Standing in the Shadows of Motown

( 2 )

Editorial Reviews

Barnes & Noble - Dave Gil de Rubio
Between 1959 and 1973, Motown's house musicians, the Funk Brothers, provided the musical blueprint for every song released by the label. By the end of this phenomenal era they'd played on more No. 1 hits than the Beach Boys, the Rolling Stones, the Beatles, and Elvis Presley combined. Standing in the Shadows of Motown is the soundtrack to the same-named documentary and book, which recount the remarkable journey of phenomenal unknown greats like drummer Benny Benjamin. The songs here were recorded at a live concert by the surviving Funk Brothers -- including bandleader John Hunter, guitarist Joe Messina, and drummer Uriel Jones -- who reunited for the first time in ...
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Editorial Reviews

Barnes & Noble - Dave Gil de Rubio
Between 1959 and 1973, Motown's house musicians, the Funk Brothers, provided the musical blueprint for every song released by the label. By the end of this phenomenal era they'd played on more No. 1 hits than the Beach Boys, the Rolling Stones, the Beatles, and Elvis Presley combined. Standing in the Shadows of Motown is the soundtrack to the same-named documentary and book, which recount the remarkable journey of phenomenal unknown greats like drummer Benny Benjamin. The songs here were recorded at a live concert by the surviving Funk Brothers -- including bandleader John Hunter, guitarist Joe Messina, and drummer Uriel Jones -- who reunited for the first time in almost three decades to play a set of Motown classics sung by current singers. Notable performances include Joan Osborne digging into "(Love Is like a) Heat Wave" and "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted," P-Funk's Bootsy Collins bouncing through "Cool Jerk" and "Do You Love Me," and Gerald Levert getting gritty with saxophonist Tom Scott on a ripping rendition of "Shotgun." Elsewhere, Meshell Ndegeocello caresses "You've Really Got a Hold on Me" and delivers a tasty slice of psychedelia on "Cloud Nine," while Chaka Khan slips into a stellar "What's Going On" before playing Tammy Terrell to Montell Jordan's Marvin Gaye on a killer "Ain't No Mountain High Enough." The Funk Brothers showcase their formidable chops on instrumental versions of "You Keep Me Hangin' On" and "Bernadette" as well as "The Flick," their theme song, which bubbles over with chugging rhythms, snappy guitar riffs, and ebullient organ runs. With Standing in the Shadows of Motown, the Funk Brothers finally get their props, penning an important, previously unwritten chapter of musical history.
All Music Guide - William Ruhlmann
During Paul Justman's film documentary Standing in the Shadows of Motown, based on Al Slutsky's book of the same name about the session musicians who played on Motown recordings in Detroit from the late '50s to the early '70s, one of the interviewees is heard to comment that once those musicians, who dubbed themselves the Funk Brothers, finished cutting a backing track, it almost didn't matter who sang over it. It is no criticism of the singers who appear on this soundtrack album, which consists mainly of the new performances of Motown hits that punctuate the film, to say that the music heard here bears that observation out. The singers have been well chosen for the songs. Me'Shell NdegéOcello, for example, offers a contemporary gloss on Smokey Robinson's "You've Really Got a Hold on Me" and channels Eddie Kendricks on the Temptations' "Cloud Nine," while Gerald Levert makes like Levi Stubbs on the Four Tops' "Reach out I'll Be There," Joan Osborne lives up to Martha Reeves on the Vandellas' "Love Is Like A Heat Wave," and Bootsy Collins brings humor and outrageousness to the Contours' "Do You Love Me" and the Capitols' "Cool Jerk." But the legend on the back of the disc, "Starring the Funk Brothers on all tracks" is well put. This is a cohesive group, not just some studio professionals. The band is mixed louder and much more clearly than they were in the 1960s, when their sound was compressed, toned down behind the vocalists, and presented at least on the AM radios on which it was most frequently heard in mono. While the Motown sound was the product of its singers, songwriters, arrangers, and producers as well as the musicians who played the instruments, their contribution has been undervalued, and this recording demonstrates that amply.
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Product Details

  • Release Date: 9/24/2002
  • Label: Hip-O Records
  • UPC: 044006469126
  • Catalog Number: 064691
  • Sales rank: 6,904

Tracks

Disc 1
  1. 1 (Love Is Like A) Heat Wave @@Joan Osborne
  2. 2 You've Really Got a Hold on Me @@Meshell Ndegeocello
  3. 3 Do You Love Me @@Bootsy Collins
  4. 4 Bernadette @@Funk Brothers
  5. 5 Reach Out I'll Be There @@Gerald Levert
  6. 6 Ain't Too Proud to Beg @@Ben Harper
  7. 7 Shotgun @@Tom Scott
  8. 8 What Becomes of the Brokenhearted @@Joan Osborne
  9. 9 I Heard It Through the Grapevine @@Ben Harper
  10. 10 You Keep Me Hanging On @@Funk Brothers
  11. 11 Cool Jerk @@Bootsy Collins
  12. 12 Cloud Nine @@Meshell Ndegeocello
  13. 13 What's Going On @@Chaka Khan
  14. 14 Band Introduction/Ain't No Mountain High Enough @@Chaka Khan
  15. 15 The Flick @@Earl VanDyke
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Album Credits

Performance Credits
Marcus Belgrave Trumpet
Tom Scott Flute, Saxophone, Soloist
Johnny Griffith Keyboards
Mike Pedicin Saxophone
Larry Abramovitz Violin
Richard "Pistol" Allen Drums
Jack Ashford Percussion, Vibes
Bob Babbitt Bass
Davis A. Barnett Viola
Carla Benson Background Vocals
Bootsy Collins Vocals
Eddie "Bongo" Brown Organ, Conga, Soloist
Edward Gooch Trombone
Ted Greenberg French Horn, Hand Clapping
John Ingram Background Vocals
James Jamerson Jr. Bass
Uriel Jones Drums
Seth Justman Hand Clapping
Ron Kerber Saxophone
Kasuku Mafia Saxophone, Soloist
MeShell NdegeOcello Vocals
Joe Messina Guitar
Demetrios Pappas Keyboards
Rudy Robinson Keyboards
Ernie Rodgers Saxophone
Florence Rosenweig Violin
Evan Solot Trumpet
Levi Stubbs Vocals
Danny Turner Saxophone, Soloist
Earl Van Dyke Keyboards
Eddie Willis Guitar, Soloist
William Zaccagni Saxophone
Keith Benson Background Vocals
Orest Artymiw Violin
Olga Konopelsky Violin
Anthony Pirollo Celli
Richard Hotchkiss Celli
Robert White Guitar
Steve Jordan Musical Direction
Joe Hunter Keyboards
Ron Kischuk Trombone
Misty Love Background Vocals
Luigi Mazzocchi Violin
Maurice Davis Trumpet
Technical Credits
Tom Scott Horn Arrangements
Wade Marcus Arranger
Jack Butler Interviewer
Lamont Dozier Producer
Paul Elliott Executive Producer
Berry Gordy Jr. Composer, Producer
Ted Greenberg Producer, Pro-Tools
Eddie Holland Composer
Brian Holland Producer
Lawrence Horn Producer
Seth Justman Arranger
Kooster McAllister Engineer
Kevin Reeves Mastering
Paul Riser Arranger
David Scott Executive Producer
Willie Shorter Arranger
David Van De Pitte Arranger
Harry Weinger Producer
Norman Whitfield Composer
Mike Tarsia Engineer
Vartan Art Direction
Ritchie Rome Arranger
Chris Zurzolo Pro-Tools
Pat Lawrence Executive Producer
Benny Benjamin Contributor
Michele Horie Artwork
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Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4.5
( 2 )
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Sort by: Showing all of 2 Customer Reviews

  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    Motown Lives forever

    A group of people from different cultures and ethnic backgrounds come together,and give us the delightful sounds of what music should sound like. Masters of sound, groove and soul and passion to play and teach. This was a great documentary. I highly recommend this for everyone to view.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted March 27, 2010

    No text was provided for this review.

Sort by: Showing all of 2 Customer Reviews