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Organ Fairchild is a serious band with a fun name, producing outstanding, fun music. The album “Boom!”—the band’s fourth album—is probably my favorite, and each tune is strikingly sonically sound. Organ Fairchild out of Buffalo, NY, is a traditional organ trio—organ, guitar, and drums—that shows off each of their members from time to time and has a bigger sound than their actual numbers. The compositions here have some old-school feel and yet still sound fresh and contemporary. The tunes often have a theme or vibe, and that is conveyed in the titles and the music proper. The variation from trackContinue Reading

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Bob Reynolds is one of my favorite sax players and one of the touring members of the Snarky Puppy ensemble. His latest album, “Eddie Told Me So,” is an homage to the sax pioneer Eddie Harris, who was one of the first to play an electrified sax. Harris first made a splash on my radar with the “Swiss Movement” album recorded live at the Montreux Jazz Festival, which is considered an all-time classic. So when I saw the premise for this album from Reynolds, I knew it would hit the sweet spot, and it does on all levels. Each tuneContinue Reading

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Soulive has been around for over 25 years and I first got into their music in the early ’00s with their second and third albums, ‘Turn It Out’ (2000) and ‘Doin’ Something’ (2001.) They represent(ed) the best of a new generation of organ trios, with brothers Alan (drums) and Neal (keys) Evans joined by Eric Krasno on guitar. Soulive developed their funky style in the wake of arguably the least funky decade (1990s) of the last 50 years. The band actually led to my discovery of Lettuce, the leading funk band of the 2000s and a cousin to Soulive, withContinue Reading

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For most of 2025, I reveledin the experience of attending the Somni recording sessions in Utrecht back in January. Listening to the album released in late November only increased my amazement at the beauty of the whole album—so much so that I just splurged on a Dolby Atmos speaker system. The enormity of the album is captured in my review (click here) and in my making it the FunkCity.net Album of the Year so I won’t rehash those accolades here. One of the fascinating parts of the recording session and the recording itself was that all four Snarky Puppy drummersContinue Reading

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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’reContinue 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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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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In: Aisle 5, Album of the Week, ALBUMS, BLOG POSTS, VENUES

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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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,Continue 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