Today, there is a reason to illuminate your airwaves with a potent introduction. Yes, we’ve taken an original, unconventional route to follow the bizarrely brilliant six-piece, soul-shaking masterpiece known as Flow Tribe to an eight-mile long beach town in the panhandle of Florida just to snag these masters mid-tour.

As New Orleans natives, Flow Tribe is the staple of free funk. We watched the boys bring in house funk to venue Funky’s (couldn’t have planned that better) in Destin Friday evening. What better way to round out celebrating Independence Day than to drown in the insistent rhythm and intense groove of percussive and bass heavy harmonies that much resemble Trombone Shorty and Bill Summers?

Flow tribe opened their set to a shoulder-to-shoulder house. Immediately, it was clear this did not intimidate the boys, but rather heightened their bebop jazz with charged enthusiastic. “Hello Destin!” all members sang out and like synchronized gears, the sextet dropped an ace. Champions of inimitable showmanship, there wasn’t a moment sans movement on stage. Lead vocalists K.C. O’Rorke and John-Michael Early function as one being. O’Rorke took lead and belted out lyrics to originals and a cover of J.T’s “Coat and Tie” while Early gave sweet synchronicity via harmonic, keys and washboard.

Yes. Early placed a hang over the shoulder washboard on his Louisiana creole frame, took a very light, very small metal spoon and employed delicious downbeat measures midst two potent guitar solos and a vibing-bass line.

With rapid-fire cord changes, bounce around tempos, pulsing vocals and intimate audience eye contact, Flow Tribe posses the ability to bait anyone with eyes and ears. Mid set the boys elicited a careen dance-party – one full of bent knees, rump bumping and shoulder rattling. In the presence of Flow Tribe, one acquires something similar to the Lunar Effect – just as there is a direct correlation between Earth’s lunar cycle and the behavior of man, so exists the correlation of Flow Tribe and dance. It is not permissible to stand still while in the fanciful nature of this NOLA band – the effect is a tantalizing aroma of blissed out funk meters, trumpet sections and melt-in-your-mouth drum rhythms. So exists in Flow Tribes presence, the sweet grit, sweat and firing groove of wailing rock and jazz influences. Not to mention the blissful experience of each members killer and eclectic sense of fashion – baby blue two-piece suits and all. 

The second best thing you can do for yourself today is grab a copy of the bands latest album Painkiller, which features crowd favorite “Hungry For You.” The first – catch the fire of this sextet in the flesh.