By Melissa Nuñez-Mangold on July 6, 2010

Feature photo by Kisha Bari

The next time you’re walking down the street listening to your iPod, try throwing on something by The Budos Band to put a little pep in your step. The second their funky instrumentals burst into your eardrums it’ll be like you walked right onto the set of Shaft, and we’re not talking the Samuel L. Jackson version. Listen to Chicago Falcon and just try not to move with a little more swagger. Can ya dig it?

Though their sound is sometimes reminiscent of a funkier era gone by, to write The Budos Band off as some sort of 70s retro novelty act would be a complete disservice to their complex sound. They describe it as “Instrumental Staten-Island Afro Soul” but influences of jazz, funk, soul and rock can be heard throughout their last two records, the aptly titled The Budos Band and The Budos Band II. Their new record, of course titled The Budos Band III, releases on August 10, 2010 and the first single “Unbroken, Unshaven” was released for free download on their site. Judging from the single, the band hasn’t missed a step.

They started taking the new record out on the road to the b-boying, head-nodding, grooved out masses just last week. Luckily for us, we’ll have two chances to catch their live performance. On Saturday, July 10th, they’ll be headlining the Chicago Folk and Roots Festival in Welles Park. There’s a $10 donation to get into the festival, which benefits the Old Town School of Folk Music. On Monday July 12th, they’ll be playing with Caribou at the Jay Pritzker Pavillion as part of Millennium Park’s weekly New Music Mondays series, which is a free show. Don’t miss out on the chance to get funky.