This download contains all three albums by New Zealands funk samba soul group- One Million Dollars plus three music videos.  (mp3 at vbr192kbs).  It is also one of the larger and lesser known downloads I've posted, which makes keeping it alive damn difficult when people download and then go offline.  Please help keep this great music out there by seeding back what you download!


In 2008 One Million Dollars decided to call it quits after 7 years of writing, performing and recording together.
Since forming in 2001, the band released 3 albums and played a huge swag of shows to a variety of audiences throughout the pacific. Live highlights included performing at Fest Na'puan in Vanuatu, playing at Te Papa for The Lord Of The Rings:Two Towers premiere and supporting The Black Eyed Peas at the St James, back in 2002.
The band cut their teeth playing at Auckland bars, Rakinos, Galatos and Khuja Lounge, where then owner and Sugarlicks label head, Gareth Farry, invited them them to record their debut album. 

Energy State took over a year to complete and was released in October 2003, selling over 3000 copies in New Zealand, off the back of the band's singles, Who You Are, The Original and the Manuel Bundy remix of Get Off.  It combines elements of '70s funk, soul, samba and more.
The 11 songs take you through the feelings of a New Zealand summer. On tracks such as Show Me Places (with Bex Peterson) and On This Day the band explore their melodic jazz pedigree whilst tracks such as Who You Are and High Places are full on funk celebrations. The Original and Happy Free sees the band use their studio freedom to take the songs in a direction that would not be possible live.
The album was recorded through vintage Neve and Pultec valve mixing consoles and compressors at Sugarlicks. This gives a distinctive rich, warm, lush sound to the resultant mix with a vibe and sound so real and upfront you may be shocked to find the band is not in the same room as you playing for your own pleasure!
Tracks from the album have been playlisted on radio networks around the world and licensed to 17 different compilations in countries such as New Zealand, Australia, Germany, Poland and the USA. Energy State reached 2 on the NZ Indie Chart and was in the top 5 jazz albums at several European iTunes stores.

Follow up, Soup Kitchen, was released through Mark Kneebone's Tardus Music, engineered by Tom Miskin. It was another long process, eventually being released in September 2006 after tracking had begun in April the previous year. Musically it offered up the bands trademark grooves and tight production.
Soup Kitchen kicks off with the group's resident South American, Robson, recounting his life growing up near the notorious favellas of Brazil in the funky Sem Parar (from the streets of Sao Paulo). They then veer into a more soulful tip with the group's other vocalists Richie (also the album's producer) and Bex Peterson stepping up to the mic...
Drummer Tom Atkinson shows his immense talent on the storming New Worlds while Don McGlashan joins in on the dark and brooding Slow Falling Rain, the song that has for several years opened the one million dollars live set.
Along the way the band dip their toes in the rock pond (Calling in the Light) and deliver some George Benson inspired smoothness (Both Hands).

In August 2007, a slightly different One Million Dollars assembled at Auckland's York St Studios to record their 3rd album, Stand Up To The Shakedown, with Justin Maudsley. At this time, the decision to end the band had already been made, and the hope was to create an album that celebrated the group as a live unit, albeit, in a studio context. Recorded in front of family and friends, the band played the album in one take, only overdubbing certain keyboard and horn parts the following day. It was mixed and mastered the following week - a revelation to the band and everyone involved. The album also includes the original version of Get Off as remixed by Manuel Bundy on 2003's Energy State. Stand Up To The Shakedown was released independently in October 2007.


The decision to retire the band was initiated by founding member, Richard Setford, who was departing to concentrate on Bannerman, a solo project begun in 2003, but never realised due to the commitment and workload of leading the 10 piece soul-funk collective.


All current members are actively involved in a variety of working bands, including, Dam Native, The Shades, Opensouls, Ziko, Batucada Sound Machine, The Lickety Splits, The Mamaku Project and Tyra And The Tornadoes, and will continue to work on their own projects and collaborations.

100% New Zealand Music