Funky Dozen

Description

The Funky Dozen blends fun and funk to keep people on the dance floor all night long. Led by Larry Thompson, the band focuses primarily on favorites from the 1970s, but also pulls the best from the 80s and 90s, to provide high energy music people want to move to. As the name suggests, the band features twelve talented musicians, but not always the same twelve. Part of the band's strength is their fluid mixture of core members and new musicians who bring great infusions of style and experience, helping the band stay true to its roots while it continues to grow and evolve. Twelve members blend to create a powerful sound, melding classic guitar and percussion with a brass section to blow the roof off, topped off with male and female vocalists who use their voices as instruments in their own right. They cite a wide variety of musical influences, including Stevie Wonder, Earth Wind and Fire, Aretha Franklin, KC and the Sunshine Band, Sly and the Family Stone, James Brown, The Isley Bros, and Patty Labelle, among others. The Funky Dozen began about ten years ago when a friend convinced Thompson to rejoin the live music scene after ten years as the areas top mobile DJ. Thompson now uses his DJ knowledge to choose truly danceable songs for the Funky Dozen to play. Current band members include first-time band members to grammy winners, people who have played with Alex Degrassi, John Mattern, David Raitt; and people who have only ever played with the Funky Dozen. Together, they create a beautiful blend of funk, soul and dance-ability.