Maceo Parker, Under The Bridge

Maceo Parker should need no introduction, but he might. For much of his career, the near unequaled funk saxophonist has stood as a primary sideman to a host of legends. From the 60s onwards, he helped craft the sound of the godfather of soul himself, James Brown. A decade later, he was a major creative force in George Clinton’s Parliament, playing on many of their golden age albums.

Since then, he has continued working with Clinton and numerous others, all the while releasing solo work with his specialized funk orchestra.

Parker’s group may have been billed as “the million dollar support band”, but they are equally apt in the headline slot, a collection of funk veterans still dynamic in the twenty-first century.

For this year’s EFG London Jazz Festival, they return to Fulham’s Under the Bridge for two nights of booty-shaking funk. Theirs is the music to bring a smile to your face, melding fiery spurts of melody with irresistible rhythm.