First Listen: The Sweatband funks it up on "Game Face"

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    (November 6, 2019) Minneapolis, Minnesota rightly gained a reputation as an emerging funk capitol back in the 1980s, and its influence has been felt throughout popular music ever since. It has spawned countless acts, and now delivers a new funk band that is ready to takes its place at the table. Danny Q (sax), Scott Muellenberg (bass), Ke’Andre Mack (drums) and Jimmy Bayard (guitar) are The Sweatband, and they have a collective resume of working with many of the genre’s greats over the past decade.

    (November 6, 2019) Minneapolis, Minnesota rightly gained a reputation as an emerging funk capitol back in the 1980s, and its influence has been felt throughout popular music ever since. It has spawned countless acts, and now delivers a new funk band that is ready to takes its place at the table. Danny Q (sax), Scott Muellenberg (bass), Ke’Andre Mack (drums) and Jimmy Bayard (guitar) are The Sweatband, and they have a collective resume of working with many of the genre’s greats over the past decade.

    With their debut album, Sweating 2ThaFunk, the guys from The Sweatband are delivering the kind of straight up funk that is rarely heard from new artists. And for our latest First Listen, we’re featuring a cut that sounds less like Minneapolis funk, and more like the kind of Ohio jams that rocked R&B radio in the late 70s and early 80s. In fact, “Game Face” – featuring Portland talkbox star Swatkins - sounds like a mashup of Zapp and ConFunkShun, with a touch of P-Funk to boot. It’s a fun romp, and gets us excited to hear more from this quartet.

    Check out “Game Face,” and tell us what you think of The Sweatband.

    The Sweatband feat. Swatkins – “Game Face”