Dot's Funk Odyssey members

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Dot's Funk Odyssey DFO, Oxford's big funk and jazz band


Let us introduce you to the gorgeous and talented members of Dot's Funk Odyssey.
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Rob. Alto saxophonist, finest archer in the kingdom
Rob

Ash. Alto saxophonist, cat in the hat.
Ash

Mikey

Name: Mikey

Role: Emperor, keyboardist, Mexican goat-farming taxidermist

Mikey is the almighty ambrosious one currently in charge of DFO's executive type things. An expert jazz pianist, Mikey's love of bashing those funky keys is matched only by his love of wearing women's clothing on weekends. And taking the urine out of everything. He provides a crucial component to DFO's sound with improvised clav, organ and piano sounds.

Penny

Name: Penny

Role: Main horn chief person, Queen of Funk, score writer, trumpet player, manic cackler

Penny is a jolly soul. Very jolly. Especially when you give her lots of sugar and ice cream and biscuits, in which case she can bounce off the ceiling (this is an hypothesis that we are yet to test, but it's probably true). Coming from classical orchestral roots, Penny provides some solid trumpet playing to the horn section. She's really reliable and organized and likes kicking people, so it's no surprise that she's the one who keeps the horn section and much of DFO ticking.
Nick J

Name: Nick J

Role: Guitarist extraordinaire, arranger, musical score writer, inspirer

Nick is a one-man army of talent, creativity, experience, motivation, eccentricity, modesty and charisma. Anyone who says "nobody's perfect" hasn't met Nick. His mere presence injects inspiration and good vibes throughout DFO. He has the persuasive skills to get the whole band working together, he regularly adapts the structures of songs to best suit us, his guitar skills are jaw-dropping, and his musical understanding is impressive.
Phil

Name: Phil

Role: Bassist, fabled saviour of DFO

Phil is great. Phil is amazing. We love Phil. Phil is the solid core to DFO; a safe pair of hands who drives the rhythm section. Fooled by his modesty, it took us a long time to recognize his talents, but now we realise how lucky we are to be united with him. Chilling out away from the lime-light and behind rows of singers and horns on stage, Phil's talent for tap-dancing and juggling while playing three blind mice is rarely appreciated. Together with characters like Rob, Phil's likely to be amongst the next generation of DFO rulers.
Rob

Name: Rob

Role: Alto saxophonist, alcohol smuggler, finest archer in the kingdom

Rob was pretty much a member of DFO before he'd even heard of it; a brilliant saxophonist, Rob's reputation preceded him. We were set on finding Rob and recruiting him as soon as he arrived in Oxford. Like Penny, he provides some solid no-nonsense classical experience and organisational skills to the horn section, working well with the more intuitive styles of some of the others in the horn section. He just so happens to be an all-round really nice and popular guy as well, perhaps helped by the fact that he can fit lots of booze in his sax case.
Mikey-boy

Name: Mikey-boy

Role: Drummer, master negotiator and diplomat, bringer of street cred

Mikey-boy is the only one in the band who can say "it's a London ting", and "yes, mate!" with a straight face, given his true London roots. Highly charming, no one's ever said a bad word against him (and got away with it). He's been in DFO "bear long time" now - out of the original 15 founding members of 2004, he's the only one left. Bringer of "pro banging-bash jiggy-wiggles", Mikey-boy confidently takes on the drums, and he's darn good at it. Another thing he's darn good at is convincing people to help DFO, be it through changing the rules, or convincing people to give us money. A budding trade unionist in the making. Or something. Perhaps.
James

Name: James

Role: Lead singer, impressionist, teller of sick jokes

Hardened by international tours with his former band Out of the Blue, James confidently takes the lead vocals for many of our songs. Although pretending to be from suburban London, occasionally the accent slips and we've discovered that he's really a Rasta-man in a very convincing disguise. Apparently friends with half of Oxford, James has helped push the band to people in high places. Now a veteran in his third year at DFO, James' lasting commitment has really helped transform DFO and make it work.

Ash

Name: Ash

Role: Alto saxophonist, cat in the hat

Ash likes soul. Growing up in the West London ghetto, its in her blood. She enjoys dancing and singing when she's not supposed to - most often during DFO gigs - and helpfully remembers to play her saxophone from time to time too. When she's off the stage, Ash can be found kicking footballs at people or harassing them on the streets about the failures of capitalism… but she claims that "it's always in a friendly way… honest!"
Hannah

Name: Hannah

Role: Lead and backing singer, bringer of even more street cred, political activist

Arguably as cool and streetwise as Mikey-boy, Hannah can also get away with calling everyone "bruv" and exclaiming "safe!" Easy to get along with, Hannah is liked and respected wherever she goes. She has an active involvement in many far-sighted projects going on across the country, from teaching music to detainees at Campsfield Youth Detention Centre, to campaigning against nuclear weapons. And yet she manages to keep her good nature and sense of fun with her at all times. You can hear Hannah leading Nina Simone's 'Work Song', which suits her perfectly, and she's a great backing vocalist.
Joe.

Name: Tornado Joe

Role: Guitarist, master of disguise

Tornado Joe is a man of the people, neglecting his bands up North to bring some grit to DFO. Of Welsh descent, he brings a Merlin-like wizardry to his guitar playing, providing both a strong rhythmic foundation for Nick’s pyrotechnics, and occasional lead parts. Our very own Mr Tangerine Man - watch out for his orange guitar!
Bailey.

Name: Bailey

Role: Singer/mime, tambourine player, wearer of oversized glasses

Bailey is a bonafide musician. She plays the tambourine, melodica, triangle, keyboard, guitar, whistle, bongos, spoons... although perhaps the safest instrument to hear Bailey play is her own voice. She'd love to do opera but somehow she landed up doing funk and she loves it just the same. In her native Bath Bailey has gotten herself quite a reputation for her jazzy tunes. Check them out at *shameless plug* www.myspace.com/baileykursar *end of shameless plug*. She look forward to making your acquaintance.
Caitlin

Name: Caitlin

Role: Singer, comedienne, football queen.

Caitlin is one of the newest additions to the band, not only wowing DFO with her singing talent, but also with her valiant displays of persistence, determination and bribery. For example, for a whole year she was nagging *ahem* I mean asking to be in the band, although if we’d known she was good at bribery we would have let her in sooner. Caitlin has explicitly said that she does *not* want to be called “pretty and clever” like in some of the other namby-pamby blurbs here. So despite what her gorgeous photos and wide successes might suggest, she’s actually thick as a brick and we try to hide her behind the drummer so that people don’t have to look at her. Also hailing from London town, Caitlin's other talents include taking to the football pitch every Saturday as the Patrick Vierra of Wadham's football team. Although some would say she's more like Roy Keane. Always smiling, Caitlin can also take the dubious crown of being the comedienne of the band (sorry James), as when she's not singing, she can be seen on stage with the Oxford Revue. She likes long walks, dancing and you.
Hannah

Name: Hannah

Role: Trombonist, RESIDENT HUMSCI!

Hannah is a fun-loving Wadhamite trombonist who likes dancing and singing, however badly (!), along to the funky tunes DFO plays. She comes from a classical background but is enjoying the new refreshing life as a funkster! When off the stage, Hannah is doing any kind of sport possible including football, netball and tiddly-winks. She is a smiley person who loves life! And Hannah brings something very special to DFO - she takes over the mantle from Pascal of being the resident human scientist (which just happens to be the most amazing course in Oxford).

Nick K

Name: Nick K

Role: Trumpeter, roaming funk master

Another American Nick, this one is here for a year, visiting from Columbia University, New York. No stranger to the funk, Nick has his own funk band back in New York which he ran and wrote music for. He is fabled for his skill at improvising on the trumpet, and for his uncanny impressions of Noel Edmonds. He has injected some real energy into this year's horn section, helping to make it arguably the best it's ever been. His moment of glory is while taking the solo on Nina Simone's Work Song; he is *AMAZING*.
Martha

Name: Martha

Role: Lead and backing singer, commissar of Russian railways, (away on year abroad)

Intelligent, graceful and modest, Martha's traits let her get on well with everyone in the band. If happiness is good health and a bad memory, then Martha must be ecstatic; she can out-run most blokes (which is rather frustrating when we play 'kiss-chase') and she never remembers any conversations you have with her - she blames alcohol for this. In the videos you can hear her leading the Dusty Springfield classic "Son of a Preacher Man" and it sounds amazing. Martha's a really good backing vocalist as well. She's tooting de la fruit in France for her year away at the moment... who knows if she'll make a comeback upon her return? We hope so.
Faye

Name: Faye

Role: Tenor Saxophonist, dragon rider, cuddle person (away on year abroad)

Everyone who meets Faye is charmed within moments. Her sweet smile and sharp wit make for a killer combination - Faye and endearing sarcasm go together like chips and cheese from a dodgy kebab van. Stable and level-headed, she makes life look easy as she juggles her friends, relationship and work. Kind at heart, she'd never be nasty to anyone - except for her sax-buddy Danny, who is just so fun to bully. In the mystical world of the medieval DFO castle, Faye is the only one imbued with the powers to tame and ride dragons. Faye's also off for a year doing whatever it is that French lawyers do... but she loves DFO with all her heart and will hopefully come running and screaming back onto the stage as soon as her plane touches back down in the UK!
Helen Name: Helen

Role: Vocalist, international ambassador-in-chief, victim of violent hugs, (away on year abroad)

Honest, considerate, pretty, clever, and cuddly. A lover of Paris and cats, Helen's beauty and charm have led her to apparently know half the population of Leeds. Valiantly doing her bit to save energy and recycle, the world would be a much better place if everyone was like her. Quelle surprise, Helen's also on her year abroad in France (do they have beer-flavoured nipples over there or something?) Providing versatile lead and backing vocals at the higher end of the scales for the past two years, and really becoming a loved character and regular part of DFO, Helen may or may not choose to return to the funk when she gets back. It wouldn't be the same without her though.
Former members

Former members

With the good times and success we've enjoyed in previous years, many of the former band members are eager to make a cameo appearance. This includes the founder Rob, the former core of DFO - Tom, and the former leader of DFO who built it up to what it is today - Pascal.
Breach of the Peace Our friends: Breach of the Peace Samba
Breach of the Peace (BOP) are a bona fide big samba band making noise at protests and festivals across the UK. These guys are pink, loud, and awesome. DFO have collaborated with BOP at 3 festivals so far. You see, we thought that with only 17 members, DFO might be a bit quiet and so we decided to team up with a massive samba band for such songs as 7 Nation Army. As you do...

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Dot's Funk Odyssey © 2008. Website by Pascal Odent.