Juju Jazz Funk

Plunky & Oneness - Juju Jazz Funk Like fine spirits flow from the winery of the experienced winemakers overtime come to be expected, music makers, Plunky & Oneness, continue their decades long output of unique, individualized songs with their latest album, Juju Jazz Funk. Produced by band master, J. Plunky Branch and his son, Fire, their new album is a home grown collection of Afro-jazz funk message music for modern music heads. Juju Jazz Funk contains nine original songs constructed as studio collaborations with Oneness instrumentalist and singers who have become a creative, performing family. Plus there are two bonus tracks from a 2016 live show in Roanoke, VA where the group performed in concert with George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic, fulfilling a career dream for Plunky and where a funky good time was had by all. There are two jazz funk songs on the album: “Move Forward,” a funky instrumental just right for a party or smooth jazz radio playlist; and “One Love One Us,” a soulful excursion featuring the lyrics and vocals of Charlayne “Chyp” Green, Plunky’s longtime group member and creative collaborator. Straight-up, old school funk is represented by new versions of two previously released songs: “This Is Our Time,” written by Plunky; and “Plastic (Is Easy to See Through),” penned by Plunky’s brother, Muzi who has been a consistent mainstay, intimately involved in the group’s images, productions and performances for over 40 years. While these two songs were written decades ago the funk and their messages are as timely and relevant as ever. The message in Plunky’s “Seize the Time” is quite simple, direct and moving when he sings “A new day is upon us, it’s on us to seize the time; a new day is upon us it’s on us, it’s yours and mind.” The mood of the song is somber R&B but the message is uplifting. “What Love Is” is a song in the odd 15/4 time signature that maintains its groove under Plunky’s chanting “What love is, is what live gives/ what love gives is what love is.” “Wisdom, Peace & Love” is another chanted song in a mellow, progressive, modal jazz mode which is reminiscent of Pharoah Sanders’ early work. Both songs display the outstanding nu-jazz musicianship of the band. Nu African music is represented by two percussion driven songs: “Nu Juju,” which Plunky composed by transposing a Nigerian juju music song into parts played on saxophones; and “Afro Future Dialogues,” an excursion of improvised exchanges between saxophone, djembe drum and other instruments. Juju Jazz Funk is a new name for a multi-genre influenced pop music. It is created and performed by the proponents named above plus the other members of the group on the album: J. L. Harris, Bee Boisseau, Kaila Valdez and Abdou Muhammed. Juju Jazz Funk is but another edition in an ongoing flow of fine intoxicating spirits harvested from the music vineyards.