Rock Candy Funk Party – We Want Groove
A glance at the cover, and a jazz listener may go, “What the what?” It’s a photo of a young woman in burlesque apparel squatting over an old – think 1960s era – amplifier. That’s how Rock Candy Funk Party presents their debut album, We Want Groove (J&R Adventures, 2013). Instead of revisiting something like “Groove Is in the Heart,” this jazz-funk effort throws in some rock and a ’60s-early ’70s psychedelic attitude.
The group is comprised of some experienced jazz artists who have also played other styles. They are Tal Bergman, drums and percussion; Ron DeJesus, guitar; Michael Merritt, bass guitar; Renato Neto, keyboards; and Joe Bonamassa, guitar.
The set begins with “Octopus-e,” a hard rock piece fueled by the groove. Think of what might happen if you threw songs by Herbie Hancock, Aerosmith and early Commodores into a blender. Merritt’s bass line and Bergman’s stick work carry the piece no matter what’s going on out front. And what’s out front is that psychedelic vibe provided by the guitars and keys.