“The Fearless Flyers put the ‘fun’ in funk,” a music critic once wrote. This enthusiastic praise is understandable because the sometimes dizzyingly fast compositions are bound to put a smile on faces. With this quartet it’s all about the groove and  intensity. And the fun, of course. The Fearless Flyers are the energetic progeny of funk combo Vulfpeck, where guitarist Cory Wong and bassist Joe Dart originate from. The duo are accompanied by drummer Nate Smith and guitarist Mark Lettieri. The latter is also known from Grammy-winning fusion band Snarky Puppy. But the unparalleled Smith is the driving force of the group. It’s for good reason that the opening track of their debut Tailwinds (2020) is called Nate Smith Is The Ace Of Aces. On this widely acclaimed album they further liven up their sound with a lyrical horn section that would have made James Brown jealous.