This summer I helped organize a new afrobeat/funk/world band for a series of outdoor performances out on the street in a busy intersection in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Boston. It’s been great fun seeing the diverse audience that shows up or discovers us playing – from little kids who dance around wildly, to teenagers who start out skeptical but end up getting into us, to the Nigerian guy who got unbelievably excited to hear us play a Fela tune, to the drunken Caribbean guy who shouted along happily when we struck up a reggae tune but loudly showed his disapproval whenever we played something in any other style!

It’s been wonderful to be in a funky band again and get the people up and dancing. Everyone in the group is having lots of fun so we’ll be continuing with the project in the fall.

Dedicated to the funky sounds of the late 60s and early 70s, Groovement gets your booty shakin’! Steeped in East Bay funk history, Groovement’s members are vinyl junkies, breakbeat scholars, vintage tone freaks, and rhythm connoisseurs.

Shane Baird/Will Dowling – saxophones
John Foord – drums
Aaron Julin – rhodes, organ, clavinet, moog
Chris Howard – percussion
Kevin O’Dea – guitar, talkbox
Josh Rosenstock – fender bass

1. Brick Shithouse 2. ‘Lectric Pants 3. In 3s 4. Pungee 5. Knucklehead 6. Superstrut 7. JB Medley 8. High Heeled Sneakers 9. Flood In Franklin Park

10. Sanford & Son 11. Mr. Magic 12. Sack O’ Woe 13. Windjammer 14. Soul Power 15. Sanford & Son 16. Kool Is Back 17. Ain’t It Funky Now

Jenn Guitart – accordion, vocals
Ben Harvey – guitar, cello, mandolin, vocals
Josh Rosenstock – violin, vocals
Ben Samuels – mandolin, vocals

Listen to the D’Orqestra album, recorded in Josh’s room in 2002:

1. The Breakfast Song
2. Ça Gaz
3. Ederlezi
4. The Medley
5. Satta Massagana
6. Odessa Bulgar
7. No Soy De Aqui
8. Lilliana
9. Chanson Faux
10. Black Cat, White Cat
11. The Hora
12. By the Rivers of Babylon