In the weeks leading up to the Houston Press Music Awards showcase on Sunday, August 4, Rocks Off will be profiling a handful of performers each day, mostly in their own words - part of the best top-to-bottum lineup the showcase has ever had, in our humble opinion. See the showcase schedule and ticket information at HPMusicAwards.com, and watch Twitter (@hprocksoff) every day until the showcase for your chance to win tickets.

To which member are we speaking? What are you nominated for? Kwesi Sackey, Best Soul/Funk/R&B.

Please list all of your regular band members and what instruments they play. Blake Shepard, vocals, guitar; Kwesi Sackey, bass, vocals; Jordan Bell, guitar; Michael Hatter, drums; James Murphy, saxophone, EWI (Electronic Wind Instrument); Matthew Hartnett, trombone; Stephen Forse, trumpet.

Describe your band in four to seven words. Funky dance-rock with crispy horns.

Who is your single biggest musical influence and why? Instead of "who" I'll say that our single biggest musical influence is the time period between the late 70's and early 80's. Albums like [Michael Jackson's] Off the Wall and The Stones' Some Girls are examples of records produced during that era that really speak to us, not to mention all the incredible obscure disco, electro-funk, and boogie singles that were released then.

We reference all of the great stuff from that time, but we aren't going for a "throwback" vibe; we always make sure to apply a modern touch and stay true to our sound when we write a song. Bottom line is we love listening to and making music that grooves, but it's gotta be dirty!

What recordings (if any) do you have readily available? Our new full-length album, Skintight & Solid Gold, will be released on vinyl, CD, and iTunes through GR8-Heights Records come the end of the month. Our album release party is at House of Blues' Bronze Peacock Room on July 27. We also have our first EP, Laser Laser Laser Beams (2009), available on iTunes.