L.A. Funk Orchestra The Breakestra, live at 2001 Hultsfred Festival in Sweden from 2001 – preserved for posterity by Swedish Radio (Sveriges Radio)
Funny, we have to go all the way across the Atlantic to hear a local Los Angeles band. Happens all the time. But in this case, the Swedes have taken The Breakestra to their hearts and, like they always say; “Go where the love is”.
And sayin’ it in their own words via their own website:
The Breakestra began as the house band for the legendary club called the Breaks. Egon from Stonesthrow Records further explains the etymology of their name: “Break. As in “breakbeat.” That ten second slice of percussive magic in the middle of a funk song that, when looped together by progressive South Bronx DJs in the 1970s, became the basis of the hip-hop movement. Arkestra. Out-there jazzer Sun Ra’s funkafied concept of the stuffy classical orchestra.” When we combine the two concepts, you have the Breakestra or in other words an orchestra that plays breaks. Back in 1999, Stonesthrow first introduced the world to the Breakestra with a few 12” releases and soon after the full-length album Live Mixtape Part Two.
“The Breakestra should become a class or a 4-year graduate program for funk musicians. Playing with the Breakestra is a great way to get a degree in funk,” says former longtime keyboardist Carlos Guaico. Indeed it is a way to get your degree in funk because the Breakestra have played an A to Z of funk classics. James Brown, Jimmy Smith, all the way to the endless breaks sampled by Gangstarr and A Tribe Called Quest. The Breakestra have played so many covers of the aforementioned grooves that the only way a musician could be in the group is if they really knew how to play.
If we were to construct a family tree of LA bands, Breakestra would be mentioned in the same breath as Weapon of Choice, Very Be Careful. Jurassic 5, Fishbone, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jane’s Addiction and Ozomatli. These bands began in backyard jam sessions and random open mics held throughout the city from Echo Park to Venice, Highland Park to Topanga Canyon. Those early days were just after the ’92 Riots. Musicians from all over the city became tighter and many experimental jam sessions occurred fusing genres like funk, hip-hop, rock and acoustic soul resulting in truly innovative, multiculturaL music. Musical friendships between cats like Miles, Mixmaster Wolf, Cut Chemist, Peaunut Butter Wolf, Carlos Guaico and many others became the seeds for landmark clubs and two indie record labels that still flourish to this day. Original members of the Breakestra have gone on to either play or write songs for/with the Black Eyed Peas, Macy Gray, The Rebirth, Dakah, the list goes on.
As long as L.A. has been in the news lately, might as well focus on the cool stuff the town cranks out.
