A nine-piece instrumental band, the Sure Fire Soul Ensemble looked to classic funk, jazz, fusion, and soul to inspire their hard-hitting original compositions. The influence of everything from the Meters' greasy funk to hip-hop-informed rhythms showed up on the group's many singles and albums like 2019's fiery Build Bridges.
The Sure Fire Soul Ensemble was formed by San Diego keyboardist/songwriter Tim Felten in 2012. Inspired by the funk and soul of artists ranging from Herbie Hancock to Dr. Octagon, Felten assembled a large group to breathe life into his instrumental soul-j...