Vibrant mural-style painting of a crouching mountain lion with multicolored swirling trails and the MTN LION text nearby.

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STEALTH is a fully funkified album from four friends forged together during the pandemic. It’s predestined to be on FunkCity.net’s top albums of 2026, as it ranges from old-school covers like Herbie Hancock’s “Doin’ It” to new-era homages to funk pioneers, as with the tune “Garibaldi.” MTN Lion is a powerhouse Denver-based funk quartet composed of drummer Adam Deitch and guitarist Adam “Shmeeans” Smirnoff of Lettuce, alongside keyboardist Joey Porter and bassist Garrett Sayers, both known for their work with The Motet. While their main projects were off the road in 2020 and 2021, the group met at Deitch’s houseContinue Reading

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LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE, the latest album from trumpeter Malcolm Strachan, is a delightfully pleasant listen from start to finish. Malcolm is a founding member of the fantastic UK funk band The Haggis Horns, whom I first got hip to when they played on The New Mastersounds inaugural album back in 2001. Look on the Bright Side is Malcolm’s third ‘solo’ album, although he brings in a well-accomplished crew to drive this album like a well-oiled machine. Malcolm is brilliant playing trumpet, flugelhorn, and valve trombone on this album, which is reminiscent of some of the great Donald Byrd soundsContinue Reading

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What happens when one of your favorite guitarists, organ players, and drummers get together? Well, you get a supergroup called The Breaks and they’ve just released their debut album. On guitar, they have Eddie Roberts the cofounder of the now quasi retired quartet The New Mastersounds who wrapped up a twenty six year run at New Years Eve. On organ, there’s Robert Walter, with his own 20th Congress and reigning keys master in GreyBoy Allstars. And, rounding it out on the skins, the incredible Stanton Moore of Galactic and several additional side projects. This is a real dream team thatContinue Reading

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High Fade is an Edinburgh-based independent funk-rock trio founded by guitarist/vocalist Harry Valentino in 2018. The band has made inroads on the U.S. jam band scene, having recently played Suwannee Hulaween in October 2025. For comparative bands, you might think of other power trios like Lespecial, SunSquabi or Consider the Source but more on the vocal and rock side of the biz. On May 8, they released their second full album, “Twice as Nice,” and it’s a scorcher. It’s not straight-up funk—more like a hard-edged crossover in a high-octane cocktail. The powerful lyrics are sung and shouted with energy and darknessContinue Reading

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Snarky Puppy released Somni on November 21, and it’s one of the best albums you’ve ever heard and will ever hear. It’s already on my deserted island list and a certain (multi) Grammy winner. I’m confident that once people hear it, they will be astounded based on its sonic impact, novel approach to melodies and rhythms, range of emotions stirred, musicality, and technical achievements. Now that the superlatives are out there, I’ll offer up the rationale for the buildup. Somni was recorded with the Metropole Orkest under the direction of Jules Buckley over the course of three days (two sessionsContinue Reading

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Chimera is the second (and final!?) single from Snarky Puppy’s upcoming album “Somni,” and audio was recently released on streaming platforms with the video on YouTube. The full album is scheduled to be released November 21st. Here’s my review of this breathtaking track and the accompanying video. I was in the room for all the recording sessions in Utrecht back in January 2025. You can read about that experience here – Somni: A Dreamlike Experience. Chimera is the most unique cut on an album of ‘dreams’ as the standalone ‘nightmare.’ It was/is the third track on the album and here’sContinue Reading

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REARview Album: Friends and Strangers Friends and Strangers (1977) is an all-time classic album for me. It sounds as fresh today as it did almost 50 years ago. F&S is his third solo album (Pressure Sensitive and Fever preceded) following  a stint with Earth, Wind & Fire. The opening track “Goodtime Ride” sounds so futuristic like an rocket taking off. The synth bounces from ear to ear. Ronnie’s sopranos trades licks with the background vocal sighs. In that way, it was probably the first instrumental album that I heard that had ‘background vocals. The title track, with its synth openingContinue Reading

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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.Continue Reading

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Waves Upon Waves, the first single from Snarky Puppy’s upcoming album “Somni,” was just released on streaming platforms, and the video on YouTube. The full album is scheduled to be released November 21st. Breaking with my usual approach, I’m going to review each track as they’re released and then the full album. I’m coming from the perspective of having been in the room for all the recording sessions in Utrecht back in January 2025. You can read about that experience here – Somni: A Dreamlike Experience. I will say that watching and listening to an individual track cannot capture theContinue Reading

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Lafayette Gilchrist’s “Move with Love” features his ensemble, The New Volcanoes, blending jazz, funk, and hip-hop in a live recording. Celebrated for its infectious rhythms and community focus, the album reflects resilience and joy during difficult times. Each track showcases individual talents, making it a standout release of 2025.Continue Reading