Joe Olnick Band - Downtown (2017)

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Written by David Shouse, posted by blog admin

The funk genre lies relatively dormant these days with new artists and acts tough to come by.  I’ve heard a few but other than Alabama prog-funk rockers CBDB, there really hasn’t been that much stuff catching my ears anymore.  I’m a big fan of the genre and it sure is frustrating to have such difficulty discovering new groups.  Well along comes the Joe Olnick band to turn that problem on its head and me on my ear.  Downtown is this airtight unit’s SIXTH record overall…where the heck have I been?

Downtown wastes no time in getting to the point as the title track throws down some heavy, hook-y instrumental funk that’s got no b.s. and showcases a trio of kick butt musicians doing what they do best.  Bassist Jamie Aston catches a boogie woogie, wackachicka 70s lick and engages in perfect rhythmic harmony with his skin-slapping cohort Jamie Smucker who oozes class and quality with every jazzy cymbal splash and a barrage of swift-handed attacks on the snare.  Guitarist/composer Joe Olnick rockets his way across the fretboard; bluesy, FX-pedal goose guitar leads rock and roll their way into extensive, expressive solos and tasty licks.  This is just full powered soul funk that teeters and eventually levels its balance into a supreme mixture of jazz, funk, rock, blues and total catchy goodness.  Sharing a similar mindset, several tunes offer up a congruent yet noticeably different variation on a funk them; “Philadelphia Moonlight (Part One)” utilizes multi-tracked guitars for a clean/distorted double trouble blitz that’s totally settled into a mid-paced glory, “Food Truck” rocks harder and deliberately while allowing the bass to provide its own lead instrumentation and Olnick serving up five-fingered fretwork that nails some exotic high-flyer solos and “Rush Hour” is the kind of old school 70s funk n’ jazz that’s so damn good it could even appeal to fans of the almighty George Clinton and P-Funk. 

Elsewhere the album calls the dealer’s buff and takes free-wheeling chances and gambles with the stylistic side of the coin for the construction of some tunes that are totally different than anything else on the record altogether.  “Parkside” eventually delivers the rockin’ funky grooves but employs a lengthy, meditative first half that’s weird and angular in the way that late 80s/early 90s New York City noise-rock is and its companion piece “Philadelphia Moonlight (Part Two)” is a creepy odd man out cut that features guitar noise, a singular cymbal burst, an individual bass notation and creeping keyboards…it’s a total no-wave approach and there’s really no describing it.  Even crazier, closer “Sports Complex” is a fierce, voracious blend of hard rock and scraping noise-punk that still manages to push the fact that this is a funk/jazz band through and through… a really weird one but a funk/jazz band nonetheless. 

Downtown is a great record.  It’s great because Joe and the boys manage to merge tradition with trailblazing thanks to a refreshingly original approach to the genre that’s never afraid to step outside of its confines.  I could see anyone from fans of Coltrane to Clinton getting a rise out of this instrumental nuthouse.  Joe Olnick’s discography is well-worth checking out if you find yourself caught up with this album; recommended.