just Jazz Network, the international music and cultural platform founded by Jaijai Jackson, professionally known as The Woman of Jazz.
Listeners can experience the feature at notjustjazznetwork.com, and to discover more about Bill Warfield, his recordings, and upcoming appearances, visit billwarfield.net.
Originally recorded by the American R&B vocal group The Clovers, “Love Potion No. 9” becomes a full-bodied jazz, funk, and soul celebration in Warfield’s hands. The arrangement preserves the song’s humor and rhythm-and-blues roots while surrounding it with the precision, personality, and power of a premier New York large ensemble.
Poland, known for her work with Michael Bolton, Dave Weckl, and numerous leading artists, brings the performance its vocal fire.
“She’s a real R&B singer,” Warfield says. “That’s what she does.”
Her performance is joined by Shaffer’s unmistakable Hammond B3 sound and Rickenberg’s commanding tenor saxophone solo, creating a recording that is sophisticated without losing its edge and meticulously arranged without sacrificing its groove.
The single offers an early look at Warfield’s forthcoming album, Eclecticism, scheduled for release Spring 2027, through BluJazz.
There are musicians who spend their lives searching for one defining style. Bill Warfield has spent his life refusing to be limited by one.
Eclecticism is not simply an album title. It is an honest reflection of Warfield’s musical journey through jazz clubs, Broadway orchestras, recording studios, salsa bands, concert halls, classrooms, funk ensembles, and the New York music community.
“The theme is that there is no theme,” Warfield explains. “I like all kinds of music, and I like to write everything. I’d hear something and imagine, ‘How would I hear this tune differently from everyone else?’ That’s really what the art of arranging is—taking existing material and presenting your own point of view.”
The twelve-track recording brings together music associated with The Beatles, Tadd Dameron, Mercer Ellington, Cole Porter, The Clovers, Joe Sample, The James Gang, Jimmy Webb, Average White Band, Amy Winehouse, and Jewish folk traditions.
Along with Warfield on trumpet, the album features vocalists Chrissi Poland and Jasia Ries, special guest Paul Shaffer, tenor saxophonist Dave Riekenberg, and pianist, composer, and arranger Cecilia Coleman, whose arrangements of “Wichita Lineman” and “When Your Life Was Low” contribute to the recording’s expansive musical character.
Drawn from New York’s community of leading jazz, Broadway, and studio musicians, the Hell’s Kitchen Funk Orchestra is the ideal vehicle for Warfield’s vision. The musicians understand that intelligence and physical momentum are not opposing forces—and that musical style should be a resource rather than a limitation.
At its heart, Eclecticism presents a musical autobiography. Its repertoire travels through jazz, funk, soul, Brazilian rhythms, Broadway, popular song, folk melody, hard bop, and rhythm and blues without losing the distinct voice of the musician interpreting it.
The album makes a persuasive argument: American music has never existed as a series of isolated categories. It has always been a conversation.
Bill Warfield has spent a lifetime listening to that conversation. With “Love Potion #9” and the forthcoming Eclecticism, he adds his own unmistakable voice.
RELEASE INFORMATION
Single: “Love Potion #9”
Artist: Bill Warfield and the Hell’s Kitchen Funk Orchestra
Featured Vocalist: Chrissi Poland
Hammond B3 Organ: Paul Shaffer
Tenor Saxophone Solo: Dave Riekenberg
Arranged by: Bill Warfield
Single Release Date: July 24, 2026
Album: Eclecticism
Album Release Date: Spring 2027
Label: BluJazz
Artist Website: billwarfield.net
Featured on The Not Just Jazz Network: notjustjazznetwork.com
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VOTE TODAY!
90TH ANNUAL DOWNBEAT READERS POLL
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
Bill Warfield and the Hell’s Kitchen Funk Orchestra Seek Support in the 90th Annual DownBeat Readers Poll
New York, NY – August 2025 – Bill Warfield and the Hell’s Kitchen Funk Orchestra, a long-standing mainstay of the New York City music scene, proudly announce their nomination in the Best Large Ensemble category of the 90th Annual DownBeat Readers Poll, to be featured in DownBeat Magazine’s December 2025 issue.
This marks the fourth consecutive year the ensemble has been voted into the Best Large Ensemble category, affirming its role as one of the most vital, dynamic large jazz/funk orchestras on the scene today.
“We’ve had a wonderful year,” says Warfield. “Following our release of Chesapeake featuring Gary Bartz, I did my first Hell’s Kitchen Funk Orchestra gigs in Europe. We humbly request that if you are so inclined, please vote for us in the current Downbeat Readers Poll. In the independent artist world, self-promotion is the only promotion. Thank you for your support.”
Warfield’s career has been nothing short of stellar. A celebrated trumpeter, composer, arranger, and educator, he has worked with jazz greats including Ornette Coleman, Mel Lewis, and Phil Woods. As a bandleader, Warfield has consistently championed projects that bridge jazz tradition with contemporary flair. His dedication to keeping great music alive through both performance and education has made him a cornerstone figure in the jazz community.
For over a decade, the Hell’s Kitchen Funk Orchestra has been electrifying audiences with its trademark blend of jazz, funk, Latin, and soul. Known for its fiery horn sections, intricate arrangements, and grooves that bring audiences to their feet, the ensemble has become a staple at NYC’s most revered venues.
Supporters and fans can cast their vote in the DownBeat Readers Poll through the link below. Participation is free, and voters do not need to be subscribers to DownBeat—only signed up for the newsletter.
👉 Click here to vote: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/DB90thReadersPoll
🎥 Experience the Hell’s Kitchen Funk Orchestra in action:
“The Man In The Green Shirt” (comp. Joe Zawinul, arr. Bill Warfield) performed live at the Zoellner Arts Center.
👉 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9jBN2LBEQ8
You can also choose to subscribe to the magazine and support one of the oldest and most honored publications, DownBeat Magazine. The Readers Poll is one of the rare opportunities where the public has the power to vote for their favorite artists, rather than have winners selected behind closed doors. You’ll likely find many of your favorite artists already listed—or you can write in your own choice.
Learn more about Bill Warfield and the Hell’s Kitchen Funk Orchestra at www.billwarfield.net
