The Fumos

The Fumos Bring Horn-Driven Funk, Soul, and Vintage Groove Energy to the Morris Museum’s Back Deck 2026 Concert Series

There are certain live bands that do not simply perform music so much as ignite an atmosphere. Before the first full song even settles into rhythm, audiences already understand the assignment: this is not going to be a quiet evening spent politely observing from a distance. It is going to be a night built around movement, groove, brass, rhythm, improvisation, nostalgia, musicianship, and the kind of joyous collective energy that only truly great live bands can generate. That spirit sits directly at the heart of what makes The Fumos such a perfect addition to the Morris Museum’s celebrated Back Deck 2026 concert season.

Scheduled for Saturday, August 8, 2026 at 7:30 PM, The Fumos arrive at the Back Deck carrying the sound and spirit of classic 1970s horn-driven funk, soul, jazz fusion, and dance music while channeling it through the perspective of seasoned New York City live musicians who understand exactly how to turn an outdoor summer concert into a full-scale party. Their appearance continues the Morris Museum’s increasingly ambitious and culturally rich Back Deck programming strategy, which has transformed the series into one of New Jersey’s most distinctive live music experiences.

What separates The Fumos from countless retro revival acts is that their performances are not built around imitation alone. Instead, the band approaches the great catalog of funk, soul, jazz-rock, and rhythm-heavy classics with the loose confidence and musical chemistry that only develops among musicians deeply embedded in live performance culture. Their concerts feel organic rather than scripted. The grooves breathe. The horns punch through arrangements with explosive warmth. Solos stretch naturally. Rhythms lock into place with effortless fluidity. Audiences are invited into an environment that feels celebratory, spontaneous, and deeply alive.

That energy matters enormously right now because audiences increasingly crave authenticity in live music experiences. In an era dominated by hyper-programmed production, digital backing tracks, algorithmic playlists, and overly choreographed arena spectacles, bands rooted in actual musicianship and ensemble chemistry stand out immediately. The Fumos operate within a tradition where rhythm sections drive momentum in real time, horn arrangements create emotional lift, and audiences respond instinctively to groove rather than spectacle alone.

The band’s musical DNA draws heavily from some of the most influential artists and eras in modern American music history. Their repertoire channels the spirit of legendary acts including Kool & The Gang, Maceo Parker, Average White Band, B.T. Express, Stevie Wonder, Steely Dan, Jeff Beck, and The Band. That range alone says everything about the group’s musical philosophy. The Fumos are not confined to one narrowly defined genre lane. Instead, they embrace the interconnected history of groove-oriented American music where jazz, funk, soul, rock, rhythm and blues, fusion, and dance traditions constantly overlap.

The result is a show that feels both nostalgic and refreshingly current at the same time. Audiences familiar with the original recordings immediately recognize the timelessness of the songwriting, while younger listeners discover just how foundational these grooves remain to contemporary music culture. Much of modern pop, hip-hop, neo-soul, jam-band culture, and even electronic music still relies heavily on rhythmic and harmonic structures pioneered during the funk and soul explosion of the 1970s.

The Fumos understand this lineage instinctively. Their performances celebrate that musical history without becoming trapped inside it. Rather than functioning as a museum piece dedicated solely to replication, the band approaches the material with the looseness and confidence of players who genuinely love the music and understand how to keep it emotionally alive for modern audiences.

That authenticity is reinforced by the band’s lineup itself, which features veterans of New York City’s fiercely competitive live music scene. Guitarist Jack Walsh, keyboardist George Wurzbach, tenor saxophonist Tony Orbach, alto saxophonist Paul Vercesi, trumpeter Kevin Bachelor, bassist Charlie Sands, and drummer Gary Ciuzio collectively bring decades of performance experience to the stage. In cities like New York, musicians survive and thrive only through adaptability, technical excellence, chemistry, and the ability to connect with audiences night after night across wildly different environments. That experience becomes immediately visible during live performance.

The Fumos’ rhythm section serves as the engine room for the entire show, laying down deep, danceable grooves that allow the horn section to soar above the arrangements with power and precision. Horn-driven music carries a unique physicality in live settings because brass instruments cut through open-air environments with enormous energy and emotional immediacy. When paired with a tight rhythm section and outdoor summer atmosphere, the effect can feel almost cinematic.

That dynamic makes the Morris Museum’s Back Deck especially ideal for a band like The Fumos. Since launching in 2020, the Back Deck has evolved into one of New Jersey’s premier outdoor arts destinations by creating an atmosphere unlike traditional concert venues. Guests arrive early carrying lawn chairs, refreshments, picnic spreads, and wine while settling into personalized viewing spaces across the museum’s elevated rooftop deck. The setting encourages social interaction, relaxed gathering, and communal enjoyment before the performance even begins.

As twilight settles over the venue and the skyline atmosphere shifts into evening, concerts naturally become immersive social experiences rather than passive performances observed from a distance. Funk and soul music thrive within precisely that kind of communal environment. These genres were never intended to remain emotionally static or formally restrained. They were built around release, movement, joy, groove, dancing, and connection.

The Back Deck’s evolution into a cultural institution within New Jersey’s arts landscape also reflects the broader maturation of the state’s live entertainment scene itself. Increasingly, New Jersey audiences no longer need to travel exclusively into New York or Philadelphia to experience sophisticated, high-level arts programming. Venues throughout the state have begun developing their own identities, audiences, and artistic ecosystems capable of standing on their own merits. The Morris Museum’s programming exemplifies that transformation.

The 2026 Back Deck season has already featured an impressively eclectic lineup spanning chamber ensembles, jazz innovators, orchestral projects, crossover performers, Latin jazz artists, vocal showcases, and genre-defying experimental musicians. The inclusion of The Fumos demonstrates the series’ continued understanding that great arts programming should remain expansive rather than rigidly hierarchical. Funk, soul, jazz fusion, and groove music belong within serious artistic spaces because the musicianship required to perform them at a high level is immense.

Importantly, this concert also taps directly into New Jersey’s longstanding relationship with dance music and live groove culture. The state’s musical identity has always been shaped by its geographic position between New York and Philadelphia, creating fertile crossover territory for jazz clubs, funk bands, soul acts, dance venues, boardwalk performance circuits, and nightclub culture. Across generations, New Jersey audiences have consistently embraced live music rooted in rhythm, movement, and strong ensemble performance.

That tradition continues through events like this one. The Fumos are not arriving merely to play recognizable songs. They are bringing an entire musical atmosphere built around celebration and collective energy. Their shows create the kind of environment where audiences stop checking phones, stop overthinking, and simply allow themselves to enjoy live music in its purest communal form.

The logistical details surrounding the concert continue the Back Deck’s now signature audience-friendly approach. Tickets are sold in personalized blocks designed for either one or two attendees, allowing guests to curate their own viewing spaces comfortably. Patrons are encouraged to arrive beginning at 6:30 PM to enjoy picnics and refreshments before the performance begins at 7:30 PM. In the event of inclement weather, performances transition indoors to the Morris Museum’s Bickford Theatre while maintaining the event itself.

The series continues receiving substantial support from leadership donors and regional cultural organizations, including the Lot of Strings Concert Series, Gary’s Wine & Marketplace, and the Morris County Tourism Bureau. That support reflects how significant the Back Deck has become not only as an entertainment venue but also as an important contributor to New Jersey’s broader cultural and tourism economy.

Since its launch, the Back Deck has presented more than 72 performances while welcoming over 11,000 patrons. The venue has steadily earned recognition from local and national media alike while helping establish northern New Jersey as a serious destination for innovative live arts programming. Its continued success lies largely in its refusal to become formulaic. Each event feels intentionally curated around atmosphere, setting, artist compatibility, and audience experience.

The Fumos embody that philosophy perfectly. Their music captures the timeless chemistry between rhythm, horns, groove, and communal joy that has powered dance floors, concert halls, clubs, festivals, and outdoor gatherings for generations. Their performance promises not merely a concert but a full-scale summer celebration rooted in the enduring power of live musicianship.

For one August night atop the Morris Museum, the Back Deck will once again transform into exactly what great live music spaces are meant to become: a gathering place where rhythm, nostalgia, artistry, movement, and shared experience merge into something unforgettable beneath the New Jersey summer sky.