The Funky Knuckles

The six-piece jazz ensemble Funky Knuckles emerged from Dallas around 2010, crafting a soul-infused strain of electric fusion that crosses stylistic lines with ease. What began as a trio—keyboardist and vocalist Caleb Sean McCampbell, bassist Wes Stephenson, and drummer Cedric Moore—grew during the group’s weekly stand at Tini Bar, where guitarist Phill Aelony, saxophonist Ben Bohorquez, trumpeter Evan Weiss, and percussionist Frank Moka joined the lineup. Their debut full-length, As of Lately, surfaced in 2012 on GroundUp, the label started by Snarky Puppy bassist Michael League. Two years later the sextet issued Meta-Musica, which climbed to the summit of the iTunes jazz chart and established their breakthrough.