Volume 3 of Lance Ferguson’s ‘Rare Groove Spectrum’ has landed
New Zealand-born, Melbourne-based multi-hyphenate Lance Ferguson (The Bamboos / Machines Always Win / Menagerie), presents new album Rare Groove Spectrum Vol.3, a soulful, live-band journey covering classics and rarities in funk, jazz, latin, soul and beyond, fusing crate-digger sensibilities with modern studio craft.
Following singles “Could Heaven Ever Be Like This“, a vibrant reimagining of Idris Muhammad’s 1977 jazz-funk cut, “Dominoes“, a bold take on Jungle’s cult track, and a rich reinterpretation of Billie Eilish’s “My Future“, featuring Australian soul and jazz singer Rita Satch, the album spans obscure ‘70s Australian jazz-funk, big band soul breaks, Latin-fusion classics and golden-era funk reworks, with each track filtered through Lance’s deep musical vocabulary and intuitive ear. “A big part of this series is honouring the originals while finding a new way in. You’ve got to be reverent, but inventive too”, he explains.
The album’s focus track, “Losalamitoslatinfunklovesong”, encapsulates the heart of the Rare Groove Spectrum ethos: radical reinterpretation with deep respect. “I always wanted to hear Gene Harris’s Latin-fusion cut reimagined as a straight Bossa Nova. The vocal section even leans into a Brasil ‘66 vibe, which I think really suits it”, continues Lance.
One of the most ambitious productions on the album, “Runnin‘” sees Lance channelling the widescreen sound of Earth, Wind & Fire, with a richly layered arrangement that took more studio time than any other track. On “Fourty Days”, he revisits Billy Brooks’ jazz-funk classic, famously sampled by A Tribe Called Quest, adding a full, cinematic horn section to match the original’s scale. “Oz Bump (Soul Thing)” is a playful nod to the Australian group Hot Source, a high-energy cover of their own 1975 reinterpretation of a Keith Mansfield tune.
Lance also shines a light on homegrown legends with “Song For Bobby”, originally by ‘70s jazz-funk outfit Pyramid, featuring a heartfelt solo by Ross Irwin in tribute to the late Bobby Venier. While “Dig On It” takes a looser, jam-based approach inspired by Jimmy McGriff’s deep groove, “Caveman Boogie” leans into a live, dancefloor-ready feel, adding bounce and rhythmic punch to a crate-digger favourite.
With Rare Groove Spectrum Vol. 3, Lance Ferguson continues to make a compelling case for the vitality of reworking the past. Far more than a series of covers, these are reinterpretations built on deep listening, musician-to-musician respect and Lance’s singular ability to unite soul, funk and jazz across eras, styles and continents.
‘Rare Groove Spectrum 3’ on LP / CD / Digi on Nov 21st 2025 via TruThoughts
