Since leaving The Motet to strike a more family-focused path of his own, Jans Ingber has begun a new project, now in its third installment, known as the Funk Fellowship. Typically composed of a local core band with a couple of all-star guests, these one-off gigs have been intriguing since day one, and last night at the Star Theater in Portland, OR was perhaps the best yet.

Special guests Joe Dart (Vulfpeck) and Corey Frye (The Main Squeeze) shined brightly while also illuminating some of Portland’s hidden gems in Jarrod Lawson, Nafisaria Scroggins-Thomas and Jay “Bird” Koder. The horn section that has set the standard for funky brass in Portland, Farnell Newton and Kyle Molitor, both of Bootsy Collins fame, played brilliantly alongside Reinhardt Melz on the drums, rounding out this group of musical mercenaries for the night. Covering many of the all time greats, this group handled a fantastic selection of funk and soul classics with deft playfulness and a clear focus on getting the people moving.

First set highlights included a trifecta of heavy hitting tunes in Stevie Wonder’s “Boogie On Reggae Woman,” D’Angelo’s “One Mo’ Gin,” soulfully handled by Jarrod Lawson, and an absolutely rump shakin’, baby makin’ version of Jamiroquai’s, “Cosmic Girl,” fronted by Corey Frye. The groove machine known as Joe Dart opened up a tight pocket (back pocket?) with Reinhardt, and unsurprisingly minds were blown to a degree that had those unsure of his origins googling the mysterious and enchanting Vulf. A little nineties throwback of “This is How We Do It,” capped the first set with a raucous dance party.

After a much-needed cool down, the band returned with a nearly twenty minute version of “Everything is Everything,” that segued from Donny Hathaway to Ms. Lauryn Hill and featured solos from Koder, Newton, Dart, and a buttery smooth flow from Scroggins. The set went on to include a non-standard two song nod to the dearly departed Purple One, rattling through “I Feel For You” and “Strange Relationship.”

“Everything is Everything”

Overall, The Funk Fellowship delivered with gusto generally unexpected from a one-off band. Tight and loose in all the right places, this group of musicians clearly enjoyed their time together and the crowd responded in kind with a vibe and enthusiasm that was palpable. A Denver edition of the Fellowship, also featuring Joe Dart but an entirely different core (and Mark Lettieri from Snarky Puppy!) is coming up at Cervantes next weekend on May 13th. Jans Ingber has something special he’s cooking up from scratch just for you, and it’s quite tasty.

Setlist: Jans Ingber’s Funk Fellowship at The Star Theater, Portland, OR – 5/6/16:

Set 1: I’m a Ram, Ain’t No Way, Anything to Get Your Attention, Valerie, Boogie On, One Mo’ Gin, Cosmic Girl, 1977 Fun, This is How We Do It

Set 2: Everything is Everything, I Feel For You, Strange Relationship, Call Tyrone, Too Much, All Day Sucker, Things I Do For You

Check out a full gallery of images below, courtesy of Jason Charme Photography: