I guess I learned about Vulfpeck about three or four years ago. This group has attracted quite a bit of attention, and there are some great articles about the fellas. The origin story is appealing - a group of killer musicians met in Ann Arbor while studying at the University of Michigan, started playing together and dialed into the tightest funk groove I have ever heard.
Vulfpeck was launched in 2011 sort of by accident, I guess. It is a DIY effort - no manager, no record deal, all millenial viral internet genius at work that led to a sold out gig at Madison Square Garden on September 29, 2019. They are really the gold standard of the funk genre now, and many awesome artists have sat in with the group - vocalist Antwan Stanley, guitarist Cory Wong, trombonist Melissa Gardiner and saxophonist Joey Dosik collaberate regularly. So does MacArthur Genius Grant mandolinist and NPR star, Chris Thiele.
My old bandmate, the late, great guitarist Osee Anderson, used to tell me, "Look for the pocket masters." The guys in Vulfpecks are the Jedi Knights of the pocket. Joe Dart's bass lines are absolutely ridiculous - funk bass is really tough to play well, I think. The band can also lay down some heartbreaking R&B - check this out.
So if you love funk and high-skill R&B, get deep into Vulfpeck.
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