Solid Liquid Soul Leans to Funk

Liquid Soul falls into the rather nebulous “acid jazz” camp, but the 10-piece Chicago group’s L.A. debut at LunaPark on Friday suggested another genre: old-school funk. Led by ex-Psychedelic Furs saxophonist Mars Williams, Liquid Soul delivered a solid hour of razor-sharp ensemble horn work and stop-on-a-dime arrangements that recalled the era when funk was played by live bands.

The basic approach featured the four-piece rhythm section, with Jesse de la Pena’s turntable scratching functioning as an extra rhythm instrument, grooving hard behind the strong solos of Williams, trumpeter Ron Haynes and trombonist John Janowiak. Singer Omega and rapper the Dirty M.F. provided some vocal diversion in a predominantly instrumental set.

The percussion-heavy, Latin/funk/hip-hop closing set by Ozomatli was equally impressive. The 10-piece L.A. band featured capable vocals (mostly in Spanish), strong horn playing, an ability to drop the tempo without losing rhythmic vitality, and sharp arrangements that were varied enough to include a tabla-turntable duel. And the Carnival-style percussion parade through the audience opening and closing the set accentuated the high-spirited, block-party flavor of Ozomatli (which appears on Tuesday at the Opium Den in Hollywood).