Some might call their sound groovy and smooth. And if you look at their list of upcoming venues, you might throw them into the jam band category. But for Chicago-based group, The Heard, they simply consider themselves a good-old fashioned funk band, bringing that old school sound into the modern age. From the band’s early roots in Chicago’s neighboring suburb, Oak Park, to hitting festival stages across the country, The Heard has been traveling far and wide in the name of Funk. Before they prepare to get funky at the city’s Taste of Randolph Festival on June 21, the Heard brings us a taste of powerful horn melodies, sharp keyboard sounds and deep pockets of rhythm and bass.