Who sounds like Topaz?

May 10, 2012 8:13 AM

I like these songs by a band called Topaz (now defunct I believe). Who else sounds like this? I guess I'm specifically looking for lots of horns, driving bass, generally jazzy, funky stuff.
posted by Ducks or monkeys to media & arts (16 answers total)

I should add that I am aware of Topaz McGarrigle's other project, Mudphonic, so that's something y'all can skip. Am I allowed to type y'all if I'm from Ohio? I guess that's next week's AskMe.
posted by Ducks or monkeys at 8:18 AM on May 10, 2012

Dirty Dozen Brass Band
Soulive
Galactic
Rebirth Brass Band
Maktub
Grant Green
...
posted by reverend cuttle at 8:22 AM on May 10, 2012 [1 favorite]

Some older Medeski Martin and Wood has horns.

Herbie Hancock's Head Hunters and Man-Child albums exemplify this style, though by the time you get to his Future Shock, you're dealing with lots of synthesizers instead of horns.

If you want a little more jazzy and experimental, Miles Davis' On the Corner is his funk album, much more so than the better known Bitch's Brew.

There's really quite a bit of recent music of this sort out there, after a 70's-style funk revival in the late 1990's and early 2000's.
posted by reverend cuttle at 8:35 AM on May 10, 2012

some more:

Fred Wesley
Maceo Parker
posted by reverend cuttle at 8:43 AM on May 10, 2012 [1 favorite]

The Macpodz, from Ann Arbor, who play in OH all the time.
posted by timsteil at 8:43 AM on May 10, 2012

NOMO, who, interestingly, are also from Ann Arbor. What's in the water there?
posted by LionIndex at 8:50 AM on May 10, 2012

Brecker Brothers.
posted by usonian at 9:52 AM on May 10, 2012 [1 favorite]

This sounds to me like it would fit in well on SomaFM's Secret Agent, which has an overall kitschy spy/action movie feel.
posted by 2N2222 at 10:28 AM on May 10, 2012

Incidentally, over at the Live Music Archive, you can stream/download live shows from Topaz, as well as Soulive and other excellent funk-groovy stuff with horns. Try Garage a Trois on for size.
posted by prinado at 10:28 AM on May 10, 2012

Deep Banana Blackout? for example: Brandy Wrecker / Get' Chall in the Mood
posted by jazon at 10:30 AM on May 10, 2012

The Rustic Overtones seem like a good match.
posted by vytae at 11:00 AM on May 10, 2012

You would definitely like All Good Funk Alliance. And Spam All Stars.
posted by gnutron at 2:31 PM on May 10, 2012

The Crusaders
posted by Clustercuss at 3:29 PM on May 10, 2012

The Meters. No horns but excellent.
posted by 4midori at 4:18 PM on May 10, 2012

Maybe plug Topaz into Pandora?
posted by youandiandaflame at 5:10 AM on May 11, 2012

Thanks for all of these suggestions! I have a solid weekend of musical exploration ahead of me.
posted by Ducks or monkeys at 6:07 AM on May 11, 2012