artist info

"Remarkably masterful, fresh-sounding, and creatively restless…For over 50 years, The Headhunters have continually reinvented themselves.” - ALL MUSIC

The Headhunters, the legendary jazz-funk ensemble co-led by percussionist Bill Summers and drummer Mike Clark with NEA Jazz Master Donald Harrison on alto saxophone, celebrated the band’s 50th anniversary in 2023, having formed around Herbie Hancock's classic recordings, Head Hunters, in 1973, Thrust in 1974 and Man-Child in 1975. The band continued without Mr. Hancock and has released 8 albums under the Headhunters name starting with Survival of the Fittest in 1975 and on Straight from the Gate in 1977 (featuring the smash hit “God Make Me Funky” sampled on over 350 hip hop and pop songs), and most recently Speakers In the House in 2022 and Live From Brooklyn Bowl in 2023. The band’s new album The Stunt Man comes out October 11th, 2024 on Ropeadope recorded at the legendary Hyde Street Studios.

Few bands can boast a history as fortuitous and storied as The Headhunters. What each member brings to the table forged a history that most bands can only dream of. Their blend of jazz with funk and rock would go on to sell over a million albums worldwide, while the band's legacy would inspire musicians of every genre for years to come, be sampled by hundreds of hip-hop artists throughout the '80s and '90s, and influence countless musicians' playing today. The Headhunters' impact remains a global phenomenon, and their time with Hancock proved to be a life changing experience.

"What Bill and I and The Headhunters do is experience the moment and explore. We're not in a gym, this isn't a competition. This is art. The Headhunters is an act of passion, of love for humanity, and for our planet." - Mike Clark

"We live this every day. We have some secrets to give to the youth of the world. We’re not musicians, we are physicians. We heal people." - Bill Summers.

The current band consists of a top notch quintet with Clark, Summers and Harrison joined by bassist Chris Severin (Dr. John, Diana Krall, The Neville Brothers) and pianist Kyle Roussel (Preservation Hall Jazz Band), both staples on the New Orleans music scene. The band is poised for success in 2024, and will be embarking on European tour in July 21-28 including Bologna Jazz Festival, Birkenhead at Future Yard and two nights at the London’s Ronnie Scott’s.