By: Brian Crisp, Kristin A. Hasler
 The Funk Brothers perform at Baker's Keyboard Lounge in STANDING IN THE SHADOWS OF MOTOWN. Photo by: Karen Sas (Property of Artisan Entertainment) |
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Sunday Evening Service with the Funk Brothers
Although many people celebrated Easter Sunday with religious services and family gatherings, the true celebration occurred at the Quest Sunday evening as the legendary Motown recording artists, the Funk Brothers, performed a 2 ½ hour concert.
In 1959 while still located in Detroit, Motown, Jack Ashford, Bob Babbit, Joe Hunter, Uriel Jones, Joe Messina, Eddie Willis and now-deceased members Benny Benjamin, James Jamerson, Eddie Brown, Earl Van Dyke, Robert White and Richard Allan provided the arrangements to Motown's greatest songs from that era. Under the guidance of Barry Gordy these artists were the musical backbone for legends such as Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson, The Supremes, The Temptations and Stevie Wonder.
Sunday's performance replaced the original Motown vocalists with guests Joan Osborne, Bootsy Collins, Darlene Love and Maxi Priest. With such an impressive line-up, including back-up singers Delbert Nelson, Carla Benson and John Ingram who alternately led the band in between guest vocalists, the music of the era and the talent of the Funk Brothers remained the highlight of the concert.
Throughout the marathon of classic soul music, each artist engaged the crowd in music now solidified as a quintessential part of pop culture history. Bootsy Collins, accompanied by his ever-present female dancer funked up the crowd with "Cool Jerk." A dynamic performer always clad in eye-popping threads, Bootsy involved the audience on stage and off as he added tinges of his Parliament-Funkadelic years to this song the Funk Brothers recorded for Capital records. Maxi Priest delivered smooth and soulful renditions of "What's Going On?" and "It's a Shame" proving the Motown sound also influenced a generation of European pop stars. Reservations regarding Joan Osborne's ability subsided as she delivered satisfying renditions of "What Becomes of the Broken Hearted?" and "Don't Mess With Bill". Yet, as with all the vocalists, the original Motown players brought the music to life. This vibrant passion was most evident in the group finale of "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" and the encore of "Aint Too Proud to Beg."
Alan Slutsky, author of the book "Standing in the Shadows of Motown" on which the documentary of the same name is based, and a touring guitar player with the Brothers, confided with the audience he was a little upset with the Brothers: they keep telling new stories at the live performances, well after the completion of the movie. The documentary intertwines musical performance with incredible anecdotes, as do the live shows. Jack "Black Jack" Ashford, tambourine and percussion, recalled touring with Marvin Gaye in the days of shag carpet. Joe Hunter, piano, delighted audiences with his robust dancing and diatribe about the joys of "corn liquor." This jovial quality carried over as the original members stayed well after the concert to meet and discuss their musical contributions with waiting fans.
The documentary, directed by Paul Justman, tells the true story of the Motown Detroit years and the Funk Brothers immense musical influence. This documentary received many well-deserved accolades by the National Society of Film Critics, The New York Film Critics Circle and the National Academy for Recording Arts.
To see the Brothers live on tour telling their stories both musically and autobiographically gives living proof these guys are living legends. As incredible as the film is, there is, as Bootsy Collins aptly proclaimed Sunday evening, "no party like a Funk Brothers 'cause a Funk Brothers' party don't stop."
Location Info:
The Quest Club
Artist Info: The Funk Brothers
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