FunkCity.net had a massive year in 2025 between attending a large number of live music performances at concerts and festivals and listening and writing about some of the best music of this era.
This year’s list is relatively short at 17 reviewed albums but exceptionally strong. Here’s a recap of my top albums with links to the full reviews. If you like what you read, you can buy or stream any of the albums by clicking on the album art which links to some listening options. Best wishes for a Happy New Year!
SOMNI - SNARKY PUPPY
Somni was recorded with the Metropole Orkest under the direction of Jules Buckley over the course of three days (two sessions per day) in Utrecht, The Netherlands, in January 2025. Sylva is a previously recorded Grammy-winning collaboration between the Pups and MO, and their album covers (right) clearly show the thematic connection. Somni is, however, unique with its cohesive and relatable dream theme. Everyone dreams, and the explanation that Michael League gives for each track allows the listener a glimpse into his headspace. For me, they serve as launch points, but in no way drive my interpretation which is the way dreams may “Drift” and “Stay With You” for a time.
The tunes are a mix of soft lullabies (Drift, Between Worlds), lively adventures (As You Are But Not As You Were, Recurrent) and comfortable excursions (Waves Upon Waves, It Stays With You, Only Here and Nowhere Else) and one nightmare (Chimera.) Each has its own appeal.
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COOK - LETTUCE
When I want to taste some funk, I listen to Lettuce ‘Cook‘! That’s the latest album the preminent funk torchbearers, Lettuce. Cook is, in my view, one of the top funk albums of the year and worthy of a Grammy. The continuously ups the ante and this album follows in the traditions of Tower of Power, Earth Wind and Fire, Frankie Beverly and Maze and Marvin Gaye while still blazing its own trail. Traces of the past mixed with heavy doses of future funk keep this album fresh through many servings. As usual, the tunes are mostly instrumental and they’re all sensational with the two vocal tracks showcasing Nigel Hall’s vocal’s to the max, especially Rising to the Top.
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VOICES - NAUGHTY PROFESSOR
Naughty Professor have been one of my favorite horn-driven, funk bands for over 10 years. The six-piece band puts the two-sax + trumpet horn section front and center for their shows and pumps out massive funk jams. “Voices” is their fifth full-length album and as indicated from the title, each track features a guest vocalist.
Back on their fourth album, “Identity,” in 2017 (they also had the EP, “Everyday Shredder,” in 2019), NP had a mix of guest vocalists and instrumentalists on each track. Further, I know the band and Snarky Puppy have mutual respect — and Snarky Puppy has cut “Family Dinner, Vol. 1 and Vol. 2” with guest vocalists on both. So, it’s a smooth evolution to the “Voices” album which showcases not only the vocalists, but a wide range of musical styles, depending on each performers background and singing style. The overall effort is an exhilirating mix of soul, funk and ballads in a tasty jambalaya coming to you straight out of New Orleans.
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ALL THE QUIET (PART 1) - JOE ARMON JONES
All The Quiet (Part I) from Joe Armon-Jones is an excellent jazz album with dub and hip-hop influences. Armon-Jones is also the keys player in one of my favorite Euro jazz bands, Ezra Collective, who put out one of my top albums of 2024 (Album Review: Dance, No One’s Watching from Ezra Collective). The Part II album will be released in approximately 3 months.
All The Quiet is mostly groove-oriented with some marching band influences. The album mixes an array of stylings. There are some propulsive funky tunes with the stunning horn section, notably Lifetones, Foregiveness, Nothing Noble and The Citadel. The two tracks, Kingfisher and Eye Swear, featuring vocalists Asheber and Goya Gumbani, respectively, are also standouts with totally different approaches, one anthemic and the other more trippy. The remaining tracks showcase the acid jazz chops of the core group, including Natcyet Wakili on drums,
Mutale Chashi on bass and Kwake Bass on percussion. The mix makes for a top-shelf, entertaining album.
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ARBORESQUE - ARTEMIS
I became enamored of Artemis in August of 2024 when I first caught them live at the Newport Jazz Festival. Interestingly, Arboresque was recorded in New York City just two weeks after that event, so it’s fitting that I dive in with this review. The group’s bio is shown in the display box on the right and comments from the band are shown with each track.
Arboresque is a great jazz album, full stop. The instrumentation configuration of drums, bass, keys, trumpet, and sax enables the sound to be both plush and full and at the same time highlight the solo capabilities of each member. It’s clear that each band member is fully aligned with each other’s playing and can adjust their feel accordingly but also swing as a unit to maximum effect.
The album is comprised of eight tracks, three covers, and five originals. In true team fashion, each of the members contributed one of the original tracks. It’s the mix of backgrounds, styles, and emphasis that keeps the whole album interesting.
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LETTUCE WITH THE COLORADO SYMPHONY
Lettuce with the Colorado Symphony is a breathtakingly beautiful and colorful tapestry of the band’s funky arsenal, hopped up with Colorado cool from the symphony orchestra. Lettuce, founded more than 20 years ago, is one of the preeminent torchbearers of modern funk music. The band is a direct descendant of the funk legends they immortalize in their music, including Earth, Wind and Fire, Parliament/Funkadelic; Tower of Power and War.
This album, recorded in November of 2018, draws upon a range of tunes as far back as the ‘Rage’ album from 2007 all the way forward to the ‘Resonate’ album of 2020 and even introduces two previously unreleased tracks ‘New Intro’ and ‘Requiem.’ Since this recording, the band has played with symphony orchestras several times, including twice that I’ve seen or will see – Red Rocks with the Colorado Symphony in 2022 and upcoming with the Nashville Symphony.
The Colorado Symphony makes an imprint on each of the tracks, augmenting the horn lines, layering in extra depth with the strings or supplementing the guitar and bass. The arrangements stick fairly close to the studio versions of the songs, slightly longer in most cases but have ample room for each of the Lettuce members to stretch out a bit with their solos. Nigel Hall absolutely soars on the two vocal tracks “Move On Up” and “Everybody Wants to Rule the World.” Lettuce with the Colorado Symphony is an exquisite listening experience – for Lettuce funk family, it offers a new dimension to hear and for newbies, it’s a fantastic chance for them to vibe up!
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Apple Cores - James Brandon Lewis
Apple Cores from James Brandon Lewis is one of my favorite jazz saxophone albums of the last few years. It hits with a natural, primal feeling – at times fully relaxing and others full-throttle stimulation.
The first and only time I’ve seen JBL live was at Newport Jazz Festival 2024 with The Messthetics and I found that set totally electrifying. So, when Apple Cores was released, I was keen to give a listen. The album definitely should be heard start-to-finish as it’s well organized and runs a course through a range of feelings.
It’s a trio album with James on sax, Chad Taylor on drums/mbira and Josh Werner on bass and guitar with some supplemental guitar and percussion on a handful of tracks. It’s clear that James is the driving force and makes a compelling case for him as one of the leading young jazz saxophonists of this era. Have a read and listen to my track-by-track coverage and I’m sure you’ll be hooked.
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PLEASE KEEP OFF THE GRASS - THE PSYCODELICS
The Psycodelics are one of my favorite new bands of the last several years and they just released their fantastic debut album, “Please Keep Off the Grass.” They bill themselves as modern Black American music and they’re all of that — funk, soul, R&B and jazz all rolled into one beautiful package. They have a sound all their own while also echoing the greats from the past like Sly and the Family Stone, Al Green, and Earth Wind and Fire.
I first caught The Psycodelics live last year at a local venue and was immediately a fan. On Jam Cruise in February, the band played two sets and, according to my informal polling, was everyone’s favorite “new” group. Their energy is electric, their playing is hard-driving and funky, the lyrics are catchy as all get out and the vocals are top-notch.
This album, with some of the songs I heard live, is familiar with excellent production values. Every song is a winner, ranging from slower “baby-making music” to funky burners. I’m looking forward to their fall tour when they’ll be back in the Atlanta area, opening for Durand Jones and the Indications.
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AUDIENCE WITH THE QUEEN - GALACTIC AND IRMA THOMAS
Galactic has been one of my favorite bands for more than 20 years, and I’ve listened to every album they’ve put out, and seen them live about 20 times through several configurations. They’ve changed from emphasizing vocals to instrumentals and back and play a wide range of music, from heart-pumping funk to jazz and blues and gospel. And I like it all, but I’ve gotta say “Audience with the Queen” is a new favorite album.
In the “Behind the Scenes,” videos, they tell Irma that she’s going to sound young on the record and much to her amazement, she does, and I can absolutely confirm that. The Queen sounds phenomenal for any age and her melding with the veteran Galactic crew is all that one might imagine for this tour de force release. Have a read and listen to my track-by-track coverage and enjoy the videos!
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VII - THE BUDOS BAND
Budos Band carved out a unique genre for themselves as masters of cinematic, occult, mystical, edgy, foreboding music. This album, VII (most of their albums are simply titled sequentially), is their latest offering of deep, dark metal funk, and it’s a frightfully fun listen.
The band started about 20 years ago in Staten Island, NY, with their first three heavy on Afrobeat and Afro-soul in the mold of Fela Kuti and the JBs. That meant a great rhythm section, heavy on percussion and terrific horns. Even in that era, which included the albums I (2005), II (2007), III (2010), and The Budos Band EP (2009), it was evident that the band leaned toward danger with album covers of a volcano, scorpion, and cobra. By the time Burnt Offering was released in 2014, they’d gone full warlock into the dark side and never looked back.
The Budos Band sound is now indelible and unmistakable and always creates a reaction in my brain and on my skin. VII follows in that tradition with 11 short but memorable tracks that will certainly be in the rotation as they begin their tour this summer. Can’t wait to see them in Atlanta and the Southeast again. Here’s my incantation, spell by spell.
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Another Side of the Sound - Deitch Teitel Fribush
Organ trios have been a mainstay of the jazz-funk-fusion stable since the 60s. In recent years, there’s been a surge in popularity of the format, as the B3 can emulate a broad range of sounds and the small format enables each of the musicians to stretch out in a big way.
Deitch, Teitel Fribush (DTF) is a powerhouse within that realm, and the newly released “Another Side of the Sound” brings fresh ideas while maintaining ligature to tradition. As described in the liner notes, the album was recorded directly to a Tascam 388 tape machine to give it that old-school feel.
The musicians on this album are well versed in the organ trio tradition. Sam Fribush is a notable lead player on the B3 and spent considerable time in New Orleans. You can hear that influence on tunes like “À La Gator.” Ari Teitel is a regular member of the NOLA OGs, Dumpstaphunk, and really shows his jazz chops on this album. Holding down he groove is Adam Deitch of the great funk band, Lettuce. Deitch, has a great heritage in the jazz-funk scene and has been growing his resume in the small group format for the last several years with his own quartet (see Adam Deitch Quartet, “Roll The Tape,” 2023 review) and other organ trios (see WRD, “The Hit,” 2021 review) as well.
DTF runs the gamut across twelve grooves, from funky, adrenaline pumpers to soul-stirring ballads. It’s obvious that each of the players has an affinity for the category, and the collective juju is palpable. Have a read and a listen to the track-by-track coverage below.
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Keep It Coming - Analog Son
Analog Son is a super funky band comprised of Josh Fairman (SunSquabi) on bass and Jordan Linit on guitar joined by complementary artists for recording. “Keep It Coming” is a shimmy-shaking, earth-quaking ride. It’s their first full release since Funky Mother in 2018 (Funky Mother Review), which was also a killer album. In addition to the two founders, veterans Joe Tatton (The New Mastersounds) on keyboards and Neal Evans (Dopapod) join the mix, as well as stellar guest musicians on each track including songstress Adryon de León, trumpeters Eric “Benny” Bloom (Lettuce) and Gabe Mervine (The Motet), and saxophonist Nick Gerlach who all make standout contributions.
Here’s my track by track coverage of Analog Son’s “Keep It Coming” and the full range of funkiness embodied within.
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A Higher Frequency - The Mighty Mocambos
The Mighty Mocambos have been around since 2006 but only hit my radar a few years back. The band, out of Hamburg, Germany, has just put out a superfine album, “A Higher Frequency,” that cooks across a range of instrumental and vocal tunes with ingredients of soul, Afrobeat, jazz, and funk that make you feel good head to toe.
This album showcases The Mighty Mocambos command of the funk lexicon with a terrific rhythm section, hard-hitting horn riffs and solos and soulful singing. I find it easy to connect their sound to styles from the past while still recognizing that they are blazing their own path to build their musical legacy. It’s wonderful to hear them among the ranks of world musicians that continue producing the endorphin-inducing sounds of funk music.
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ROTIFER - GARAJ MAHAL
Garaj Majal is one of the most sophisticated funk-jazz-world-fusion bands of the past 25 years and a personal favorite. They’ve just released the terrific album “Rotifer,” an eclectic collection of nine tunes, each one sparkling in its own right. The band started as a quartet in the year 2000 with two of the founding members Fareed Haque (guitar) and Kai Eckhardt (bass) still active as the core of the band. In the early 2000s, the band was a major touring act and released four albums. When their first album, “Mondo Garaj,” was released in 2003, it was on repeat on my playlist for several months. I never got to see them during those heady days and they went on touring hiatus starting around 2011.
I finally got to see them live at Suwannne Hulaween 2019 and recorded that set (check out the YouTube video here: Garaj Majal at Hulaween 2018) and got to meet Kai as well. To this day, it’s one of the best sets I’ve ever seen at Hulaween, and I’ve been every year since 2017.
It was a real treat to learn of the release of “Rotifer,” and as usual, I’m doing research to find out more about the origins of this very special recording. A rotifer is actually a microorganism that lives in aquatic environments and consume algae and bacteria , in turn becoming fish food themselves. I’m not sure how that links to the music but it sure makes for an interesting title. There’s also the cryptic track titles, “brd” and “agp,” which add to the mystical nature of the album.
Since 2018, the band has used a rotating lineup. On “Rotifer,” Haque and Eckhardt are joined by the veterans Oz Ezzeldin (keys) and Hassan Hurd (drums) and the lineup excels and gels on every track. The album remains interesting through multiple plays as the tracks include burning fusion instrumentals, funky jams, vocal voyages and even a fair bit of scatting. Join me on the listening journey, track-by-track of one of the best albums you’ll hear this year!
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MOVE WITH LOVE - LAFAYETTE GILCHRIST
Move with Love from Lafayette Gilchrist and The New Volcanoes is an outstanding multi-genre live recording incorporating jazz, funk, hip-hop, and several more. Gilchrist, a Baltimore, MD native, grew up as a fan of the local go-go music of Chuck Brown as well as major pop artists of that era and that mix of influences makes every tune on this album catchy, danceable, and interesting.
On “Move With Love,” the band’s first album since 2018, Gilchrist unveils a retooled New Volcanoes on Move With Love. Guitarist Carl Filipiak and bassist Anthony “Blue” Jenkins return from the previous incarnation, while percussionist Kevin Pinder transitions onto the drum kit. They’re joined by trumpeter Leo Maxey, trombonist Christian Hizon, saxophonist Shaquim Muldrow and percussionist Bashi Rose, with saxophonists Ebban Dorsey and Efraim Dorsey guesting on four of the album’s six tracks. The album was recorded live at Baltimore’s Club Car venue.
While Lafayette’s piano playing is exceptional and on point, the team he assembled for this recording session is amazing, and they are individually widely showcased. The horn section, whether three- or five-piece is close to a Tower of Power configuration and kicks ass. The rhythm section is tight as a fist and Filipiak on guitar is another standout.
All in all, each track is stellar and combined add up to one of my favorite releases of 2025 thusfar. Check out my track-by-track coverage, get yourself a copy, and have a listen! It’s an enjoyable ride all the way through!
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The Groove Session - Joe Marcinek
Guitarist/composer Joe Marcinek consistently pumps out great “theme” albums with teams of big-name and emerging musicians. Four of his previous albums were reviewed here (JMB4, JMB5, Dead Funk Summit, 1 River Street) and each is unique in its theme and sound. “The Groove Session” is an outstanding funk album from end to end. One of the terrific aspects of this collection is that Joe demonstrates his skills as a guitarist within the overall ensemble that he put together. His compositions allow the others to shine, and the songs are balanced to showcase the entire team’s talent.
As the liner notes say, “The Groove Session sees Joe Marcinek Band at the top of their game, expertly translating a live concert energy to a studio project filled to the brim with deep and danceable tracks.” This album is exciting and fresh all the way through. The keyboard work from Jesus and Greg is outstanding, and the addition of violin from Tracey Silverman is icing on the already-rich cake. I’ve always been a fan of live-recorded albums, ever since hooking onto the Snarky Puppy train a dozen or so years ago. It’s a great way to show the team dynamics and the joy of creating among the musicians. Thoughtfully, Joe recorded the sessions for each song, and they’re included below in my track-by-track coverage. Also, a big tip of the hat to my friend Aaron Schwartz for the album artwork—way to go! Relax, read, watch, listen, and enjoy!
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LIVE FROM BELOW- POLYRHYTHMICS
The Polyrhythmics have put out an outstanding album with Life From Below. Each tune is distinctive in its color and theme while still recognizable as a Polyrhythmics song. The group has become a personal favorite over the last few years, based on their dynamic live sets and consistently high-quality studio releases.
As usual, there is a prominent role for the stellar horn section and the album is peppered with tight riffs and several spectacular solo sojourns, which I’ll cover in detail. The dazzling guitar-bass-drum of Ben Bloom, Jason Gray, and Grant Schroff alway keep the energy at a high level. Nathan Spicer on keys takes flight often and to far-off spaces. A foundation of the band has always been Afrobeat, and that’s still present on Life From Below but there are many more branches off that root that consistently spark synapses in new ways.
The guest slots with Adryon de León (ex-Orgone) on vocals on Smoke & Mirrors and Kate Olson on bass clarinet on Ivy are fantastic addition to punch up an already heavyweight album.
Let’s get right to it with my track-by-track coverage and if you like what you read and hear, support the band on Bandcamp and all streaming platforms!
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