Jim Payne

Educator / Clinician

In his various capacities as player, producer, bandleader and writer, Jim Payne "has been around" in the world of funk.

Author of "Give The Drummers Some!," the definitive work on the history of funk drumming, Payne has had a hand in the burgeoning jam band scene in his role as producer of the first two cds by jam band idols Medeski, Martin & Wood (1993's It's A Jungle In Here and 1994's Friday Afternoon in the Universe). He's also had a longstanding relationship performing with and producing projects by ex-James Brown band members Maceo Parker, Fred Wesley, and Pee Wee Ellis.

His new group is an earthy, hard-hitting organ trio that runs the stylistic gamut from vintage soul jazz to electrified P-Funk grooves; the common ground throughout being the infectious and mesmerizing power of funk.

John Scofield has this to say about the new CD, Sensei: "This record really grooves. It's a pleasure to hear these masters of Funk in action - and long overdue".

"What I'm trying to do with this band is to maintain the overall groove and then improvise on top of it, or actually within it," says Payne. "My concept is to play the groove but to also go with what's happening in the band at the moment. As long as I have some lynchpin accents in the grooves, I feel that the people can get it... and they can groove and dance to it, and at the same time I can take them to another place. I'm seeing it as the next level of groove music."

With Adam Klipple on organ and Al Street on guitar, Payne has assembled a flexible and formidable unit. Al Street has been a regular on the funk scene and has travelled the US and Europe with Brooklyn's Sugarman 3. Klipple, a seasoned pro, on the Hammond B-3 organ, acquits himself with requisite grease and aggression on this slamming debut.

Payne and company lay it down strong and stay strictly on the goodfoot. It's good to hear them get up and do their thing.

www.funkydrummer.com