5 Bands I've Been Into Lately

Incredible Bongo Band
Started in 1972 by Michael Viner to supplement the soundtrack to The Thing With Two Heads, The Incredible Bongo Band recorded funky instrumental music during down time at MGM recording facilities. The project used whichever studio musicians happened to be around including many well-known artists like Ringo Starr. Here is a cover of Apache, which was sampled by a lot of rappers over the years.

Skatalites
This first-wave ska band from Jamaica recorded most of their hits in the mid 60's, including this cover of the theme from the movie "Guns of Navarone." They also backed many other Jamaican artists during the time. Though they split up after a few years, the band got back together in 1983 and have been playing since.

The Sorcerers
Heavily influenced by Ethiopian Jazz, and the sounds of 60’s and 70’s European horror films, The Sorcerers were the house band for the Leeds label ATA. The band was put together by guitarist Pete Williams and bassist Neil Innes after making an Ethio-jazz inspired tune for a 7" single.

The Funk Ark
Formed by keyboard player Will Rast in 2007, this group from the Washington DC area brings together a love of vintage funk and soul and a wide range of instrumental jazz styles over a backbone of afrobeat and latin rhythms. Drawing from influences like Herbie Hancock and Fela Kuti, they really knew how to keep audiences on their feet. Unfortunately, the band parted ways a few years back, but I was fortunate enough to be able to play this song, 419, on stage with them once in Virginia.

King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard

This Australian psychedelic rock band got together in 2010 in Melbourne, and have been making a name for themselves with a prolific output, and energetic live shows. The guys have released 14 albums in the last 8 years, including 5 last year alone. Shifting fluidly between garage rock, psychedelia and prog, the band were named Consequences of Sound's Band of the Year in 2017.