Brooklyn Funk Essentials sounds like the intersection of a jazz club, a hip-hop block party, and a global bazaar. Their music is anchored by thick, elastic basslines and a horn section that punches through the mix with effortless precision. It is warm, organic, and deeply rhythmic, blending the sophisticated textures of acid jazz with the raw energy of street-level dub poetry.
What makes them truly distinctive is their 'collective' ethos. Rather than a static band, they operate as a rotating assembly of poets, singers, and virtuoso instrumentalists. This allows them to pivot from a classic soul ballad to a Turkish folk-influenced groove or a Latin-infused house track without losing their core identity. The presence of spoken word and turntable scratching gives their music a specific urban grit that sets them apart from the more polished UK acid jazz scene.
Start with 'Cool and Steady and Easy' to hear the definitive 90s NYC sound. It captures the band at their most iconic, featuring their famous cover of 'The Creator Has a Master Plan' which perfectly demonstrates how they bridge the gap between spiritual jazz and modern club culture.
Brooklyn Funk Essentials (abbreviated as BFE) are an American band formed in 1993 by musicians Arthur Baker and Lati Kronlund. The band are known for their eclectic sound; blending funk, hip hop, jazz, poetry, reggae, and disco music sometimes accredited to acid jazz. In the 1990s, the group became a staple of the New York City club scene.
Shares trumpet, jazz fusion, funk, saxophone (instrumentation)
Shares bass, jazz fusion, funk, saxophone (signature)
Shares trumpet, jazz fusion, funk, saxophone (instrumentation)
Shares jazz fusion, funk, soulful, joyful (subgenre)
Shares trumpet, jazz fusion, funk, saxophone (instrumentation)
Shares jazz fusion, funk, soulful, live recording (subgenre)
Shares jazz fusion, funk, saxophone, soulful (subgenre)
Shares trumpet, jazz fusion, funk, saxophone (instrumentation)
Cassette uses generative AI to enrich its catalog. How we use AI →