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| Funk Filharmonik Releases Debut CD “Everybody Get Down” Funk Filharmonik releases its debut CD of all original music titled Everybody Get Down at their 23rd annual "Funksgiving" anniversary show at Inter-Media Arts Center Theater in Huntington, NY, November 28. Funk Filharmonik, New York's premier funk, soul, jazz, R&B band, features musicians who have played with a who's-who list of music icons including: Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, Mariah Carey, Bruce Springsteen, Aretha Franklin, Paul Simon, John Mayer, Tito Puente, The Allman Brothers, Diana Ross, Bill Cosby, the Saturday Night Live Band, Marc Anthony, Jennifer Lopez, Original Blues Brothers Band, B.B. King, Bebe and Cece Winans, Arturo Sandoval, and many more. Several members of Funk Filharmonik are alumni of Tower of Power whose music they've been covering all these years lead vocalists Tom Bowes and Brent Carter and tenor saxophonist John Scarpulla toured with T.O.P. for years. Drummer and bandleader Lee Finkelstein was called as a substitute to cover the T.O.P. northeast tour and Ozzie Melendez, trombonist and musical director for the Funk Filharmonik, has written songs for T.O.P. Now, after over 20 years this in-demand group of top shelf musicians has finally put together a record of all original music that's a combination of slick retro 70's horn driven funk-soul R&B with jazz players' chops and the precise arrangements characteristic of a Latin jazz band. For 15 years musicians from all over Long Island came for their "lessons" to see Funk Filharmonik on the last Thursday of every month at the Brokerage in Bellmore. The band went on to play countless other venues including the Downtown, Crazy Donkey, Stephen Talkhouse on Long Island, and the China Club, Tramps and Le Bar Bat in Manhattan. In 1999 Funk Filharmonik traveled abroad and played with legendary Ray Charles in an outdoor music festival in Sweden. Last year the band played its 22nd annual "Funksgiving" anniversary gig to the first and only sold out crowd of IMAC's "Long Island's Own" series. This year they'll return home to Huntington with the CD their fans have been waiting for. Funk Filharmonik band members in alphabetical order: Tom Bowes, vocals; Brent Carter, vocals; Vinnie Cinquemani, trumpet/vocals; Lee Finkelstein, drummer/band leader; Steve Finkelstein, percussion; Ron Fox, trumpet; Chris Karlic, baritone saxophone; Jack Knight, bass; Dave Lavender, guitar; Ozzie Melendez, trombone/vocals/musical director; John Scarpulla, tenor saxophone; Greg Schleich, keyboards. write your comments about the article :: © 2008 Jazz News :: home page |