Groove Collective

Originating in 1990 as an acid jazz ensemble amid the streets of lower Manhattan, Groove Collective assembled around flutist Richard Worth, DJ Smash, and rapper Nappy G, each a fixture at the itinerant club Giant Step. Keyboardist Itaal Shur, drummer Gengi Siraisi, and bassist Jonathan Maron later augmented the lineup, building a dedicated underground audience that drew the notice of Steely Dan vibist Bill Ware; he joined shortly afterward, accompanied by saxophonist Jay Rodriguez, trombonist Josh Roseman, trumpeter Fabio Morgera, and percussionist Chris Theberge. The band's self-titled debut album surfaced on Reprise in 1993, with the GRP-issued We the People arriving three years afterward. Dance of the Drunken Master marked their return in 1998, followed by the 2001 release of It's All in Your Mind and the arrival of People People Music Music in 2006.