Stanton Moore....have you heard his stuff

Just to add a few more:

Funky Meters (available at musictoday)
I also enjoy The Meters
Robert Randolph
Airto Moreira (a brazilian precusionist who is truely under-rated)
Deep Banana Blackout
Funky Precedent (a compilation of the roots of jazz funk)
James Hurt
Count Basie
The Crusaders
Corduroy
Ulu
Addison Groove Project

If you weren't a jazz fan before you will be after absorbing afeww of these. The only downside is that I find myself wishing that some of the other bands/artists that I listen to would "rub a little funk on it".

It's wonderful to hear that someone else is venturing into an area of music that I did ,also, about 1yr. ago.

Check out:
Greyboy All-stars
Soulive (my personal favorite, check out their first or last 2 albums, the middle 2 suck)
Karl Denson
Groove Collective
Brooklynn Funk Essentials
Liquid Soul
The Slip
Lettuce
Joshua Redman
Masters of Groove
Medeski, Martin & Wood
Papa Grows Funk
Jimmy Smith
etc.

If you go to Amazon check out the Jazz jam band section. Then look at the favorites lists on the right side of the screen.

This should get you going.