The American film industry owes a lot to funk music.
I’m not talking about contributions from James Brown and George Clinton. I’m referring to instrumental bands that have provided long, percussive, Hammond B-3 and horn-heavy funk. Blaxploitation films of the 1970s such as “Shaft” and “Super Fly,” along with more modern films, may not have achieved their success without their funky soundtracks.
Shots of a busy 1970s New York street, San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood of 1977 or a ’75 Chevy Impala racing through a gritty Lower East Side alley are perfect shots made more perfect by the addition of funk tracks.
This is precisely the style brought to you by San Diego-based funk band The Earful. The band’s live release recorded at the Belly Up in San Diego is a raucous funk affair with vocals, while its 2011 studio release “Funk For Your Earhole” is an instrumental throwback of high energy funk that could score a ’70s adult film or a dance party in 2015 Durango. The Earful even ventures into the percussive-heavy “inside the beltway” genre of Go-Go, a beloved sound that’s never really extended beyond Washington D.C.
The Earful, comprised of Brian Teel on Hammond B-3 organ, clavinet, synthesizer and vocals, Adrian Terrazas-Gonzalez on tenor sax and vocals, Tim Newton on drums, Omar Lopez on bass, Ricky Giordano on guitar and vocals, and Eric Hartwell and Gabriel Damasceno on percussion, will perform Friday night at the Animas City Theatre. Local band Elder Grown will open the show.
“Funk for Your Earhole” is a mishmash of all things funk, inspired by Teel’s love of every era of the genre.
“With that particular record the whole idea was to pay homage to all the people I admire so much,” Teel said. “Maybe one week I’d be listening to a lot of Sly and the Family Stone, so I’d be inspired to write a tune in the essence of Sly. Then we moved through the ranks, from James Brown to Tower of Power. If you listen, you’ll hear touches on a lot of different funk bands.”
Formed in 2009, the band went through a handful of members before solidifying with the current lineup. Its mission remains simple: Play high energy music, tour, record and repeat.
“There is really great chemistry between us. Everyone is really committed, and we’ve manifested a lot of great things as a result,” Teel said. “The main goal is to play some heavy funk and make people move and bring some light into people’s lives.”
Colorado is becoming a favorite place for the band outside of California, with a growing fan base in Denver and Fort Collins. The Earful currently is finishing up the recording of “West Coast Go-Go,” an EP paying homage to the aforementioned “Go-Go” funk music of Washington, D.C.
Liggett_b@fortlewis.edu. Bryant Liggett is a freelance writer and KDUR station manager.
Bryant’s best
Friday: Funked Up Friday with DJs CK and Baby Bel, 9 p.m., no cover, Moe’s, 937 Main Ave., 259-9018.
Friday: The Earful and Elder Grown, 9 p.m., $10, Animas City Theatre, 128 E. College Drive, 799-2281.
