The Upful LIFE Podcast – 101: ARI TEITEL vol.2 [ The Rumble, Dumpstaphunk, DTF ] + GLENN STROTHER [guitar – Norside]
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Welcome back guitarist/vocalist ARI TEITEL!! Rooted down in NOLA for a decade plus, dude just unveiled his tremendous 3rd solo LP ‘Honest’ on 11/13. Ari joined me for a banger debut on episode 067 back in June 2023; in the interim 3+ years, so much more monumental magic has manifested for this supremely-talented cat. We caught up earlier this autumn to get a detailed download of this latest record, as well as inside scoops and colorful reflections on a half-dozen other marvelous musical endeavors with Teitel’s paw prints all over ’em.
0:00 – ep.101 preview – Geetarmaggedon
3:00 – PROMO: Amp Jams III at SOSMP
4:30 – PROMO: shameless plugs 4 the homies
8:30 – The Upful Update
14:00 – Introducing: ARI TEITEL
19:30 – INTERVIEW w/ Ari [71m]
1:30:40 – Introducing GLENN STROTHER [Norside]
1:35:10 – INTERVIEW w/ Glenn [32m]
2:07:40 – Afterglow x ViBE Junkie Jam
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In addition to the mindset and modus operandi that gave birth to Honest, Ari spreads the love around to collaborators like Yano, Andrew Campanelli, Devin Trusclair, and Mack Major. Then he deep-dishes all things THE RUMBLE, dialing up the 411 on his bombastic Mardi Gras Indian-meets-hip-hop funk krewe – who themselves just dropped a burnin’ new studio banger on GroundUP Music. Teitel also gives us a raw, emotional glimpse inside the genesis, execution, and evolution of his tenure with DUMPSTAPHUNK, in the wake of the passing of the late, great NOLA bassist/icon Nick Daniels III.
Peek under the hood of DTF, Teitel’s organ trio that serves white-hot lava; tap in with Very Good Tuesdays at the Maple Leaf Bar; then take a Sunday stroll to church in New Orleans East; hear Ari testify about Pastor J’s uptown glow-up, plus even more beats mined from the Crescent City streets.
To close out episode 101, B. gets folks familiar with Glenn Strother of Norside, a funky organ trio hailing outta Pittsburgh. The crew recently released a strong sophomore LP Coal & Soul on Color Red Music (shoutout friend-of-the-pod Eddie Roberts!), and Norside have been tapped for direct support on major market runs with heavy hitters like Soulive, New Mastersounds, Garaj Mahal and more.
Artist Bios:
Detroit-bred/New Orleans-based guitarist/vocalist Ari Teitel is one of those cats who simply refuses to stand still or stick to just one format. We’ve seen his street-beat evolution with GRAMMY-nominated NOLA powerhouse The Rumble, or laying down greasy grooves with Crescent City institution Dumpstaphunk, and snarling alongside Sam Fribush and Adam Deitch in the high-octane organ trio DTF.
Most recently, Teitel has teamed up with Dumpsta’s Alex Wasily to co-create Very Good Tuesdays NOLA, a musician-focused, all-improv residency that has franchises in LA and Chicago. Over the past decade, Ari has proved a sonic shapeshifter, with irons dipped into a myriad of fiery musical traditions.
On Honest, Teitel’s third solo LP, the multi-instrumentalist taps into something far deeper and intensely personal. This record casts a beautifully wide net, side-stepping the neo-soul scent of 2022’s tasty I Got My Thing. Instead, Honest is crunchier, meatier, and packed with earworm hooks. It boasts an arresting pop sensibility that demands your immediate, undivided attention.
Glenn Strother is the guitarist/co-founder of Pittsburgh-based rare-groove merchants Norside, who have rapidly established themselves as one of the most thrilling new acts on today’s instrumental groove scene. Anchored by a deep-pocket rhythm section and fearless improvisation, this organ trio brings a raw, no-frills energy that feels both timeless and unmistakably of the moment.
Since forming in 2022, Norside has shared the stage with some of the heaviest names in funk, soul, and jazz – including Soulive, The New Mastersounds, Cyril Neville, Garaj Mahal, The Soul Rebels, The Budos Band, The Bar-Kays, and more. In July 2026 Norside released their Coal & Soul LP on Color Red Music – a sophomore record that doubles down on everything that makesthem essential: groove, grit, and soul worn straight to the bone.
ViBE Junkie Jam
“Skyye, Can You Feel Me?”
Raphael Saadiq – Live in Boston 2008
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