In 2002, the fabulous documentary Standing In The Shadows Of Motown presented one by one — and together! — the Funk Brothers, the house band that played on Berry Gordy’s tube assembly line the essential roles of cement, glue and groove. Well, in the shadow of their shadow, there were many complementary musicians, and many instrumental pieces decanted from the formidable mould. The researchers at Ace Records have unearthed a nice little batch of them, which obviously includes some recreations of the Funk Brothers around the playing master Earl Van Dyke, as well as very free and ample jams by the same Van Dyke with the Soul Brothers (at do not mix up). There is also a Stevie Wonder who does not sing, too busy blowing his harmonica (Let Me Loose), and a Junior Walker similarly requisitioned by his saxophone and his All Stars. And who is this Eivets Rednow who brews Grazing In The Grass ? Stevie again, spelled backwards. We had recognized him.
To see in video