Celebrating Five Points Jazz Festival Performers: Gumbo le Funque

From: Wynne Racine

Sent: Wednesday, May 11, 2016 2:35 PM

To: Wynne Racine

Subject: FW: Gumbo le Funque

Over the next 10 days we will be shining a spotlight on some of the talented performers you will hear during the upcoming Five Points Jazz Festival, one of Denver’s best annual musical events. For schedule information, got to kuvo.org.

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Gumbo Le Funque – an infectious name; mysterious, a little foreign, fun to say and oh-so-fun to dance to.  With musical  roots tied to New Orleans power funk, rock and soul, they proudly bill themselves as playing “funky-dangerous party music.”  Westword has said of the band,” Gumbo Le Funque has no problem keeping audiences dancing all night.” Come see for yourself when the group takes the Main Stage at the Five Points Jazz Festival on May 21 from 2-3pm. Do you dare?

This distinctive Colorado jazz band was founded in 2011 and has been going strong ever since. The five members all bring to the group unique talents and musical perspectives that gel into this exotic and energetic sound. The members are: Chris Harris, bass; Chris Beers, drummer; Jason Justice, saxophone; Chris Anton, guitar and vocals; Andrea Mérida, vocals, keys and band manager. They are a decidedly eclectic group, with personal talents that cover every conceivable genre of music, from gospel and reggae to electronica and samba. Beers is a graduate of the Berklee College of Music and has founded Afterbeat Drum School in Louisville; Méridia is an opera singer and church music director who also happens to be the national leader of the Green Party; Anton sometimes plays over 200 shows a year and, in 2008, realized a personal goal of playing on the main stage at Red Rocks. Justice has founded Intrumentos de la Libertad (Instruments of Freedom), which provides free lessons and instruments to disadvantaged Denver-area school children. But, despite their diverse interests, music is the thread that brings them together as Gumbo le Funque and, between them, they produce a sound you won’t soon forget.

So put on your dancing shoes and come to the Main Stage of the Five Points Jazz Festival on May 21 at 2pm. You’ll be Gumbo le Funqueing glad you did!