The Consecutives are a Modern Funk band from Brooklyn, NY who write intentionally simple music that thrives on improvising. Influenced by American music between the late 1950s to mid 1970s, pieces of Rhythm and Blues, Modern Jazz, Funk and Soul can be heard from song to song and witnessed during their live show. Compositionally their music uses traditional jazz forms and repeating funk ostinatos as frameworks with an always present backbeat to keep thelistener’s head nodding and foot tapping.

Recorded in October 2020, The Consecutives, Vol 2 is the second studio release from The Consecutives. The 5 song session was recorded at Flux Magnetic Studios in Brooklyn, NY in 4 hours with minimal rehearsal prior to letting the tape run and nothing but charts and a brief rehearsal to prepare. Each track on the album is a first take with a noticeable human element to the music left in to reflect the reality of being a musician in New York during the height of the Covid 19 Pandemic. What you’re hearing on this recording are 4 musicians giving an honest portrayal of what it sounds like when musicians don’t have access to regular gigs and rehearsals but continue more than ever to have the desire to play. This record sounds and feels best when played loud.

What’s your story as a group? 

The Consecutives are led by me, Drummer, Songwriter and Producer Dan Klug. I have a jazz background so I hire the other parts in the band out for gigs and recording sessions around the NYC area and handle all aspects of the band. The financial realities of leading a jazz/funk band aren’t the most forgiving, especially in NYC so this model works for now but eventually we’d like to take our show on the road and explore other markets, timing and circumstances just need to be right to make it work. 

What inspired this release?

We made this in October of 2020 so being in lock down during Covid was a big reason to get this record out. Covid was a drag for everyone but in NYC as a musician we went from playing with people and growing musically through in person interaction every night to doing everything on our own, which was a constructive experience in some ways b/c we had to be creative in different ways to keep going but I definitely prefer the in person collaborations than being on my own and do not want to repeat that time period. We recorded this when it was reasonable to get 6 people in a small place together and we took necessary precautions to get it done but all in all it was intentionally recorded in 4 hrs which gave us some cool live takes. Other than that the band’s music is mostly inspired by American music from the late 50s to the mid 70s, so modern jazz, funk and soul inspire everything we do including this record.

What are some sources of inspiration for your storytelling?

Music is usually my source of inspiration for creating so whenever I feel uninspired I go to my record collection and just listen. Some of the bigger musical inspirations for The Consecutives’ music are The Meters, Booker T & The MG’s, Ike Turner, James Brown, Sly Stone, John Coltrane, Herbie Hancock, Jimmy Smith, Donald Byrd, Bill Evans, Bobby Timmons, McCoy Tyner, Parliament/Funkadelic, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin and many, many, many more.

Any funny anecdotes from the time you were recording or writing the album?

We recorded this record to tape like jazz combos have done decades before digital recording existed, running the tunes in 4 hours and using the first takes of most of the songs we released. When you record to tape there isn’t a ton of room to over dub or correct anything so you have to bring it while the tape is running as a musician b/c if you don’t it’s going to show. We left a few of the ‘human elements’ in on the record intentionally and think it gives the music a bit of identity which I’m proud of but with that said, we had a few laughs before we hit record as a band b/c if you mess up it’s going to be on the album with your name next to it! The whole band’s musicianship is top notch so we got it done and I’m really proud of it, even though we kind of had a gun to our head while we were recording to play well.

Tell us about the music video and the idea behind it ?

The videos for this record are from the recording session actually. We set aside the first 2 hours of the recording session to get some videos of us playing and then actually made the record so that’s what you see in the videos. We filmed a Booker T and The MG’s tune called Chicken Pox and the single off the album called Singularity and they both came out great, although we all had to wear masks in the videos. While it wasn’t the most visually appealing approach it was definitely the safest for all of us in the room and it kind of gives a timestamp to the period we lived through which I’m happy with too.

What’s a record that shaped your creativity?

Root Down by Jimmy Smith is the record that really changed my life and made me pursue the music that would eventually become The Consecutives. I first heard the song from a sample by The Beastie Boys and eventually a friend showed me the original and it KNOCKED ME OUT! Not only was I just loving the whole song (Root Down) in its entirety but the entire album just made me stop in my tracks and all I wanted to do was hear more of that kind of music. 20 years later and here I am. I think there are some pivotal/formative moments for all musicians and for me hearing Root Down was one of those moments. To me, there is life before Root Down and life after Root Down.

Who is an artist or band you look up to today?

There are tons, particularly in the Modern Jazz world but one that comes to mind is Medeski, Martin and Wood. I’ve been following them since I was a teenager and I just love how they stick to what they think is interesting and pursue it as opposed to trying to cater their sound to what they think people will like. Another one that comes to mind is D’Angelo. I saw him on The Black Messiah tour which was one of the best live bands I’ve ever seen and it was just phenomenal. Chris Dave was on drums and Pino Palladino’s son was actually on bass and it was just killer. If you haven’t seen D you should go! Same with MMW.  

Any future projects?

I’m working on releasing a Lofi Christmas album at the moment that will be out this year under the name The Fundamental Sound. Other than that we are in the planning stages of The Consecutives, Vol. 3 so that will definitely be out in the coming years. We have the material but just need to get in the studio at the right time.

Top 3 dream collaborations?

Oh man, another tough one but Herbie Hancock, Nas and Kendrick Lamar come to mind. Herbie and Nas are legends and on the Mt Rushmore’s of jazz and hip hop and Kendrick is a really bright light in modern Hip Hop to me. Just incredibly talented, intelligent and has a vibe that draws you in. And to be honest I wouldn’t even need to collab with those guys, I would gladly carry their gear just to hang out with them and talk through their artistic process. 

What does music mean to you?

Music is everything to me. It’s something that hooked me at a really young age and just has me hypnotized or something. I can’t really explain it but I can’t get enough of it and I feel the best when I’m around it and the worst when it’s not around. Music is a pretty mysterious force but I feel really lucky to love it so much. It’s a lifestyle that makes you stronger and more intelligent even if you don’t make any money doing it. It’s really a beautiful thing.  

How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard you?

I describe The Consecutives as The Meters meets Mahavishnu Orchestra, so if you dig simple funk and soul or you enjoy psychedelic acid jazz we might be an interesting band for you. If that music makes your stomach turn then we are probably not the right band for you but that’s ok! Different strokes for different folks. : )