Kerbside Collection – are an all instrumental jazz funk and rare groove ensemble from the inner suburbs of Brisbane/Queensland/Australia. The band plays good time jazz, funk and traditional rare groove for listening or dancing.

‘A gritty rhythm section of old school drums and fender or upright bass, alongside funky hammond and rhodes, with some sweet George Benson-ish jazz guitar licks on top.’

The sound harks back to the 60’s and 70’s Californian West Coast jazz funk music of artists such as Wes Montgomery, George Benson, Chico Hamilton, Joe Sample and The Crusaders, whilst tipping its hat to today’s contemporaries keeping the ‘feel’ alive (Soulive, Bobby Hughes, James Taylor, Eddie Roberts & the New Mastersounds, Cookin on 3 Burners, Mattson 2, Frootful, Stance Brothers etc).

In May 2011, directly after devastating floods freakishly ripped through their hometown of Brisbane, the ensemble went to record their debut album in Melbourne with Jake Mason (Cookin’ on 3 Burners). Eight songs were recorded/mixed/pre-mastered in four days, on vintage, analogue gear and onto warm tape. The songs were tracked the old classic way – all members in one room playing together, with instruments bleeding into other instrument mics and amps (and no ‘click’!) to capture a full and lively sound from the players.

In November (later that same year) they released a self funded, limited edition 7” featuring their gritty ‘b boy’ funk version of Dizzy Gillespie’s ‘Night in Tunisia’, and ‘Jelly Belly’, a snappy jazz funk kicker, generating worldwide support from the likes of Karsten John (Vinyl Vibes/Ger), Nik Weston (Mukastuku, UK/Japan), Dom Servini (Wah Wah 45s, UK), Dusty (Jazz & Milk, Ger), Chris Gill (Northside Records, Aus).

Their debut album ‘Mind the Curb’ was released in May 2013 on German Indie groove label Legere Recordings and P-Vine Records in Japan. As well as the Night in Tunisia rework, tracks included a grittier jazz funk interpretation of a George Benson rarity, a skankin’ jazz/reggae number named after Jamaica’s finest ale (think Jackie Mittoo x Earnest Ranglin), a frenetic uptempo JBs style shaker, a cool jazz dance cover of a Coltrane classic, and even a low slung soul jazz number featuring the sweet sounds of Anton Delecca from The Bamboos on flute.

The release was also accompanied by another limited edition 7” (for the collectors), and a zany film clip colaboration with Korduroy/Cyrus Sutton for the lead single ‘Cat Whip’ which received worldwide support from the likes of Snowboy (Acid Jazz/Blues n Soul mag/UK) and Dusty Groove Records (Chicago).

Mind the curb ‘Remixed & Reworked’ was released late 2014 featuring a variety of remixes, reworks and reinterpretations from Renegades Of Jazz (Agogo/GER), Ennio Styles (Stylin’/RRR radio Melb/Heard&Felt/Melb), Blunted Stylus (Kigzaw Geoff/AUS), Billy Hoyle (Man Made Mountain/House of Beige/Melb/AUS), Chikashi Nishiwaki (Tree/JAP) and more, recieving global support from the likes of Gilles Peterson (UK), Danny Krivit (US), Dom Servini (UK), Diesler (UK), Lance Ferguson, Mike Gurrieri, Wicked Jazz Sounds (Holland) and Lovemonk records (Spain).

Their follow up record ‘Trash or Treasure’ (2015) contains hints of library jazz music with lush tones from added instrumentation like vibraphone, sitar and brass that blends into their dusty 60’s inspired West Coast jazz funk and gritty grooves sounds. Engineered with Hopestreet Recording’s Bob Knob and featuring guests from The Cactus Channel, The Bombay Royale, The Putbacks and Brazil, the album contains 13 originals plus one cover of the legendary 70’s CTI records Freddie Hubbard classic ’Red Clay’. A record in full trim.

Trash or Treasure ‘Remixed’ was recently released November 2016 with re-works and reinterpretations of the album tracks from 90% local Aussie beatsmiths and artists including Sampology, Street Rat, Renegades Of Jazz, JNBO, Two Dee, Paprika and more.

Their third album ‘Smoke Signals’ was be released late November 2018, received warmly worldwide throughout 2019 from plays on BBC radio containing even more extra instrumentation including baritone sax and flute, subtle flourishes of early 70’s analogue / electric jazz grooves, a funky reggae bubbler, and a version of a Bob James jazzfunk classic! In late 2019 a limited edition 7″ single was released on Russian funk 45s label Spasipo records, along with Smoke Signals ‘Remixed’ a full album of reworks of the originals from remixers such as Grant Phabao (Paris DJs), Chikashi Nishiwaki (Japan), Horatio Luna, Blunted Stylus and more released December 27 2019. 

They’ve supported and helped warm stages for Osaka Monaurail (Japan), The Kashmere Stage Band (US), Cookin’ on 3 Burners (Melb), The Cactus Channel (Melb), The Seven Ups (Melb), The Melodics (Melb), Jess Harlen & Plutonic (Melb), headlined ‘Home Fest’ in 2011 and 2012, Broadbeach Jazz Festival, Swell Festival, Fish Lane Festival, and their own mini funk/soul/motown revue ‘The Good Foot’ with showcases in Brisbane and the GC.