What it Is! Funky Soul and Rare Grooves
(Rhino)
The influence of James Brown looms large over this four-CD festival of funk from the vaults of Atlantic, Atco and Warner, especially on tracks such as Try it Again by Bobby Byrd and Four Play by Fred Wesley. But there’s also a strong New Orleans influence, led by the Meters, Allen Toussaint, Tami Lynn and the great Dr John.
It’s also good to see more obscure but no less worthy cuts by Titus Turner, Johnny Tolbert and Black Haze Express given an airing alongside more familiar material by Earth Wind and Fire and Curtis Mayfield.
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JOHN CLARKE