Australian Soul, Funk and Jazz Bands

With honeyed vocals, fierce rhymes and a bold eclectic style to match, 20-year-old KAIIT is alluring audiences to the sweet sound of soul.
It’s not often that you come across an upcoming artist, hailing from Melbourne, Australia, that has been co-signed by two Neo-Soul Queens, Jill Scott and Erykah Badu, as their musical love child from down under.

With a fistful of highly praised releases under his belt and a soulful, jazz and hip-hop driven sound, 26 year-old multi-instrumentalist, vocalist and producer Jordan Rakei is a rare talent whose artistry transcends the confines of age. Signed to British independent label Ninja Tune, Jordan released his second LP “Wallflower” in September 2017.

Hiatus Kaiyote is a neo-soul quartet that formed in Melbourne, Australia in 2011. In 2013, they were nominated for a Grammy for Best R&B Performance for their song “Nakamarra”, performed with Q-Tip, but lost out to Snarky Puppy with Lalah Hathaway.

Bandleader Lance Ferguson and his nine piece Melbourne outfit The Bamboos have come a long way since forming in 2001. Initially inspired by the instrumental raw funk of the late ‘60s and early ‘70s, they made waves internationally and were quickly labelled as one of the greatest funk and soul bands of our time.

Clairy Browne & The Bangin’ Rackettes are a 9 piece soul band from Melbourne, Australia that formed in 2009.The band is fronted by lead vocalist Clairy Browne and backed by Camilla McKewen, Loretta Miller and Ruby Jones (The Bangin’ Rackettes) along with Darcy McNulty (Saxophone), Peter Bee (Guitar), Jules Pascoe (Bass), Gabriel Strangio (Keyboards) and Nick Martyn (Drums).

Bec Laughton – aka a petit redhead with a monstrous voice and a serious knack for penning a pop hook. A clear love of booty shaking old-school funk informs the music that flows from within this young songstress.

Multi award-winning songstress, Kellie Knight and her 7-piece jazz/funk ensemble, The Daze are on the rise in Australia’s fast-growing neo-soul movement. Picking up awards for four of the five tracks from debut EP, Twisted, the Northern New South Wales outfit have played their gangsta funk, soul groove ‘n’ smooth jazz on many of Australia’s world-renowned festival stages.

A soul singer like Ms Murphy does not come along very often. With a unique vocal tone that conveys heartache with honesty, strength and uncompromising conviction, Ms Murphy effortlessly leaves an impression.

Formed in 2006 as a Hammond led instrumental four piece, they honed their sound and craft on the burgeoning Melbourne soul scene paying homage to their hero’s from the late 60’s, in particular the sounds of the Meters and Booker & the MG’s..

Ngaiire is a future folk/soul artist from Sydney.

Ngaiire (ny-ree) has never been one to reside within the confines of a musical box constantly bleeding out the corners, owing to having such a diverse upbringi

EXPLOSIVE, DYNAMITE sound of Perth’s freshest Old Skool soul/funk act… live, original and direct from Australia’s West Coast. …and with all the down-home sweet S.O.U.L. of yo’ mommas fresh homemade strawberry jam smeared over raw chunks of bad-ass funk!

Cookin’ On 3 Burners are Australia’s hardest hitting Hammond Organ Trio – joining the dots between Deep Funk, Raw Soul, Organ Jazz & Boogaloo. Listening to Cookin’ On 3 Burners is like poking your head through a time portal that stretches between the year you were born and the middle of next week.

“Chelsea Wilson is an accomplished singer who knows her groove. Really knows it. Her album launch at The Toff was like a tour of the best of the 60s and 70s. She’s written faultless songs, chosen impeccable band members and even had energy to spare for more than a few extra surprises. But first, her voice. And what a voice.

Kooii are a band pushing boundaries in contemporary Australian music. Their compelling fusion of afrobeat, reggae and world rhythms, have earned them a glowing reputation, both on record and on stage. Their music brings together soulful vocals, three-part harmony and a deeply- set rhythm section in an ageless and familiar sound that echoes through city and country.

Described by The Music Magazine as ‘the high priestess of Melbourne soul’ Up until 2016 Kylie Auldist was best known as the lead singer of The Bamboos and a solo artist in her own right before shooting to international prominence thanks to the monster summer anthem ‘This Girl’ Kungs vs Cookin’ feat. Kylie Auldist, her sublime vocals broke charts across the world.

The Cactus Channel are consistently turning heads and shifting opinions about what it is to be an instrumental 10 piece band in the era of laptop producers and Kanye. No doubt they will continue to do so with their next release

The Hanlon Brothers are a Gold Coast, QLD band that focuses on improvisation, neo soul, hip hop, jazz, reggae, soul, rhythm and blues

Emma Donovan is a passionate singer, songwriter and collaborative vocal artist whose musical expression is a fusion of roots, reggae and soul.
Her melodic style is widely known for her distinctive husky voice. Her lyrical content speaks of significant stories and personal accounts that she sings with confidence and pride.

Formed in 2003 the Melbourne Ska Orchestra is an orchestra with a difference. Comprising up to 36 members this juggernaut contains some of Australia’s finest musicians and performers. The band can perform with as little as 18 members and as many as 36. Lead and directed by the energetic and charismatic Nicky Bomba (John Butler Trio, Bomba, Bustamento), they are a force to be reckoned with.

5’3″ of attitude.

Almost-forgotten 90’s R&B B-sides, dusty ’45s, hazy summer afternoons, a blissful midday nap and the sting of not-quite realized romance are just some of the rich textures and colours that Melbourne-based multi-instrumentalist Silentjay captures with his unique production, soulfully understated voice and phone book of friends and collaborators that he creates the perfect foil for.

The Raah Project (Melbourne) takes new shots at the established ideas of electronica, hip hop, pop, contemporary, dance and soul music. It is an original large ensemble contemporary music project embracing both traditional and new principles of jazz improvisation and arrangement, 20th century composition, song, verse and flow.

An indie-funk fusion that takes the listener on a top-down drive through feel-good effervescence, bluesy toe-tappers, and quiet contemplation, Dru’s music is a marriage of two worlds: the brand of indie/folk pop championed by singer-songwriters, and the deep roots of funk and soul that stem from rhythm and blues.

Dubbed the Jimi Hendrix of the Hammond Organ, Lachy Doley is Australia’s most celebrated Blues Soul Rock Organ Player in the world today. A player who can pump, pamper and occasionally pound the most unbelievable sounds from a keyboard: sounds that are intense, ferocious and sometimes transcendent.

Electrik Lemonade is a merry band of funklords that play a repertoire of funk, hip hop, blues, soul and dance music that could only be fathered by the likes of Captain Planet. Each member brings their own slice of Earth, Fire, Wind, Water and Lovin’ in the live show, culminating in a whirlwind of explosive energy that comes with a tidal warning as the crowd uncontrollably burst into a wave of dance and good vibes.

Cheap Fakes Brisbane brass fuelled funk festival band. A groove based funk machine sextet. Complimented with psychedelic Cactus – Jazz, seductive brass lines and intricate melodies.

Formed in 2011, these party animals combine virtuosic musicianship, crazy arrangements, catchy grooves and upbeat rhythms to whip the audience into a veritable frenzy. As adept at creating original tunes as they are at reimagining the likes of Bonobo and Easy Star All Stars, this nine piece behemoth is hell-bent on good times.