We had the pleasure of recently hosting funk band, The Charities, in our studio, and we got to listen to them groove and jam while we swung our hips and danced under the fluorescent light.

The band is made up of six members whose distinct music tastes blend into a mosaic of unique sound. The resulting product is a colorful portrait of noise that reflects funk and soul, Motown and jazz, R&B and rock n’ roll.

If their art was a canvas, we’d see a model of complex hues and varied textures—a vision that bursts with color and evolves constantly, like a kaleidoscope, into anomalies of nuanced creation. Alma, the band’s recently recorded album, exemplifies the refined side of the band. The record is jam-packed with polished jives and sublime boogies. Yet even at their most sophisticated, the band retains their locally-grown sound, proving their California roots.

KCPR’s in-studio displays The Charities’ enduring authenticity.  Their live sets are almost fully improvised, creating a grassroots sound that’s both original and entirely unpredictable. Each of their shows is completely different, and while their recorded songs give us a peek into the ingenuity of their art, it’s when they’re playing live that their sound truly comes to life. 

Give the in-studio a view if you’d like to further immerse yourself in the world of The Charities and see a group of artists thrive in the art they create.

Ethan Hundertmark is a Cal Poly Psychology junior and KCPR’s Editor-in-Chief. He wrote the article. Jo Anna Edmison is a Cal Poly Photography junior and KCPR’s In-Studio Director. She took the video.