Event

New York Funk Exchange

Drawing influences from the likes of Aretha Franklin, James Brown and Stevie Wonder, the New York Funk Exchange is an unforgettable force that is winning over legions of new fans one groove at a time. Hailing from Brooklyn, New York, this 9-piece band is fronted by powerhouse vocalist Serena Fortier (Lewiston High School Class of 2002, Berklee College of Music Class of 2006) and complemented by a supremely funky cluster of brass known as The Wall Street Horns. If you saw them at the Franco Center last February, we know you'll be back. If you didn't, don't make the same mistake twice yo' mama wouldn't approve.

Signed last year to Modern Vintage Records, this is a group that mixes in its own original brand of funkiness along with artists mentioned above (plus a few more). After releasing a self-produced debut album in 2009 called "The Funkonomic Stimulus Plan," they were subsequently signed by Modern Vintage and began working on a new album called "Go Big or Go Home."

It's tough to overstate just how tight this band is. Serena's tumbling blonde locks, killer curves and riveting stage presence draw you in, after which the band envelops you in a sound as warm and percolating as James Brown's hot tub. You won't attend a better R&B show anywhere in Maine.