East Side Funk (ESF) is an 8-piece ensemble which plays original material that combines elements from Latin, Jazz, Funk and R&B to create music that is inspiring, improvisational, and fun to dance or listen to.
ESF represents the return of noted keyboardist Bobby Valderrama to the SF Bay Area jazz music scene.
Valderrama explains, “In my corner of the Bay Area was a section of San Jose called the 'East Side'. I grew up with Black, White, Latino, Filipino, Hawaiian, Japanese, and Portuguese friends, and the one thing that brought us together was music.
There was a certain feel and attitude in our musical expression that revealed both the joy and struggle of life.”
ESF's debut record “Love Joy Groove” is an original, instrumental jazz-funk project that captures the soulful sound of those storied East Side years.
ESF has developed a great local following and has recently performed at the following venues:
San Jose Jazz Festival 2018 (San Jose, CA)
Cafe Pink House (Saratoga, CA)
Impulse Room (Walnut Creek, CA)
Sunnyvale Downtown Jazz Series 2018 (Sunnyvale, CA)
Half Moon Bay Pumpkin and Art Festival 2018 (Half Moon Bay, CA)
ESF Band Members:
Bobby Valderrama - keyboards
Don Thomas - drums
Les Thomas - guitar
John Calderon- bass
Jesse Dominguez - sax
Martin Rossip - sax
Manny Angel - trumpet
Paul Degen - sax / flute
Web: East Side Funk (web)
YouTube: East Side Funk (YouTube)
Facebook: East Side Funk (Facebook)
