Vulfpeck - Thrill of the Arts (2015) [24bit FLAC]

Like Daft Punk’s “Random Access Memories” and Mark Ronson’s “Uptown Special,” Vulfpeck’s “Thrill of the Arts” (Vulf Records) is a homage to a bygone era in funk and soul. Unlike those two monster, major-label hits, “Thrill” was made on a shoestring budget: about $10,000, according to Jack Stratton, who founded the group in 2011.

On “Thrill of the Arts” the quartet excels, always with a dollop of wit, whether it is out front or in support of its well-chosen guests. “Welcome to Vulf Records,” a showcase for Joey Dosik on alto saxophone, hits much like the music of the late-’70s jazz-funk supergroup Stuff. Guitarist Blake Mills jumps among several styles on the slinky, oddly charming “Rango II,” while Afro-Cuban percussionist Richie Rodriguez adds congas to “Conscious Club.” Vulfpeck goes it alone on the too-brief “Walkies,” which nods toward “The Streetbeater,” the Quincy Jones-composed theme for TV’s “Sanford and Son.”

Vulfpeck can also step back to let vocalists shine. Charles Jones, a member of Raphael Saadiq’s band, provides old-school plea-singing on the lush “Game Winner,” which also features on guitar 74-year-old David T. Walker, who has played with scores of funk, jazz and solo legends. “Back Pocket,” the first single, finds the band locked in under vocalist Christine Hucal and clarinetist Mark Dover, who issues a wild outro to the pop-funk track.