Sitting at the core of Melbourne’s thriving movement of cinematic instrumental soul are Karate Boogaloo. KayBee’s roots go deep into the DIY soul idiom; Henry Jenkins, Hudson Whitlock, Callum Riley and Darvid Thor have been playing funk together since their playground days. Meeting as high school preteens, these four friends explored the teachings of the great small combo instrumental bands à la Booker T & The MG’s and The Meters. With these lessons in one hand and their characteristic sense of goofy humor in the other, the ensuing years saw Karate Boogaloo develop the kind of shared musical language that can only be built through countless hours spent together existing as friends and musical allies.
