Drunken Kung Fu, a hip-hop, jazz and reggae band composed of local Sacramento artists will perform at the Sacramento State University Union Serna Plaza Wednesday at noon as part of UNIQUE Programs’s Nooner series.  

The group has three members: Sam Phelps, keyboardist and main vocalist, Matt Klee, drummer and Jacob Gleason, guitar and saxophone. 

The band formed around 2014 but the bandmates have all known each other since 2011, Phelps said.

“(Students) should be excited to see some dynamic improvisation by musicians who have put a lot of hours into their craft individually and as a group,” Phelps said in an email interview. “We never play a song the same way twice. We leave room for expression and put a lot of passion into every note.”

Phelps said Drunken Kung Fu, whose sound he described as “mind-blowing funky grooves,” is always excited to play at Sac State, and expects the gig to be fun. 

When asked what type of music they tend to play more of, Phelps said, “It’s hard to pin a name on our style. There are elements of jazz, hip hop and reggae but we don’t lean too heavily in any of those directions. I like to call it space funk and let people try to figure it out.” 

Phelps said his favorite song from the band is currently “Price of Life” from their debut EP “Constant State of War.”

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“If I like the type of music, I would go to a Nooner event, I try to go to Sac State events if they seem interesting or fun,” said Omar Ilyan, a construction management major.

Allan Veto, business major, said, “I don’t really go to events on campus, but it’s cool how Sac State has entertainment on campus for us.” 

Phelps said that the band has made a name for itself in Sacramento and that the community has shown the band “some love.”

When asked about the band’s goals, Phelps said, “My goals have always been to play music that leaves me feeling satisfied artistically, make enough to have a decent living and travel to exotic places. We all have jobs outside of music but for me, music has always been my main thing.”

For more on Drunken Kung Fu, visit their website drunkenkungfu.com. Admission to Wednesday’s event is free, as are all of the Nooners.