Chesapeake Bay and the memories from Bill’s childhood there serves as the prime inspiration for the aptly titled Chesapeake – the new album by Warfield and his hard-hitting Hell’s Kitchen Funk Orchestra, due out August 2, 2024 via Planet Arts. For his most autobiographical work to date, Warfield taps fellow Baltimorean Gary Bartz, as well as special guests Conrad Herwig, Lou Marini, Paul Shaffer, and conductor/pianist Eugene Albulescu to augment his Hell’s Kitchen Funk Orchestra.One of the more flexible large ensembles on the New York scene, capable of swinging fervently, playing a persuasive mambo or laying down the funk in no uncertain terms, the Hell’s Kitchen Funk Orchestra covers a lot of bases on Chesapeake. Said Warfield, “I want to thank all the people that came together for this project — and there’s got to be 25 of them in all. It’s a very important part of my musical history now, and I’m grateful for it.”