Kava Kava (band)

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Kava Kava is an English rock band/live dance act from Huddersfield, England featuring the vocals, production, and songwriting of Pat Fulgoni.^[1]

They started as a four-piece live psychedelic funk outfit with heavy George Clinton influences with Pat Fulgoni on vocals, keyboards, and brass, Jason Riley on bass, Mathew Bond on guitar, and Chris Sykes on drums. In the U.K., Kava Kava cut their teeth through the underground festival/party scene, signing to Delerium Records and touring Europe and the U.K. amongst other artists signed to the label including Porcupine Tree and indie band Embrace. The NME describing the band as "gorgeous new psychedelic funk" for their debut album You Can Live Here.

The band expanded into a six-piece and released 2004's Maui album on independent label Chocolate Fireguard Records.^[2] The music on Maui is more dance, electronic, funk, and disco influenced than their past work. They have notched up tours of the United States, China, and all over Europe, including Glastonbury Festival, Sziget Festival, SXSW Festival, Marktrock Festival, Trutnov Open Air Music Festival, and the Midi Modern Music Festival. Their music has been featured in a number of films and TV shows including Dirt,^[3] The Boys & Girls Guide to Getting Down, John from Cincinnati, Hollywood Sex Wars,^[4] LA Riding Club, and the Golden Globe award–winning TV series Weeds^[5] and played by tastemaker DJs such as Sat Bisla and Nic Harcourt from KCRW. Pat Fulgoni continues to write music and tour as Kava Kava whilst collaborating with numerous other artists including many dance music artists signed to Hospital Records, Shogun Audio, Spearhead Records, and Viper Recordings, and from time to time, organises opportunities for bands (for example, the all Yorkshire showcases at the British Music Embassy venue SXSW).

Kava Kava continues gigging with their current line-up of Pat Fulgoni (vocals), Ben Wallbanks (drums), Alex Krzesinski (guitars), Rob Crisp and Ian Bailey (saxophone), and Mitch Cockman (bass)