suggestions for jazz/funk/musically interesting cover tunes

[stringvest]

I've just joined a new band.  They're all excellent/pro-level musicians, and have cut their teeth on complicated pop/rock stuff.  My audition last week featured lots of hard Steely Dan and Michael McDonald stuff, to give you an example, which they played perfectly.  So, in order to develop an interesting and diverse set that people can both admire and dance to, I'd like the seasoned connoisseurs on here to provide some suggestions as what we could add to the setlist.  I love the 70s stuff, but I'd like some stuff that was written in the last 30 years too!  If it's interesting to play, and I can sing it, it'll get in.  

 

Any suggestions welcome.

 

Ta

 

Stringy

 

[Mook]

Cut the cake - Average White Band

Blue Juice - Jimmy McGriff (instrumental)

That's what you get (for being polite) - The Jacksons

Tell me something good - Rufus w/Chaka Khan

If you want me to stay - Sly & the Family Stone

Until you come back to me - Aretha Franklin

Night by night - Steely Dan

Here today, gone tomorrow - David Bowie or Ohio Players version

Billy Jack - Curtis Mayfield

Red hot mama - Funkadelic

25 miles - Edwin Starr

Kissing my love - Bill Withers

 

Not sure if they're exactly what you're after but there might be one or two in there that work, some of them will be fuckers to sing.

[stringvest]

Cut the cake - Average White Band

Blue Juice - Jimmy McGriff (instrumental)

That's what you get (for being polite) - The Jacksons

Tell me something good - Rufus w/Chaka Khan

If you want me to stay - Sly & the Family Stone

Until you come back to me - Aretha Franklin

Night by night - Steely Dan

Here today, gone tomorrow - David Bowie version

Billy Jack - Curtis Mayfield

Red hot mama - Funkadelic

25 miles - Edwin Starr

Kissing my love - Bill Withers

 

Not sure if they're exactly what you're after but there might be one or two in there that work, some of them will be fuckers to sing.

 

Cheers Mook, I'll get on them when I get home.  Talking of fuckers to sing , I had to have a go at 'I Keep Forgettin' by Michael McDonald.   It started a coughing fit that I've only just got over.

[Mook]

I've not heard much Michael McDonald to be honest, I think he might've been in the Doobie Brothers & he sang some backing vocals for Steely Dan but that's all I know about him.

 

I'll check out that song when I get home tonight.

 

I edited in the Ohio Players version of Here today, gone tomorrow, it's quite different to the Bowie version but both would probably work pretty well in the context you're talking about (possibly a bit too obscure though).

[El Rojo]

A sample of that Michael McDonald song was used in a version of Warren G's Regulate.

 

I had a friend in a Steely Dan covers group - very complex stuff to get right live. Best of luck with it all. 

[Guest]

There's a funky rock song called 'I just wanna celebrate' by Rare Earth. Always feel good after listening to it. I can only imagine you will feel even better after singing it.

[Bjornebye]

Anything by Gregory Porter. Particularly Liquid Spirit. Im sure you know him anyway. 

[Josef Svejk]

How mainstream are we talking here?

 

Lots of interesting post-punk stuff springs to mind, for example...

[Priory Doctor]

I can think of a few Boz Scaggs songs that would seem to fit the agenda:

 

What Can I say

 

It's Over

 

Hollywood

 

In fact, Michael Macdonald has sang a couple of these live with Boz Scaggs .

[Trumo]

Play That Funky Music White Boy!

[stringvest]

A sample of that Michael McDonald song was used in a version of Warren G's Regulate.

 

I had a friend in a Steely Dan covers group - very complex stuff to get right live. Best of luck with it all. 

 

it is complex, but they rattled through 7 or 8, all note perfect, so I guess they're pretty good musos.  I don't want it to be a Steely Dan tribute band though, it's a bit too niche   

[stringvest]

There's a funky rock song called 'I just wanna celebrate' by Rare Earth. Always feel good after listening to it. I can only imagine you will feel even better after singing it.

 

thanks mate - I'll give it a listen

[stringvest]

I can think of a few Boz Scaggs songs that would seem to fit the agenda:

 

What Can I say

 

It's Over

 

Hollywood

 

In fact, Michael Macdonald has sang a couple of these live with Boz Scaggs .

 

good shout PD.  might add Lowdown to your list.

[Bjornebye]

Do this mate

 

[stringvest]

Play That Funky Music White Boy!

 

cheez

[stringvest]

How mainstream are we talking here?

 

Lots of interesting post-punk stuff springs to mind, for example...

 

not cheesy mainstream, but I'm not sure the rest of the band are into post-punk.  Any suggestions?

[Josef Svejk]

not cheesy mainstream, but I'm not sure the rest of the band are into post-punk. Any suggestions?

I don't know, really. I've been listening to quite a bit of A Certain Ratio, Gang of Four, Pop Group, Wire, even PIL recently and wishing I could play that kind of stuff live (if I were a musician, which I'm not!).

 

Even Talking Heads, Tom Tom Club sort of stuff, from the other side of the Atlantic.

[Trumo]

cheez

 

It wasn't a song suggestion!

[Jairzinho]

Mighty Dells - Wear It On Your Face. Reckon a jazzy version of that would be ace.

[stringvest]

Mighty Dells - Wear It On Your Face. Reckon a jazzy version of that would be ace.

 

 

that's a belter, I hadn't heard it before, but there's no way I can get my tonsils around that!

[stringvest]

There's a funky rock song called 'I just wanna celebrate' by Rare Earth. Always feel good after listening to it. I can only imagine you will feel even better after singing it.

 

 

I like it - white man funk!

[stringvest]

Cut the cake - Average White Band

Blue Juice - Jimmy McGriff (instrumental)

That's what you get (for being polite) - The Jacksons

Tell me something good - Rufus w/Chaka Khan

If you want me to stay - Sly & the Family Stone

Until you come back to me - Aretha Franklin

Night by night - Steely Dan

Here today, gone tomorrow - David Bowie or Ohio Players version

Billy Jack - Curtis Mayfield

Red hot mama - Funkadelic

25 miles - Edwin Starr

Kissing my love - Bill Withers

 

Not sure if they're exactly what you're after but there might be one or two in there that work, some of them will be fuckers to sing.

 

 

loads of them are going on the list Mook, cheers mate

[ben48]

I don't know if you've any brass in the band,check out Blood,Sweat and Tears,"Spinning wheel" is one,also check out Billy Preston,he did some great stuff,Alan Toussaint for more laid back groove.

[stringvest]

I don't know if you've any brass in the band,check out Blood,Sweat and Tears,"Spinning wheel" is one,also check out Billy Preston,he did some great stuff,Alan Toussaint for more laid back groove.

 

 

good shout

[Jairzinho]

Good shout, Ben, a jazzy version of Nothing from Nothing would be interesting.