Que shabrosho es lo Funkoso !...Stanton Moore

As a founding member of the popular "steamroller funk" band Galactic, drummer Stanton Moore has more than a full-time job on his hands. However, his devotion to Galactic has not prevented the indefatigable Moore from expanding his musical vision, which he does with fantastic results on his latest project, Flyin' the Koop.

For this showcase, his second solo album and first release for Blue Thumb Records, Moore invites an all-star cast of groove-minded musicians, featuring bassist Chris Wood (Medeski Martin & Wood), saxophonist Karl Denson (co-founder of seminal acid jazz band the Greyboy Allstars and leader of his own band Tiny Universe), and guitarist Brian Seeger (New Orleans luminary and a member of Moore & More). Moore also includes saxophonist Skerik and the vocal magic of the Wild Magnolias Mardi Gras Indians on "Fallin' off the Floor." The 12-track collection is groove-driven, jazz-informed, and stylistically eclectic, with tunes ranging from rhythmic cookers to straight-ahead jazz launches, from melodic beauties to raunchy funk-rompers.

"At first I was a little concerned that listeners would think I was having an identity crisis because of the variety," says Moore, who co-produced the album with Galactic producer Nick Sansano. "But Nick convinced me that these tunes reflect all the sides of my personality.. That's why the album is titled Flyin' the Koop. I was in the studio battling with myself about the tunes: 'Is this too weird, is this too straight-up, should I put them all together?' And then I figured that if you believe in the music, you've got to free yourself from inhibitions and limitations. If you're jumping up and down in the studio 'cause the music is so great, then screw it: I've got to fly the coop."