Miles Tackett founded the ten-piece Los Angeles, California, funk “orchestra” known as Breakestra in 1996.
Tackett, also known as “Musicman,” performs on the upright cello, upright bass, guitar, keyboards, drums, and guitar. Together with Mix Master Wolf, the other frontman, he sings as well. According to The Live Mix, Parts 1 and 2, the funk and soul-jazz music from the late 1960s and early 1970s as well as the corresponding samples used in late 1980s and early 1990s hip hop greatly impacted the way in which Breakestra performs both live and on record.
After releasing their first 7-inch single, “Getcho Soul Togetha,” which was actually an original composition, in 1999 on Stones Throw Records and two full-length albums of primarily covers and breaks with lots of samples, Breakestra released Hit the Floor on Ubiquity Records in 2005. This album featured only original songs that combined hip-hop, funk, and soul influences. Late in 2009, Tackett released “Dusk Till Dawn,” another one of his original full-length albums, which included soul singer Afrodyete, also known as “the African goddess of love,” and guests rapper Chali 2na and the late DJ DUSK. When not completing tasks in his home studio, Tackett keeps touring with various iterations of the Breakestra.
As the soundtrack for Tony Hawk’s American Wasteland’s in-game audio, Breakestra covered The Mohawks’ “Champ” in 2005.
