About
Toyesauce, the funky all-star studio project curated by guitarist Leon Toye, released their highly anticipated single, "Give It What You Can". This brilliant uplifting recreation of a Meters classic song, nearly two years in the making, is a testament to Toyesauce's dedication to crafting timeless music, resonating with audiences worldwide.
"Give It What You Can" captures the essence of Toyesauce's soul-stirring sound, blending funk, groove, and feel-good vibes into a delicious sonic gumbo. Leon Toye's passion for the song shines through in his heartfelt words: "Since first listen, I’ve loved the Meters version of this song and thought it would be a blast to recreate, particularly with an end-of-the-song instrumental jam."
Recognizing that any attempt to remake a Meters song would have to be done well and meaningfully, Toye began the journey by first asking George Porter Jr. (renowned bassist of The Meters) if he would consider playing on it. After a warm Porter yes, Toye next discussed his lofty ambitions over the phone with one of the original songwriters Jimmy Tarbutton, who co-wrote the song along with Steve Cropper and Carl Marsh. With copyright confirmed, Toye began recording his initial guitar tracks in his Nashville home studio, with assistance from Kenny Jackson, a friend and seasoned Nashville bassist in the Nashville scene.
Over the following year and a half and one-by-one, Toye then sought out and recorded an all-star ensemble of his musical heroes, including 5 GRAMMY award winning artists. The lineup includes: Ivan Neville (Dumpstaphunk, Neville Brothers), Tony Hall (Dumpstaphunk, Harry Connick Jr.), Anjelika "Jelly" Joseph (Galactic, Tank and the Bangas), George Porter Jr. (The Meters), Stanton Moore (Galactic), Jeff Coffin (Dave Matthews Band), Big Sam (Big Sam’s Funky Nation), Amber Woodhouse (Moon Taxi, Trigger Hippy), Jannelle Means, Emmanuel Echem (Joss Stone, LeAnn Rimes) and Troy Atkins.
The end result is nothing short of spectacular. After almost two years of passionate work, Toye proudly presented the modernized recording back to Jimmy Tarbutton (one of the original songwriters), and Tarbutton could not have been more kind in his review. Tarbutton also reflected that the song lyrics remain equally relevant today as they did during their 70s genesis. "In every situation, there’s a good and bad. The world's sitting right on the ledge. We gotta keep our eyes wide open and hope we don't fall off the edge."
"Give It What You Can" is a follow-up to Toyesauce's 2024 funk instrumental, "From the Barrel", further solidifying the project’s reputation for delivering infectious grooves.
In addition to the single release, Toyesauce presents a full-length music video, expertly edited by New Orleans award-winning videographer Lily Keber. The video artfully captures the loving essence of the song, offering fans a visual journey throughout the recording process.
"Give It What You Can" by Toyesauce is available for streaming on all major platforms on April 30th. Experience the resilience, inspiration, and positivity embodied in this soul-stirring reimagination of a classic Meters song.
Learn about the musicians
