Ari Joshua is back with “Pork Fat,” a blistering, groove-laden single that brings all the excitement and spontaneity of a live soul-jazz performance to your speakers. Working again with some longtime allies in Delvon Lamarr, Skerik, and Grant Schroff, this track is all analog heat and chemistry that can only be forged through years of sweat-soaked club sets and a deep musical trust.
Drenched in nostalgia but powered by a fiercely present energy, “Pork Fat” takes us back to the duo’s early days gigging around the Pacific Northwest. The result of that collection of inspirations, "Stranger to Yourself," was once a fan-favorite staple in their live performances, and on record it has seen that combined musicianship bursting through the speakers with razor-sharp accuracy and purpose, an instinct for groove also shared throughout the collective.
Thankfully, the recording is anything but polished in the traditional sense. Instead, it lets the roughness stand, giving Hammond swirls, guitar riffs, and saxophone howls the unvarnished soul they contain. A firebrand is clearly at work here, with Skerik’s off-the-cuff edges and Schroff’s grip on tight rhythms serving as a terrific counterpoint to Ari’s candid guitar work.
Despite being easily categorized as funky party music, "Pork Fat" is a timeless piece that encapsulates the funk-soaked nights, collective euphoria, and fearless collaboration. It’s a reminder that some of the greatest music doesn’t arise from purity and perfection, but from the grease, the grind, and the shared groove that seasoned players generate.