The JUNGLE FIRE sound digs deep into Afro/Latin Funk with an approach that is authentic and highly explosive! The Los Angeles-based TropiFunk juggernaut pulls its influences from the music of legends such as Irakere, Ray Barretto, James Brown, Fela Kuti and Manu Dibango (just to name a few) while creating a melting pot of Afro-Caribbean and West African rhythms with a heavy break beat funk.
Originally conceived as a one-off project in 2011, JUNGLE FIRE quickly gained attention by lighting up local clubs and underground warehouse parties in Los Angeles’ thriving funk/soul scene. A healthy buzz about the band spread by word of mouth, eventually connecting them to Colemine Records, the Ohio-based indie soul label which cut their first 7” single, “Comencemos” (a cover of Fela Kuti’s “Let’s Start”). Lauded by DJs, radio stations, tastemakers and rabid funk fans across the globe, “Comencemos” (with its B side, the original tune “Tokuta”) sold out internationally and paved the way for the band’s second 7” Colemine release titled “Firewalker”. In September 2014, the group’s debut LP titled “Tropicoso” was released to great critical acclaim via Los Angeles’ own Nacional Records. Their follow-up album “Jambú” (also on Nacional Records) debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard Latin charts in February 2017 leading to many features in a wide variety of films, commercials and TV shows including spots for VICE, Lipton, Starbucks, NIKE, the 2019 Emmy Awards and the sound track to Lionsgate’s “How to Be a Latin Lover” with Eugenio Derbez and Salma Hayek among many others. The band is set to release a self-titled album consisting of all new original material in February 2020.
The deep funk revival was ignited way back in the 90s by The Poets of Rhythm in Germany, the Dap-Kings family in New York.. or, before anyone else, The Greyboy Allstars in San Diego, where a new instrumental soul band is following in the footsteps of its elders: The Sure Fire Soul Ensemble. Their blend of influences from those 3 legendary bands is surely addictive, and their first 45 is announcing some great news for the future!" - Paris Djs
"A few months back, San Diego collective The Sure Fire Soul Ensemble released a heavy instrumental 7” titled “Layin Low” b/w “IB Struttin” which packs a punch. Both the A & B sides have everything that we’re looking for in this style of music, heavy drums, funky horns, guitars and beefy baselines and a nice Afro flair to round things out." - Hot Peas & But
