Funk Tion

June 7, 2009

FUNKTION
Bringing the Funk to Northern Michigan


By Kristi Kates 6/8/09

Horn-powered funk with a north-south connection finds its outlet this weekend with the electrifying sounds of Funktion.
Andrew Schrock on vocals, Nate Heymos on guitar, Rob Hodge on bass, Sean Reisig on drums, Jeremy Reisig on percussion (yes, the two Reisigs are brothers), Terrence Massey on trumpet, and Randy Gist on saxophone - these are the Elk Rapids/Kalamazoo-based local musicians that make up the band Funktion, on their way to Traverse City in June for a pair of gigs at Union Street Station.
Funktion sprang from the roots of two other Michigan bands, Strange Groove and the Weatherly Band, which Jeremy Reisig joined in 2006.
“The lead singer of the Weatherly Band, Andrew, was also in a band called Deep Blue Underground at the same time,” Reisig explains. “when those two bands broke up, the core group of the Weatherly Band, complete with Andrew, got together to form Funktion. About six months later, Randy and Terrence were added; so that was the start of a real horn section, and took the level of music and performance in Funktion up to a new level. I’ve been a full member as of beginning of May.”

PAGING JAMES BROWN
Funktion lives up to their name with a setlist and sensibility influenced by many of the biggest names in - what else? - funk - including Sly and the Family Stone, Parliament, Curtis Mayfield, and Stevie Wonder, as well as more modern contemporaries like The Roots, D’Angelo, and Herbie Hancock. But for Reisig, one of those names stands head, shoulders, and cape above the rest.
“James Brown,” he says. “James Brown is the single biggest influence when it comes to the overall sound of the band. He’s the godfather of funk and soul, horns, energy - the whole deal. All of our influences give us a great hip-hop/rock rhythm section sound, coupled with that funk and soul music; this makes it so the audience will be on their feet the entire night!”
Those audiences will soon be able to take Funktion home with them, for plenty of dancing around their own houses; well, not the band literally, of course - that could get pricey. But the band has just begun work on the recording of their first album, which they’ve already titled Funk Prelude.
“It’s a band effort, of course, but most of the music has been written by Andrew and Terrence,” Reisig explains, “Martin Klemm (Kalamazoo) is doing the recording and producing for us.”

ON THE ROAD
That recording might take the band right out of Michigan, too. Their current focus is to stick by their Michigan roots for the next six months or so, playing some shows in nearby Chicago, and then taking their album and moving on.
“We’re playing at the Elbo Room in Chicago, and many festivals this summer,” Reisig says, “hopefully from our Chicago shows, we’ll be able to start moving in the direction of bigger cities and a bigger demand for our music. The goal is to create connections throughout the Midwest with other bands, and to play as many high quality shows as possible; to play music as a profession, and make enough money to live our lives and focus on music.”
And what can fans expect to see at their upcoming Traverse City shows?
“From the first note of the night to the last, you’ll want to be on the dance floor,” Reisig enthuses. “we have a high-energy show that makes it hard to sit still. Plus, with the instrumentation, you’ll never know when the next solo or drum breakdown will be. You’ll be entertained and left wanting more.”
Funktion will perform at Union Street Station on June 12-13; shows start at 9:30 p.m. Opening act on Saturday will be Wisconsin’s Ethan Keller (www.myspace.com/ethankeller). For more info on Funktion, check out www.myspace.com/funktionkalamazoo.