Classic Rock Musings, Rants & Raves

Session musicians rarely get the proper recognition they deserve. Oh yeah, there’s a few who stick out — guys like Robben Ford, Jim Keltner and Nicky Hopkins come to mind. Then there are the session groups — Booker T. Jones & the MGs, The Wrecking Crew, The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, Toto and the Funk Brothers. Out of all these, the Funk Brothers have played on more hits than any of them.

We’re talking about legendary Motown hits like The Tempatations’ “My Girl,” Marvin Gaye’s “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” and Stevie Wonder’s “Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours.” Now, after years of standing in the shadows, the Funk Brothers have thrown a live revue together and released a CD and DVD combo plate under their own name called Live In Orlando.

The release the Paul Justman’s 2002 documentary film Standing In the Shadows of Motown (based on Allan Slutsky’s book) unveiled the Funk Brothers as the magic behind Motown from 1959 until 1972, In fact, during the opening credits, viewers are made aware that the Funk Brothers “played on more Number One records than the Beatles, Elvis, The Rolling Stones, and The Beach Boys — combined.”

The group has been a revolving door for a number of top-notch players, including bandleader Joe Hunter, pianist Earl Van Dyke, bassist James Jamerson, guitarist Eddie Willis, drummer Uriel Jones, bassist Bob Babbitt and Melvin “Wah-Wah Watson” Ragin, who introduced the wah-wah pedal sound that defined Motown’s soul records of the late 60s and early 70s.

Uncredited for most of their time behind the great Motown hits, Willis, Babbitt and Jones are joined by eight other musicians and singers for an hour-long history lesson of Hitsville U.S.A.

Recorded live at the Universal Theme Park at a 2005/06 New Year’s Eve party, the Funk Brothers and friends run through 13 hits like the Supremes’ “Can’t Hurry Love,” Martha and the Vandellas’ ‘”Dancing In The Streets,” Jr. Walker & The All Stars’ “Shotgun” and Jackie Wilson’s “higher and Higher.” So crank it up and get ready to funk with the original funk soul brothers.