DEFUNKT
DEFUNKT has 2 upcoming shows in the Netherlands. The next one is on September 5, 2026 at Xinix, Nieuwendijk. All 2 tour dates
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About
Defunkt built their reputation in the late 1970s New York No Wave underground scene, mixing punk rock, funk, and jazz into something that didn't sound like anyone else. Trombonist and vocalist Joseph Bowie, who had cut his teeth playing sideman for jazz musicians in the 1970s, founded the group in 1978 with members who had backed James Chance. Their self titled debut in 1980 was particularly big in Eastern Europe and Japan, blending jazz, soul, funk, rock, and blues. The influence of musicians as different as Ornette Coleman, James Brown, and Joe Strummer all show up in Bowie's approach. Bowie briefly disbanded the group in 1983 and stepped away to St. Croix before returning to New York in 1986 with a revamped lineup and a new vision: mixing 1930s big band and swing with 1970s funk. Early contributors included Vernon Reid, who later became the guitarist for Living Colour, as well as bassist Melvin Gibbs. The band has kept releasing music across the decades, with their album Mastervolt arriving in 2015. AllMusic called their output some of the most adventurous sounds of the last quarter of the 20th century.
