About
Breakestra
since circa 1997
Can you put a price on the funk? If you’re the ten-piece Los Angeles neo-funk, soul and jazz band Breakestra, the answer is likely no. At once contemporary and retro, the group formed in 1997 as the brainchild of multi-instrumentalist and frontman Miles “Musicman” Tackett. The self-professed “orchestra” blends the atmosphere and finesse of the late sixties/early seventies funk scene with the dynamics of late eighties/early nineties hip-hop. Originally coming up in the underground clubs of L.A., Breakestra soon created a reputation for the ambiance and impressive musicianship of its live shows. In fact, they were exclusively an in-person affair until the release of 1999’s The Live Mix, Part 1, which was followed up two years later by The Live Mix, Part 2, the latter of which came out on Stones Throw Records, who had also put out several twelve-inch releases for the band.Renowned for their dance-minded attitude and who’s-who ensemble of L.A.’s funk, jazz, and soul musicians, Breakestra have made an indelible mark on the West Coast music scene for their diverse catalogue of covers and their festive concerts in the vein of James Brown, Sly and the Family Stone, and Funkadelic. In addition to “Doctor” Tackett, the group features the vocal stylings of Mix Master Wolf and Afrodyete, and have played to sold-out crowds alongside other luminaries like Jurassic 5 and Dilated Peoples. To go to Breakestra show means getting possessed by the inimitable, timeless spirit of soul-funk power. As the Musicman himself puts it: “What are the first three letters of FUNK?”
Available for Shows/Gigs
