What the Funk?
By Daria Marmaluk-Hajioannou
What is hip? To a growing legion of fans and music biz admirers, it’s the 13-piece, Long Island-based Funk Filharmonik. Theirs is a saga of more than a dozen accomplished musicians, each with their own busy touring, gigging and recording schedules, who come together on a regular basis to drive their friends and fans wild-just for the funk of it.
With their beginnings in the mid-’80s, “The Funk” (as they are known to their loyal following) are not the product of any recent “back to the ’70s” trend. And the players are no slackers, either. Members from this incredibly tight funk “orkestra” have since gone on to play with an impressive list of major acts including Paul Simon, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, Nancy Wilson, Omar Hakim and many others. One of the Funk’s three lead vocalists, Tom Bowes, left the band briefly to sing for Tower of Power a few years ago, and sax player John Scarpulla currently plays in both bands. Also among the stellar horn section is founding Funk member Ozzie Melendez, whose performance resume reads like a roster of outstanding Latin acts.
Several factors seem to contribute to the band’s continued hype and success: the killer horn section, the energy of the live performances and the presence of three lead vocalists. With varied ranges, the band’s lead vocalists are also backed by several of the other players, giving the songs the dynamics and fullness that many bands can only dream of achieving. There’s no doubt about it; the group seems to have something for everyone, as well as a universal appeal that has been winning over devoted fans among musicians and the general public for over a decade.
It all began somewhere around 1984, recalls drummer Lee Finkelstein, when a group of musicians playing the New York City and Long Island music circuit kept running into each other. They hit it off musically and decided to rent a rehearsal space with the sole purpose of jamming on music they all knew and loved. It was a hot summer and band members remember battling for a spot near the air conditioner while each shouted out material they wanted to cover-favorite Steely Dan tunes, Earth Wind and Fire hits and funk staples like “Soul Vaccination” and “Down to the Night Club.” Still just playing for kicks, the band was mentioned to a prominent nightclub owner who booked them immediately, sight unseen, recognizing the all-star lineup. The club owner’s bet paid off and the emerging band began to pack the house at the Brokerage in Bellmore, New York-then one of the hottest spots for music in the Long Island area. Later, while each of the musicians kept up their individual gigs, The Funk would also migrate to venues in Manhattan and make other select appearances in the tri-state area. A growing reputation and a funky demo tape would land them prime dates at private parties as well as corporate and special engagements, including shows for the 1997 Audio Engineering Society music trade conference and performances for the Comedy Central network.
The Funk is currently comprised of Tom Bowes (vocals), Sandy Rose (vocals), Tim Lawless (vocals), Dave Lavendar (guitar), Jack Knight (bass), Greg Schleich (keyboards), Lee Finkelstein (drums), Steve Finkelstein (percussion), Alex Stewart (baritone and tenor sax), Ozzie Melendez (trombone and backing vocals), John Scarpulla (baritone and tenor sax), Vinnie Cinquemani (trumpet and vocals) and Ron Fox (trumpet). Despite whatever else they may have on their schedule, they return regularly to the band’s roots at the Brokerage. Steady engagements are usually scheduled for the last Thursday of every month, except in November when they host their own special celebration on the holiday eve-now dubbed “Funksgiving”-a live show guaranteed to satisfy the most discriminating tastes just as everybody else is finishing up their holiday turkey.
Over the years, newspaper columnists have heaped praise upon the band, describing them as “a must-see attraction” and “ridiculously good,” as well as encouraging a trend of New York City residents commuting to Long Island to check out the show. Another columnist commented on the composition of the crowd at the regular Brokerage gig, noting that the enthusiastic audience contained the oddest mixture he had ever seen-young punks, longhairs, working class locals, Manhattan yuppies and dedicated fellow musicians-and drew the conclusion that the band must be doing something right. Some kind of magic was happening there.
Players in the Funk Filharmonik would definitely agree. Their love for the material and enjoyment in playing with each other is the undercurrent of the band. In fact, no one expected The Funk to catch on like they did. But year after year, the gigs continued to provide musical pleasure for audiences and players alike-and amassed an impressive book of charts and Funk Filharmonik favorites expected by their fans. “We like to keep things fresh,” says Finkelstein, who adds that members will sometimes play “stump the band” with the audience or mess around with well-known songs like playing a reggae version of a pop standard-on the spot with no previous rehearsal. The audience gets a kick out of not knowing exactly what to expect. No somersaults or stage theatrics, just solid musicianship and the occasional solo on frying pans.
Along with talent, Finkelstein thinks that a major part of their musical success is having the band’s business act together and keeping a good attitude toward all aspects of musicianship. He should know. Along with playing and performing a good portion of The Funk’s booking and business management functions, Finkelstein has achieved notice for a variety of other projects, including playing on “The Bill Cosby Show” and performing with other bands such as Jim Pin.
Despite rave reviews and popular enthusiasm, Funk Filharmonik still hasn’t recorded any formal albums or planned any elaborate tours out of the New York City area. It’s not for lack of love for the project, though. Conflicting schedules and previous commitments make it hard to get the whole band together for extended periods or involved projects. There may be a recording in the works, however, concedes Finkelstein. It may be a living room recording or a formal studio project or, who knows, maybe some smart record company exec will pick up on the fact that this band has an enduring appeal and a live show that just won’t quit. But for right now, both players and fans are happy being a part of The Funk phenomenon that survives and thrives on one important founding principle: playing music for the love of it.