New Zealand-born, Melbourne-based multi-hyphenate Lance Ferguson presents new album Rare Groove Spectrum Vol.3, a soulful, live-band journey covering classics and rarities in funk, jazz, latin, soul and beyond, fusing crate-digger sensibilities with modern studio craft.
We already acknowledged that the Australian music scene owes much to Lance Ferguson for high ligthing Melbourne with Kylie Auldist in the Bamboos, Cooking On 3 Burners (don't miss their first album in 6 years - see review HERE), Machines Always Win, Menagerie, The Ferguson Rogers Process and the Rare Groove Spectrum that is now on Volume 3.
You'll recall the cover version Billy Elish's 'My Future' that features the vocals of Rita Satch (see HERE - and her album, 'Meet Me In The Garden' - see review HERE) but it's interesting to consider whether this was a ploy to introduce older soul-funkers to the work of Ms. Elish or to get youngsters to enjoy the older classics that Ferguson introduces us to.
I did see the other day on a Social Media post that Idris Muhammad’s 1977 jazz-funk crossover hit, 'Could Heaven Ever Be Like This' as "little known" - really! Well, if it is, it won't be after this version that's very respectful to the original. And not far behind, early jazz-funk "hit" 'Caveman Boogie' (original by Lesette Wilson) gets a workout a you may remember Bugz In The Attic remixed Gene Harris' 'Losalamitoslatinfunklovesong' 20 years ago so that might have dropped off some folks' radar as being a top Latin Blue Note track so interesting to hear Lance's version as more of Brazil '66 bossa.
And clearly he's big on digging like any hip-hop kid, so the extremes range from Library "god", Keith Mansfield with his 1975 'Hot Source' as already done by Hot Source; here as 'Oz Bump' with a great sax solo - KPM royalty.
And closer to the source is 'Runnin' (Earth, Wind & Fire) - wayoooooooo etc - and 'Fourty Days' (Billy Brooks / A Tribe Called Quest) - vous le vous - and Jimmy McGriff's 'Dig It'.
The album opens with 'Dominoes', nothing to do with Donald Byrd but the Jungle track and in the 'every day a school day' envelope as Lance "also shines a light on homegrown legends with “Song For Bobby”, originally by ‘70s jazz-funk outfit Pyramid, featuring a heartfelt solo by Ross Irwin in tribute to the late Bobby Venier".
The whole album is great and will maintain Ferguson's favoured position on Craig Charles' 'Funk & Soul' Radio Show (BBC 6 Music) along with Huey Morgan, Gilles Peterson, Colin Parnell and loads more as it's much more than a 101 to jazz-funk-soul dancefloor greats.
Artist: Lance Ferguson’s Rare Groove Spectrum
Title: Rare Groove Spectrum Vol. 3
Release date: 21st November, 2025
Label : Tru-Thoughts
Catalog Number : TRU471
Format: LP / Vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp
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