Soul Funk’d Ape

After years of performing and touring as the "Carpio Brothers Quartet", the group pivoted towards the creative exploration of their original music, giving birth to Soul Funk'd Ape.

A modern jazz ensemble based out of Hong Kong, their style combines multiple genres to create a unique, distinctive sound.

Known for their high energy performances, the band has toured various clubs, concert halls and high profile events across Asia.

Bernard’s love for music began at a very early age. From the age of three, he would lead his father's big band around the Dickens Bar with his toy saxophone, as they wrapped up their final songs of the afternoon.

Now an established performer, Bernard leads the big band from the front and has been featured by a number of Hong Kong's top artists including Kenny B and Teresa Carpio. In 2022, he co-hosted the concert Carpio Brothers - Back to the Dickens with his brother Chris, performing the big band music of their childhood, their father's compositions and their own take on jazz classics.

As he continues to develop into a world class saxophonist, Bernard aims to raise awareness of jazz and live music in Hong Kong and around the world.

Surrounded by music and rhythm from birth, Chris' journey as a musician has been uniquely diverse. From being a passionate sportsman who represented Hong Kong Rugby U20s to directing and performing at prestigious events around the globe, his life experiences have deeply influenced his musical creativity.

Whether working as a session musician, composer, arranger or musical director, Chris strives for perfection in every role he takes on. This commitment to professionalism was recognised by Hong Kong Tatler, who featured him on their inaugural Generation T List. In 2022, Chris was showcased in two concerts, Carpio Brothers - Back to the Dickens, featuring the Tony Carpio Big Band and The Little Giant - Michel Petrucciani Tribute, in collaboration with French May Hong Kong.

Alongside his performances, Chris’ passion for music has driven him to educate and inspire others.

Huang is a Taiwanese drummer based in Hong Kong and Taipei. After becoming the youngest winner of the Best Drummer award at the Yamaha Asian Beat Grand Final, he began performing as a jazz musician internationally. Adept in various genres and styles, Huang is also highly sought after in the Mando- and Canto-pop scenes, having contributed to numerous pop music productions and concerts.

In 2014 and 2015, he played with Crowd Lu for his Taipei Arena concerts and various music festivals. In 2015, he became bandleader for Sky Wu’s tour, performing in nearly 20 concerts across Asia. In 2016, he toured with Aga (Agatha Kong) and also played as the drummer for Andy Lau’s world tour My Love Andy Lau.

Huang was invited to serve as a jury member for the 2020 Golden Indie Music Awards, and has been working on his YouTube channel, Fish Huang on Drums. He is currently working on the new album for his band R.O.O.T.

Huang is an endorser for Canopus Drums, Meinl Cymbals & Schlagwerk.

Despite being utterly blind since birth, perfect pitch is just one of the many remarkable traits of Jezrael Lucero. According to his dad, Jezrael was singing Sinatra’s Strangers in the Night at just 13 months old, playing classical concertos on the piano at two, and performing at hotels and appearing on TV shows since he was four.

In addition to being a tremendously gifted jazz pianist, with fingers that can dance like praying mantises or scramble like frenzied locusts across the keyboard, he is also a singer, arranger, drummer, bass-player, and guitarist.