Marching in their footsteps many new bands have been formed in Italy since Funk Off's arrival on the music scene but it's the energy, sheer power and unity of the band together with the originality of their music, written and arranged by band founder and leader Dario Cecchini, that makes them unique and inimitable.
Dario Cecchini, has worked for more than twenty years with Jazz artists (Lee Konitz, Natalie Cole, Kenny Wheeler, Eumir Deodato, M. Giammarco, S. Bollani) as well as with pop stars (Eros Ramazzotti, Jovanotti, Biagio Antonacci, Giorgia, Alexia); he is the guy who makes the wheels turn and is the original founder member of Funk Off. Dario has played and appeared on more than 30 CDs; 8 of which were his own projects. His compositions may mix Funk, latin and rock rhythms with Jazz or they may simply go off in other musical directions. With Funk Off he analyses and develops the essence of “the band” in all its forms: harmony, sound, rhythm and visuals.
The band played around Europe in March 2002 and 2003 at Patrasso Carnival (Greece), in September 2003 at "Sete Sois Sete Luas Festival” in Castro Verde and Santa Maria de Feira (Portugal), in July 2004 at “Montreux Jazz Festival”, in July 2004 and 2006 at the “International Jazz Festival” of Istanbul.
After ending a wonderful 2004 in Orvieto's Umbria Jazz Winter, where Funk Off officially presented their second record "Little Beat", the band took flight towards New York, playing at the "International Association for Jazz Education" together with the best marchin' bands and jazz groups of the world.
In 2005 Funk Off got across the ocean again, but this time to play in Melbourne – Australia, partecipating to Umbria Jazz Melbourne and taking a lot of their energy and their Fonchi to the most important festival of the austral continent.
After a wonderful 2006 full of performances in Italy and the second partecipation at the Istanbul Jazz Festival, the third Funk Off album is born in 2007. Jazz On, released by the legendary Blue Note label, summarizes their musical trip begun nine years ago, transalting in music what they were living for in 13 new songs describing moments, locations, people, states of mind, emotions in new sounds and timbric solutions. Among the special guests on the album David Liebman, Stefano Bollani and Paolo Fresu.
During the 2008 they moved around Italy and Europe in the most beautiful venues and festivals, like the famous Vitoria Jazz Festival (Vitoria, Bilbao), the London Jazz Festival and Time in Jazz in Sardinia.
On June 22nd Funk Off organized a huge concert/party in their native town of Vicchio, from which comes the “Funk Made in Vicchio” motto, in order to celebrate their 10th anniversary.
2009 was spent playing around Italy and plans were made to record the fourth album where they invited Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez, Antonello Salis, Fabrizio Bosso and Gianluca Petrella to perform as special guests.

The album “Una Banda Così” was released in March 2010 on the newly founded label My Favorite records.

In May the band is ready to take over the world, kicking off the new tour with a performance at the massive concert in Piazza San Giovanni in Rome on May 1st and scheduled concerts at the Blue Note in Milan and Umbria jazz Festival to mention just a few.
In 2011 Funk Off were the only Italian artists invited to BMW Jazz Festival in Sao Paulo do Brasil.
In 2012 they also were the Official Marching Band at Umbria Jazz Festival performing in the fantastic Italian Festival for the tenth consecutive year.
In 2014 was released "Power to the Music" (Emarcy/Univeral) and the DVD "Live at Umbria Jazz 2014".