Connie Price & The Keystones are a central fixture in the 21st-century 'Deep Funk' revival, emerging from the vibrant Los Angeles scene that birthed acts like Breakestra and Orgone. Helmed by multi-instrumentalist Dan Ubick (using the Connie Price pseudonym for his drumming) and arranger Todd M.
Simon, the group serves as a bridge between vintage soul-jazz and modern hip-hop production. Their sound identity is defined by a 'live-from-the-floor' aesthetic, characterized by heavy syncopation, prominent brass arrangements, and a cinematic quality reminiscent of Lalo Schifrin or Isaac Hayes' soundtrack work. Historically, they are significant for their role as the backing band for Big Daddy Kane, a partnership that solidified their reputation for technical precision and authentic groove. Their catalog, released on influential labels like Now-Again and Ubiquity, is highly regarded by crate-diggers and DJs for its high 'break' density and warm, analog fidelity. Critical consensus positions them as scholars of the groove who successfully avoid the 'retro' trap by maintaining a contemporary rhythmic urgency.
Shares drums, organ, jazz fusion, funk (signature)
Shares drums, tape_saturation, trumpet, organ (signature)
Shares drums, trumpet, organ, jazz fusion (signature)
Shares organ, jazz fusion, funk, dry_intimate (instrumentation)
Shares wah-wah guitar syncopation, trumpet, organ, funk (detail)
Shares trumpet, jazz fusion, funk, soul (instrumentation)
Shares trumpet, organ, funk, saxophone (instrumentation)
Shares trumpet, jazz fusion, funk, dry_intimate (instrumentation)
Shares jazz fusion, funk, dry_intimate, soul (subgenre)
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