Vulfpeck

Vulfpeck is an American funk group formed in 2011 and based in Ann Arbor, United States. The group is active from 2011 to the present and its members are Joe Dart, Woody Goss, Theo Katzman and Jack Stratton. Its sound is rooted in funk and also draws on indie pop, with related influences often placed in jazz, jazz pop and blues.

Formation and concept

The group starts as a rhythm section for a performance at the Duderstadt Center, a University of Michigan facility that includes an arts library and other resources. All of the core members attend the University of Michigan’s music school. Jack Stratton, the band founder, shapes Vulfpeck around an imagined German version of 1960s American session musicians, drawing on groups such as the Funk Brothers, the Wrecking Crew and Muscle Shoals to recreate the feel of a live rhythm section.

Releases and notable projects

Vulfpeck releases four EPs and six albums, alongside the silent Spotify album Sleepify. Royalties from that release fund the group’s admission-free tour in 2014. The band’s most recent work is the live album Clarity of Cal.

Members and collaborators

Jack Stratton performs on keyboards, drums and guitar. Theo Katzman plays guitar, drums and vocals. Woody Goss plays keyboards, and Joe Dart plays bass. Touring partners and frequent collaborators include Antwaun Stanley, Joey Dosik and Cory Wong. Other contributing musicians include Charles Jones, Christine Hucal, David T. Walker, Bernard Purdie, James Gadson, Blake Mills and Jacob Jeffries.