Mud Funk is planning on bringing a fun, exciting and touching show to the Errington War Memorial Hall on Nov. 25 with their nine-piece group.
Complete with two background singers, a guitarist, drummer, keyboardist/percussion, bassist, tenor saxophone player, alto saxophonist and keyboard player, plus Adriana Parejas on lead vocals, the band is a melting-pot of culture, influences and musical genres, said Parejas.
Drawing from classic and contemporary R&B, funk, soul and neo-soul genres, Parejas said, “We all kind of brought our own love for that type of music.”
For about three years now, Parejas and Mud Funk’s guitarist, William Lloyd met in audio engineering school long before and began to play together.
“Will was heavily influenced by blues, and was in some funk bands,” said Parejas.
“I really fell in love with Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, and that kind of started my journey with singing soul music and understanding soul music.”
Through contacts in the music community, Parejas and Lloyd met drummer Chris Couto, and the three were the starting point for Mud Funk, Parejas said.
The group has performed at the TD Vancouver Jazz Festival for several years, bringing a big sound and variety of talent.
The band’s three-song EP from 2015 included smooth, simmering soul track Waiting, as well as funkier and jazzier, more energetic offerings.
But they plan and heading back to the studio in December to record another three or four-song EP.
That may or may not include Parejas’ favourite song to belt out at the moment: What About the Love?
“I just think the theme can touch many people, and that’s my goal, I think, as the songwriter and the lyricist.”
The song, newly written, is about being let down in a relationship, she said.
“It speaks to a younger relationship I think, where you’re unsure of whether or not they love you, and maybe they are in and out, you’re not really sure, they’re not really committed. So that’s kind of the beginning, setting the tone of the story, and then it goes into feeling the anger from heartbreak and then asking the question, What About the Love?” said Parejas.
That song is on the set list for Mud Funk’s Errington hall performance on Saturday, Nov. 25 at 8 p.m.
Opening for Mud Funk will be singer Megan Keene and keyboardist Adrian Proctor on songs by Norah Jones, Fleetwood Mac, Adele and others.
Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at Cranky Dog Music in Parksville, Heaven on Earth Natural Foods in Qualicum Beach, the Errington Store and online at erringtonhall.tickit.ca.
For more information on Errington hall events, go to erringtonhall.ca.