The Bamboos are an Australian soul and funk band formed in Melbourne in 2000 by New Zealand-born guitarist, producer and songwriter Lance Ferguson. The original four-piece featured Ferguson alongside Ben Grayson on Hammond organ, Stuart Speed on bass and Scott Lambie on drums. The group began by playing instrumental funk at Melbourne's Night Cat, drawing heavily on the sounds of The Meters, James Brown, Grant Green, Ivan “Boogaloo Joe” Jones and Reuben Wilson.

The Bamboos released their debut 7-inch, “Eel Oil / Blackfoot,” in 2001, establishing a connection with the international deep-funk DJ scene. Their early records were released in limited quantities on vinyl, including singles on Tru Thoughts and Kay-Dee Records. The group's debut album, Step It Up, followed in 2006, with Alice Russell appearing on two tracks.

As the band developed, their sound expanded beyond instrumental deep funk to incorporate soul, Hip Hop, psychedelic pop and cinematic influences. Vocalist Kylie Auldist became a central part of the group, appearing on their subsequent albums, while The Bamboos have also worked with artists including Aloe Blacc, Durand Jones, Joey Dosik, Daniel Merriweather, Alice Russell and Tim Rogers.

Their catalogue includes albums such as Step It Up (2006), Rawville (2007), 4 (2010), Medicine Man (2012), Fever In The Road (2013), Night Time People (2018) and Hard Up (2021). Their 2023 album This Is How You Do It was described by the band as their 11th studio album.

The Bamboos were among the first Australian soul and funk groups to build a significant international following during the modern funk revival. They were the first Australian soul/funk act to be signed to an overseas label and subsequently toured the UK and Europe, helping connect Melbourne's emerging funk scene with the international deep-funk and DJ community.

With Lance Ferguson as their founder and creative backbone and Kylie Auldist as a defining vocalist, The Bamboos have developed from a small Melbourne instrumental funk group into a long-running nine-piece band whose music connects classic funk and soul with contemporary songwriting, production and vocal arrangements.