Tim Akers & The Smoking Section 'Uptown Funk'

Nashville's Tim Akers & The Smoking Section do their take on the Mark Ronson/Bruno Mars hit.

[simplytanora]

Who's here after hearing about the passing of Tim Akers? He was gifted.💛

[SHEEPFETTISH]

8 years and still one of the best arrangements/performances ever bar none

[thegroovesarge]

Yep. After this, no one else should touch this song.

[chrisjohnson]

The tightest, funkiest groove that you will hear ANYWHERE online. And that bass player?? Amazing.

[thejoyofsax]

I'm a sax player and arranger I can't help but chip in to say how disgustingly good this is and that I cannot stop listening to it.  Thank you for your work on this, you guys are phenomenal.

[EclipseRoller]

I heard that Bruno Mars made a cover of this.

[juanfrancoyu]

2024 and this is still my benchmark for what a cover should be.

[nigelbaldwin]

I’am 67, listening to this makes me feel 66 !!! 🕺

[antmills]

Anyone who considers themselves a musician, should listen to this and see what true musicality and creativity mean. ...I'm speechless ! AWESOME

[falsonegativo-bananabiche]

This song should called as "if uptown funk was really a funk song" :v

[stephaniekaylan]

Holy Crap!!! This This THIS T-H-I-S is unreal. I'm a jazz pianist/vocalist & Arranger. You all made me cry.
Perfect, fantastic...I am SO impressed. Beautifully done.
THIS is how is should be played!! LOL Thank you Bless you all

[timakersandthesmokingsecti]

The band is made up of some of the best session guys in Nashville. We are 16-strong when we play live, but due to budget restrictions the video features a scaled down version of the band:
Leader/arranger/keys- Tim Akers
Drums- John Hammond
Bass- Gary Lunn
Guitar- Mark Baldwin
Trumpets- Steve Patrick
Saxes- Mark Douthit
Trombone- Barry Green
Lead vocals- Joey Richey
Backgrounds: Kim Fleming, Kim Keyes, Gene Miller
Mixed by Doug Sarrett

[clentonator]

This is by far the best cover of a modern pop tune i've heard in years...
It would be an absolute pleasure to experience your band live, or even better to work with you guys...
You are keeping REAL music alive, all the thumbs up and respect to you and your team.

[mahlerbech]

I'm a bass player, cant't tell you how mush I love the bass player, the sound is fucking unbelievable

[fotocri]

I watch this video at least 3 times every day. I love this arrangement. Simply amazing

[bagman]

Still, wow, just WOW... Every time I watch/listen to this, I hear something else, a line, a timbre, a nuance.... WOW... Leave this up, forever.... please..

[SHEEPFETTISH]

Whenever I need my ass kicked I come back here. Never gets old. Sometimes brings tears to my eyes. Near perfect arrangement and performance. The quote, "Before Pro Tools there were Pro's." fits absolutely here. Thank you all for a true classic. ...More than just 8 months old ...

[gregstegeman]

THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKIN' Pocket groove, killer horns, rhythm AND vocals.  Proof that a great horn chart just lifts the whole thing higher.

[ET_Don]

Here it is years later and I am still watching and loving this performance. I rarely use the term "Nailed It", but these guys Most
Definitely "Nailed It!".

I'm a bass guitar player and normally focus on the bass guitar. My definition of "Nailed It" is when a performance has me focusing on every
player and every vocalist, as this performance does.

[RobMichael]

*Killing version of Uptown Funk. This smokes the (excellent) original version IMO.*