I could write this reivew (and believe me, I will), but words can’t really do justice for the band Kung Fu. These guys are fluent in funk music, speaking the language with ease and confidence after years of professional experience. Their latest studio album, Tsar Bomba, captures their musical prowess with a delightful sense of creativity, musicianship, and just general enjoyment.
Kung Fu is a five-piece funk ensemble, featuring Tim Palmieri (guitar), Robert Somerville (tenor sax), Todd Stoops (keyboards), Chris DeAngelis (bass guitar), and Adrian Tramontano (drums). Tramontano and DeAngelis hold the rhythm section down like nobody’s business, allowing for the other three musicians to let loose until the morning comes.
The tracks will start with a particular melody, building it in complexity throughout the first couple of minutes. Once they’re in the groove, something will shift (be it the drum rhythm or the bassline), ushering the tune into new heights. Suddenly, you’re bombarded with heavy-hitting guitar solos, cosmic keyboard endeavors, and blaringly triumphant saxophonery. It’s funkin’ groovy. Big props to Stoops, who kicks the band’s funkiness into overdrive with his bright organ tones.
Take the title track for example. “Tsar Bomba” opens with a tempting melody, straightforwardly enticing. The band embellishes on this melody, adding various layers and fills to an already seductive groove. A particularly spacey keyboard moment allows the rest of Kung Fu to transition into free-form mode, trading glorious solos between guitar and saxophone. These guys know their way around their instruments, bringing an aura of excitement to every funkin’ note. After a heavy plunge into an exotic minor key, the band finds their way back to the opening melody to cap off this great, great song.
You can listen to the band playing “Tsar Bomba” live, right here:
Funk yeah.
The give-and-take between composed and improvised is a hallmark of refined musicians. The songs are instrumental, finding enthusiasm in creative exploration and complex musical layering. The sophomore approach from Kung Fu never disappoints, paying homage to 70’s funk with a modern sensibility. These guys are great, and I will always go see them perform when they come to town!
Oh yeah, and you can see Todd Stoops and Adrian Tramontano perform with RAQ this Friday at the Gramercy Theater! Check it out!
-David Melamed (@DMelamz)