This second installment of the FunkCity.net weekly Spotify playlist compilation including songs from recent and upcoming shows. It’s comprised of some of our favorite new and old songs and artists and a brief description of the tune and its significance follows –
- Simple – Phish: Not your typical phunk, but we got to see our third and fourth Phish shows this week and Simple stands out because we love a saxophone in the band. Definitely learning to appreciate this group and this tune is as catchy as they come.
- On the Run – Hedonistas: These young turks are having an album release party at Terminal West on August 11 and this is the first single off the album featuring Cory Wong of Vulfpeck. Here’s the direct link to the video.
- Happy Train- Philthy with Phillip Lassiter: Just a downright funky tune with super horn work and a pick me up tune under any circumstances. The whole album is terrific – watch for a full review in a future post.
- Pace Maker – Ghost-Note: This band, led by Robert “Sput” Searight and Nate Werth, of Snarky Puppy put out Swagism as a double album and we’ll give an early vote for a Grammy award. It’s THAT good – and this tune is just an accelerant for the heart. The band just keeps getting better – keep eyes out for the full review on this one as well.
- Street Fighter Mas- Kamasi Washington: Kamasi is flat out, the saxophonist of this generation. His tunes are edgy, worldly and ethereal at the same time. This first cut off Heaven and Earth is sublime. Another two disc set that warrants full coverage writeup.
- The Creator Has a Master Plan- Brooklyn Funk Essentials: This tune seems like a natural to follow Kamasi – it’s funky and smooth at the same time. BFE never seem to get their due as pacemakers but they sure came out with some really good shit in the late 90s and this one was my intro to their great stuff.
- I’ll Play the Fool – Dr. Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band: Cory Daye has a voice that is unmistakable and this group was the rage of the dancefloor in a previous era. Good for all our young friends to hear a timeless song that brings back great memories of fun times.
- Essence of Joy- Larnell Lewis: Another Snarky Puppy family member with a debut album that simply shows his chops. Larnell, one of the band’s drummers, breaks out and this tune is aptly titled as it’s beautiful and bound to make you feel good.!
- Focus – Shaun Martin: This title track from Shaun’s new album of the same title shows a different side for Shaun than his previous album or his Snarky Puppy work. It’s piano mastery and beautiful to relax to and expand your mind.
- Cold Shallow Moon – Voodoo Visionary: VV will be headlining Terminal West on August 11 on the same bill as Hedonistas. The band has taken off nationally over the last 3 years and this tune is the first one that stuck in my head. It’s still a favorite and look forward to hearing it (hopefully) this weekend.
- Lock It In The Pocket – Grover Washington, Jr.: Many peeps thing of GWJr as a progenitor of the “smooth” jazz era but the man, who passed way too soon, was a founding father of super funky saxophonics. I had the privilege of seeing him live several times and he put on a great show. This cut, from the Live at the Bijou Cafe in Philly album shows his chops and will rock your world
- Birdland – Weather Report: This group on of the original fusion bands of the 1970s and early 1980s. Of course it featured Jaco Pastorius, but was originally founded by Austrian-born keyboard player Joe Zawinul, the American saxophonist Wayne Shorter and Czech bassist Miroslav Vitouš. They were way ahead of their time and this tune is timeless. When I heard String Cheese Incident play this at Hulaween in 2016, it gave me mad respect for both SCI and of course Weather Report always.
Listen and enjoy –