Local funk trio Adequate put the fun in funk music
It has taken seven years, including an extra year due to Covid, but Adequate are excited for Lethbridge to get funky with their brand new eponymous CD, which drops on June 11.
But first the high spirited trio of Scott Mezei, Keenan Pezderic and Josh Thorlakson will be releasing two singles from the 11 track CD. 
“Bike Shorts” is out on April 30 and the follow-up, “Groove,” a collaboration with Calgary musician Mariah Stokes, drops on May 21.
“We like to consider ourselves the missionaries of funk,” Mezei chuckled over a Zoom call with the band.
“ Yes. Do you have time for us to tell you about the word of the funk,” added Pezderic.
The trio are experienced musicians and veterans of the Lethbridge scene who have known each other since around 2002 and who have played in a variety of different bands including country, pop and even heavy metal bands, but decided to bring the funk out seven years ago.
Pezderic and Mezei are familiar faces with New West Theatre. But they have carved out a unique “groove” together playing funk music.
“We feel we were born in the wrong generation,” Mezei observed.
“We love the funk music of the ’60s and ’70s but not a lot of people were doing it. Though bands like Five Alarm Funk really paved the way for us” he continued.
“ We find our music reminds them a lot of their childhoods, because we have fans who are in their 20s but also people in their 40s and 50s,” Pezderic added.
“It’s a lot of fun to play and it’s fun for the audience to listen to,” Pezderic continued.
They chose “Bike Shorts” as the first single because it is a fun song to play.
“It’s a nice, short, fun, upbeat song. And it’s a crowd favourite when we play it live. Besides who doesn’t want to shout out ‘Bike Shorts,’” Mezei said.
“And it really showcases all three of our playing,” Thorlakson said.
“We’ve all gone to different music schools,” he noted.
They recorded most of their CD last year with Ryland Moranz producing at Leeroy Stagger’s Rebeltone Studios, just before Stagger moved to Victoria.
“We were one one of the last artists he recorded before he moved,” Pezderic said.
“We recorded most of it live off the floor except for the solos and some of the vocals,” Thorlakson recalled.
They wrote most of the songs together as a group, though Kennan Pezderic wrote ‘Leana,’ and ‘Highway 5.’
“ There’s lots of instrument swapping on the CD,” Mezei added, noting they wanted the CD to capture the feel of their live show as closely as possible.
“But there will be some surprises, except for people who have been to every show we’ve played,” Pezderic said, adding the CD was delayed because they had counted on a lot of gigs to fund the CD, which got cancelled by Covid.
“But we all got side jobs, so we were able to complete it,” Pezderic said, noting they couldn’t sit on the CD any longer, so they are excited to finally be able to release it beginning with the two singles.
Thorlakson said the second single will be new to a lot of people.
“We wrote it with Mariah Stokes. We met her during Project Wild. We wrote it with her on the first weekend, played it for an audience on the second weekend and recorded it on the third. So all told it took three weeks from conception to birth,” Thorlakson said.
“It’s a banger,” he enthused.
They recorded “Groove” in OCL Studio in Chestermere/ Calgary.
The CD is a mostly local effort as Steve Foord designed the CD booklet, Jamie Vederes and Pezderic’s mom Denise supplied the sleeve photos.
Ronan Chris Murphy mastered the CD at Veneto West Studios in Los Angeles. He mastered several other Lethbridge artists’ CDs including Makiisma’s “Lady Misery.” Plus he came highly recommended by Southern Alberta uber-producer Steve Loree.
They had an artist in India design the cover.
“ We couldn’t find anybody local who could do the ’60s psychedelic Hendrix style design we wanted,” Pezderic observed.
“ We‘re really happy with how the CD sounds,” Pezderic continued.
“ We can’t wait to get out and play again,” he said, adding the music will be available on all platforms.
“And if you really want a hard copy, you can order it through Bandcamp. or if you live close by, we can deliver one to you in person or we can ship it to you” Pezderic said.
The first single “ Bike Shorts” is available, April 30 on all platforms.
