MAYfest 2016

Turkuaz is a 9-piece “Powerfunk” army hailing from Brooklyn, NY, whose modern twist on the classic sound has placed them at the forefront of a new funk evolution. With the obvious influences—Parliament, Sly & The Family Stone, Rick James and Zapp and Roger—as the basis for a recipe, Turkuaz adds healthy doses of Talking Heads inspired jittery, world-pop-dance grooves and a passion for The Beatles, Motown and R&B into the mix, resulting in a refreshing update to the funk idiom.

A universally appealing dance band at its core, Turkuaz’s tightly arranged songs are built on thick grooves, driven by a powerhouse rhythm section and interlaced with swirling guitar lines and synthy keyboard riffs. Over the top, lyrical jabs and swells that serve as both subject matter and rhythmic reinforcement are delivered by four distinct vocalists, framed by horn lines and punctuated with left hooks and right angles. Whereas there are certainly talented improvisers in this extremely musical band, Turkuaz engages bodies and minds with its densely layered compositions, setting the stage for the soaring exploratory guitar and horn solos with no room for noodling.