Harlem Underground Band was an American funk and jazz-funk project from the late 1970s. Consisting of George Benson (guitar), Dave "Baby" Cortez (organ), Willis Jackson (saxophone) and Sterling Magee (bass), as well as studio musicians and various vocalists including Ann, Paulette and Tanya Winley, the band made a name for itself with the single "Smokin' Cheeba-Cheeba" recorded for Paul Winley's label and the album Harlem Underground (1976), delivering raw funk enhanced by the mastery of jazz musicians. The New York band produced other singles in collaboration with Zulu Nation members Afrika Bambaataa and Soul Sonic Force, participating in the beginnings of hip-hop on "Vicious Rap" and "Zulu Nation Throw Down". Released in 2026, "Smokin' Cheeba-Cheeba" reached No. 74 in the UK singles chart.
