Saint Luke, Sofia Violet, and Gunk Put the “Funk” in Funk ‘n Waffles

On November 16th, Saint Luke performed jazz-infused originals and covers following groovy opening sets from Sofia Violet and Gunk.

Words By Nehilah Grand-Pierre / Graphic by Griffin Turner

When envisioning a groovy atmosphere, bell-bottom jeans, peace signs, and other ‘70s trends may come to mind. However, at the November 16th show at Funk ‘n Waffles, Saint Luke, Sofia Violet, and Gunk proved that jazz is not out of style, but rather just as adaptable as any musical genre in the scene right now.

Quite fitting for the venue’s name, the night was filled with improvisational riffs from brass and strings, starting off with new jazz-fusion six-piece Gunk. The new group’s saxophonist, Mason Manteau, cited jazz as the easiest word to describe their sound, but couldn’t confine Gunk to one genre.

“We’re mainly a jazz-fusion band, but we definitely have a little bit of the essence of some funk, a little bit of R&B, a little bit of just regular jazz. Pretty much whatever we like honestly.”

Though it was only the band’s second gig and first time at Funk ‘n Waffles, anyone unfamiliar with their history wouldn’t have been able to tell. Covering RH Factor’s “Crazy Race,” Gunk thrilled the audience with a fun twist on a jazz classic as Luke Brady’s driving bass and Ania Kapllani’s powerful vocals made the piece sound so perfect for the group, you’d almost think it was an original. With “Move Your Feet” by Junior Senior, the crowd did not hesitate to dance along. Adding a jazzy twist to the electro-pop hit, improvised solos decorated the piece, most notably Owen Wernow’s impressive guitar solo.

When it comes to improvisation, Manteau cited the band’s chemistry as an essential factor.

“We all seek to make each other sound the best, so there’s a lot of interaction going on – a lot of smiles – which I think is really important for keeping this group together,” he said.

Following Gunk, Sofia Violet kept the groove in the air, with her tenor saxophonist shining. Performing originals like “Busy Bee,” “SPF,” and “Glossier,” Violet’s vocal riffs danced beautifully over the bass, guitars, and keys. Her set also included some funky covers like “Them Changes” by Thundercat, with a sumptuous rendition of the iconic opening bass part. Violet said goodbye to the audience with “Lovefool” by the Cardigans, gracefully hitting the track’s stellar falsettos.

Luke Brady returned to the stage after having played bass for Gunk. Despite being a crucial part of the Syracuse DIY scene since November 2021, the night was Luke’s first time headlining a show.

“I definitely felt a little more loose by the time it was my set, but it kind of raised the anticipation. I always get a little nervous but I think [opening with Gunk] definitely took a little bit of the hunch off,” said Brady.

Delivering an engaging performance, Saint Luke encouraged everyone to sing along to “ONLY ONE” from his “PURE LIGHT EP,” which released this May. His set also featured covers like J. Cole’s “everybody dies” and Tears for Fears’ “Everybody Wants to Rule the World.” Jumping across the stage while belting the ‘80s hit as his closer, Brady ended the night on a high note.

The Funk ‘n Waffles show proved to be a pivotal occasion for Saint Luke, simultaneously his first-ever headlining show and final performance of the semester. Luke believes that his best is yet to come.

“This semester has felt very foundational. These last two semesters were just me establishing, starting to get my name out there, and just playing every show. [This] feels like the beginning of something big.”