Instrumental Funk

Instrumental funk is a genre characterized by its infectious, danceable rhythms and rich, layered instrumentation, often featuring a prominent bass line, syncopated drum patterns, and percussive keyboards. Emerging in the 1960s and 1970s from the fusion of soul, jazz, and rhythm and blues, instrumental funk evolved as a distinct style that emphasized musical virtuosity and sonic experimentation. During its peak in the 1970s, the genre flourished as a cultural phenomenon, soundtracking urban life and influencing a wide range of musical styles, from hip-hop to electronic music. Instrumental funk's distinctive sound, marked by its use of horn sections, Hammond organs, and wah-wah guitars, sets it apart from other funk styles, while its absence of vocals allows for a heightened focus on instrumental texture and groove. This genre's enduring appeal lies in its ability to evoke a sense of community, energy, and spontaneity, as embodied in the music of legendary instrumental funk ensembles and contemporary revivalists alike.

Latest Instrumental Funk Release
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Lettuce with the Colorado Symphony (Live)
Album - 14 Tracks - Released February 28, 2025

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Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band
Black Market Brass
Booker T. & the M.G.'s
Brownout
Chief Keegan
Chip Wickham
Cookin' On 3 Burners
Cory Wong
Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio
Dr Rubberfunk
Dr. Lonnie Smith
EMEFE
Easy There Tiger
Ghost-Note
Gitkin
Huntertones
Ikebe Shakedown
Kashmere Stage Band
Lettuce
Lucky Brown
Marcus Anderson
Marcus Miller
Matthias Bublath
Medeski, Martin & Wood
Menahan Street Band
Monophonics
Organ Freeman
Orgone
Papa Grows Funk
Phat Phunktion
Pieces Of A Dream
Polyrhythmics
Redtenbacher's Funkestra
Solsonics
Soulive
The Dayton Sidewinders
The Du-Rites
The Fearless Flyers
The Filthy Six
The Funky Knuckles
The Greyboy Allstars
The Haggis Horns
The Seven Ups
The Souljazz Orchestra
The Sure Fire Soul Ensemble
Victor Wooten
Vulfpeck
Walshy Fire
Whitefield Brothers
Vulfpeck
Cookin' On 3 Burners
Menahan Street Band
Booker T. & the M.G.'s
Cory Wong
Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band
Monophonics
Walshy Fire
The Fearless Flyers
Marcus Miller
Ikebe Shakedown
Lettuce
Gitkin
Victor Wooten
The Souljazz Orchestra
Orgone
The Greyboy Allstars
Dr Rubberfunk
Redtenbacher's Funkestra
Medeski, Martin & Wood
Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio
Huntertones
Marcus Anderson
Chip Wickham
Soulive
Polyrhythmics
The Funky Knuckles
Pieces Of A Dream
Matthias Bublath
Ghost-Note
The Haggis Horns
The Sure Fire Soul Ensemble
Dr. Lonnie Smith
Brownout
Kashmere Stage Band
Whitefield Brothers
EMEFE
Solsonics
Phat Phunktion
Organ Freeman
The Du-Rites
The Seven Ups
Papa Grows Funk
The Filthy Six
Black Market Brass
Lucky Brown
Chief Keegan
The Dayton Sidewinders
Easy There Tiger