L.A.'s Breakestra might kick out the jams with some killer funk、 but at heart they're a hip-hop band. After all、 it was rap's insatiable sample seeking that helped resurrect waning interest in funk、 and Breakestra take the crate-diggin' craze one step further. Led by Miles Tackett、 this 12-plus member band rummages deep through the musical samples that have made hip-hop the sonic force it is. Raiding everyone from James Brown to Roy Ayers to the Meters and countless other small-time funkateers、 Breakestra re-create the soulful and jazzy sounds of yesteryear. They tease the ear with songs made infamous by rap artists like A Tribe Called Quest、 KRS-One、 Pete Rock、 Marley Marl、 and others.  Their <I>Live Mix、 Part 2</I> reverberates with the spontaneity that only a live band can create、 as segues shift with just a quick drum break or brass stab. While trainspotting sample hounds will get a kick out of Breakestra、 you don't need prior knowledge of the samples to enjoy the album. No matter what、 Breakestra guarantee a funkin' good time. <I>Oliver Wang</I>