Music
	
Furley
Building an Engine
Double Happy Brand Records

By Dave Terpeny

Furley. This quartet from New York City excels in all of the categories above. Their creativity, musicianship, originality, songwriting and style are, like all of those who won (and some that didn’t), exemplary. Taking creativity and originality as one, the band takes the rich textures of 70s soul and funk, mixes it in with afro-beat rhythms and Latin grooves and coats all of those vibes with a smoky and unique jazz gloss. And that’s where they really shine. The songwriting on this unfortunately short album (5 songs) proves that. They seamlessly blend the above styles, creating a danceable jazz fusion that is full of both smoky club exclusivity and democratic hit the dance floor chops. You can be a soul-patch wearing, clove smoking, Ginsberg reading “hipster” or a wrap-skirt wearing hula-hooper and enjoy the hell out of Furley’s tunes; they appeal to all who have an ear for well-crafted and just plain fun music. And lastly I’m going to lump musicianship and style together for without the first; I don’t much believe you can have the second, at least as a band. And Furley has plenty of both. Julian Fox huffs and puffs on his saxophone, blowing down genres left and right. Drummer Ian Katz hasn’t met a beat he can’t defeat and Will Shelley on bass surely doesn’t allow that to go to Ian’s head as he matches him, duels with him and keeps his tires on the road with some beautifully sensuous bass riffs. And recently they’ve teamed with guitarist Mike Brick who adds an entirely new and ferocious direction and style to their sound with progressive rock and jazz leads that will frighten any timid listener away. So if you didn’t listen last February when we told you that ‘if you want your world rocked, check out Furley,’ listen to us and the Jamoff judges now. Furley has it all; creativity, originality, songwriting, musicianship and style and they’re not wasting any of it, or time for that matter, as they begin to blaze a new trail across the jam landscape. Catch ‘em while you can.
                            Read more...