Phat Phunktion - Soul Juice (2005)

In 1996, a group of music students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison formed Phat Phunktion (pronounced Fat Function). During the ensuing 9 years, the band has built an enthusiastic and loyal following around the Midwest and throughout the country. A nine-piece tour de force that combines the polish of top 40 with the smooth feeling of 60's soul and the raw groove of 70's funk, Phat Phunktion is today one of the most talked about bands in the Midwest. Their self-produced CDs have sold in the thousands, and their live shows sell-out virtually everywhere they perform. In their home town of Madison, WI, they regularly attract record crowds of upwards of 5,000 people for their shows. They have appeared numerous times at the Madison Blues Festival, Milwaukee's Summerfest, and the House of Blues in Chicago, with countless television and radio appearances, including "The Jenny Jones Show" and Michael Feldman's "Whad'ya Know?"

In 2003, Rolling Stone Magazine singled Phat Phunktion out as a "band on the rise". During that same year, the band won a Wisconsin Area Music Industry Award, or WAMI, for "Best R&B Band". In May 2003, a panel of Billboard Magazine judges selected the band as one of six acts to perform at the Disc Makers' Independent Music World Series, Midwest regional final, where they funked up the Elbo Room in Chicago. Of the six finalists, Phat Phunktion and Chicago's Orbert Davis took top honors at the event.

In 2004, Ben and Leo Sidran's Nardis label picked up the band, and their 3rd CD, "You and Me", was released on Nardis/Liquid 8 Records and Entertainment for international distribution. Since then, "You and Me" has garnered substantial interest at home and abroad. In America, nearly 5,000 CDs have sold to a devoted fan base via word-of-mouth and internet sales. In Japan, large numbers of listeners inspired a re-release of the disc on the Japanese Groovtime label. In Europe, the recording found a happy home on radio stations throughout Italy and Spain. In a July/August 2004, JazzTimes reviewed "You and Me", saying:

"Phat Phunktion has a horn-driven sound that draws inspiration from '70s funk, and on "You and Me", the band's first release on a national label, producers Tim Whalen and Al Falaschi demonstrate a talent for crafting strong, danceable tracks.... Musically, the album is first rate."

In 2005, "You and Me" received a Madison Area Music Award, or MAMA, as "R&B Album of the Year." In the summer of 2005, Phat Phunktion will embark on their first National Tour.

Phat Phunktion has shared the stage with musical legends The Temptations, Tower of Power, WAR, Cameo, Morris Day and the Time, The Original "P" (featuring original members of Parliament), The Average White Band, Chick Corea, Maynard Ferguson, Taj Mahal, Rick James, Clyde Stubblefield, and The Brothers Johnson. Their dynamic stage show and incredible musicianship have initiated thousands of faithful "Phatheads" who are now spreading the word. With their first Nardis/Liquid 8 release, the rest of the country can now discover what the Midwest has known for a long time.