Mandrill

One of the most progressive funk bands, Mandrill brandish a jam-heavy form of funk infused with Latin, Caribbean, and jazz influences, plus gospel, blues, psychedelia, African music, and rock. Early on, their unconstrained approach was a definite influence on the Parliament-Funkadelic collective -- an embryonic incarnation of which opened for them -- and their grooves have since been sampled by dozens upon dozens of rap and R&B producers. Throughout the '70s, their busiest decade as a recording and performing act, Mandrill hit the main Billboard album chart with nine of their wide-scoped LPs, including Mandrill (1970), Composite Truth (1972), and Just Outside of Town (1973). Anchored by the multi-instrumentalist Wilson brothers since their formation in the late '60s, Mandrill crossed the half-century mark with Back in Town (2020). ~ Andy Kellman