AA.VV.
Funk Spectrum III: Real Funk For Real People

The third volume dedicated to obscure and not-so-obscure groups of the Funk era, this is the best of the batch.

This work of musical archaeology, similar to what other labels have done with American garage music (Nuggets, Pebbles, Storm in the Garage, etc.), is appreciated for the great performances it contains. It’s pointless to dwell on the biographies of the various groups present; in fact, I don't know all of them. There should be well-documented books on the myriad of funk groups from the period.

We find the funk-blues of BB King with a string ensemble, classic electric funk keyboard, and of course, the Lucille of the great blues guitarist. The track is "Chains and things". The dizzying wha wha rhythm in the style of Sly and The Family Stones and the pumping bass in the track "Jones'n" by the Soulsistics are worthy of a Blaxploitation movie soundtrack. Meanwhile, the track "Nothin' But A Party (Part II)" by the Blenders is appreciated for the drum work and absolutely appropriate Hammond organ; a Prince, for example, would have surely gone wild listening to this 45. You can also hear echoes of Funkadelic in it. On the more melodic funky side, let’s say like some pieces by Barry White, we have "You're Welcome, Stop On By" by Vickie Anderson (Momie-O). Lee Doorsey, on the other hand, steals the beginning of Chuck Berry’s rock & roll in "A Lover Was Born"

In "We Are The Chosen Few" by the Choose Few, there’s a very beautiful flange guitar intro before the brass enters to give a more soulful atmosphere to the track, one of my favorites. There’s also a piece by the Grand Funk Railroad clearly more focused on the group's guitar rock; the piece is titled "Nothing the same"

The mostly instrumental tracks are really numerous; in total, we have 22 tracks, all beautiful and electrifying. I recommend this compilation to everyone, a good base for delving, as I am starting to, into a world made of truly talented rhythmic instrumentalists. Creative bassists and drummers capable of exceptional time changes.