Beat Funktion finds a “Love In Vain”

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(February 25, 2017) The Swedish sextet Beat Funktion is a musical gumbo with jazz, funk, disco, African inspired percussion and gospel all in there. Since their formation in 2007, band members Daniel Lantz (founder and keyboards), Karl Olandersson (trumpet), Olle Thunstrom (tenor sax), Johan Oijen (electric guitar), Pal Johnson (electric bass) and Jon Eriksson (drums) have faithfully been among the European groups that have created original music in the classic soul and funk sounds for music fans on a continent who cannot get enough of the music. The six member of Beat Funktion bring a virtuosity to their work both as soloists and as an ensemble that has brought them critical and popular acclaim in the US and Canada as witnessed the success that their albums Moon Town and Voodooland found on jazz charts in both nations in 2013 and 2014.

While primarily an instrumental sextet, Beat Funktion often brings in guests percussionists and vocalists, and they double down on that trend on their recently released album Green Man – a project that may be their most vocal-centric recording yet. Green Man features 10 tracks fronted by eight vocalists and the tune featured on this First Listen is representative to how Beat Funktion manages to seamlessly incorporate jazz improvisation, 70s era brass infused funk and the vocals of St. Louis native Alicia Olatuja, who brings the passion of her gospel background, crisp phrasing and range of her jazz and classical training to bear on nearly eight and a half minutes of sweat inducing funk. Check out “In Love In Vain” below and tell us what you think.

By Howard Dukes

Beat Funktion – “In Love In Vain” 

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