Original Funky Jazz outfit
ORCA is a Funky Jazz/R & B quartet led by award winning JazzYorkshire vocalist and pianist, Nicki Allan. Featuring some of the North’s finest musicians – Drummer Caroline Boaden, Bass Guitarist Garry Jackson and Saxophonist & percussionist Rod Mason, this unit is tight and produces some of the finest original grooves and music little heard of on the scene today.
The music could be mistaken for slightly pastiche, reminiscent of the golden years of psycadelic 70’s Funk, yet the sound is fresh, in your face, modern, driving, and full of energy.
The inspiration for the music comes directly from the famous Funk masters Chick Corea, Stevie Wonder, Gil Scott Heron, Jeff lobber, George Duke and Herbie Hancock to name a few, but the band also write their own material and released their first EP in 2018 called ‘Mind your Own Business’. Songwriters Allan & Mason have penned all 4 songs on the EP, currently available to listen to on Soundcloud HERE, or via email through the Nicki Allan website page at nickiallan.com where you can purchase the Ep for yourself. Sharinga commonpassion for uptempo, melodic funk and driving rhythmic grooves, read below a brief summary from the band in their own words…..
We wanted the music to stand out as a Jazz/R&B/Soul fusion & sought to bring that concept to life. Writing for this band was part 1, however, the songs have evolved with us over the years, from the original recordings have grown larger and longer pieces of music that allow us to explore ourselves and our connection to each other. We have delved deeper into the music and the improvisation and after 2 years of gently working at it, we are still writing and having fun with this project and watching it continue to develop.
Review JATP Martin Powell
02 June 2017 – ORCA
What a night! What a wang dang doodle night ?? A quick look at the line-up gives all indication that this is a special band, yet there’s never a guarantee in such matters of course, so let me and 80-odd other funkalicious jazz cats – some of whom were dancing !!! – screaming “more!, more!” attest that ORCA is even greater than the sum of it’s individually impressive parts. So busy individually are these fabulous and famous four that ORCA gigs are a logistcal nightmare and hence quite rare, so any chance to see these Folks should be seized upon eagerly – you will not be disappointed and you’ll have the chance to part with a princely £5 for their new CD, “Mind your own Business” – no prizes for guessing who, amongst their number, coined that phrase ??
A superb evening of funkyjazzufunk from . . .
Nicki Allan – v,keys, Caroline Boaden – dr, Rod Mason – s, dec, Garry Jackson – b
Nicki Allan 