Funky Knuckles - Meta-Musica (2014)

Dallas-based based Funky Knuckles is composed of various studio and live side-musicians for artists like Beyonce, Erykah Badu, & Chrisette Michelle to name just a few. The band members are Evan Weiss on trumpet, Ben Bohorquez on saxophone, Phill Aelony on guitar, Caleb McCampbell on synthesizers, Cedric Moore on drums/cymbals, and Wes Stephenson on bass guitar. The debut full-length CD, Meta-Musica, is a delightful jazz fusion affair that’s been released on the Snarky Puppy/Ropeadope Records imprint, GroundUP Music. The studio recording reveals an amazing tight and eclectic band over two 14-hour days. The result is an engaging and complex 9-song set.

The inevitable result of a talent-soaked soul and jazz community, The Funky Knuckles are taking the sound of Dallas to an entirely different level. They have been together six years and have held a weekly residency since the beginning. The band is comprised of sidemen from some of the most respected acts in the music industry (Beyonce, Erykah Badu, Chrisette Michelle, Talib Kweli, P. Diddy, The Polyphonic Spree, etc.), yet possesses a sound distinctly separate from any of their individual projects.

The Funky Knuckles move together musically as a school of fish, never complacent and always stretching the boundaries of improvisation and composition. Whether performing original music or standards, they draw from each member’s musical experiences to create their unique genre-bending sound. After the release of their debut album on GroundUP Music, As of Lately, The Knuckles added a full-time horn section and began touring nationally.

Tracklist:

01. [12]3,4 How Bout Them Funky Knuckles 01:34
02. 16 Bars 07:58
03. Rain Journey 09:11
04. Mystery Song 09:34
05. [12]3,4 Interlude 01:47
06. Kyle's Dance 08:07
07. New Leaf 08:45
08. Micro Clown 08:51
09. [12]3,4 feat Cyfa Fix 04:04
10. Shield Of Faith 09:28