Butcher Brown makes “solar music,” forward-thinking, expansive hybrids of jazz and hip-hop infused with elements of funk, soul, rock, and every other sound. Hailing from Richmond, Virginia they are a proud throwback to the great progressive jazz-funk bands of the 1970s with a 21st century twist that makes room for hip-hop, garage punk, and futuristic jazz-funk. Though its members were all born well after the golden age of fusion, their modern hip-hop-inflected funky jazz-rock proudly echoes the innovations of Weather Report, Return to Forever, early Earth Wind and Fire, Lonnie Liston Smith, and Mahavishnu Orchestra. (They refer to their own music as “hip-hop Mahavishnu.”) In addition to being a committed touring and recording quintet, each of its members is involved in high-profile side projects with name artists including Christian Scott, Nicholas Payton, Chris “Daddy” Dave, Rapsody, and 9th Wonder.