STANDING IN THE SHADOWS OF MOTOWN!

The Funk Brothers Reunited in 2002!

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A confession is in order. Mine! I was in a Bose store in Southern Florida last summer, and I accepted a free offer to sit inside their 14 seat "Theater" to watch a movie extolling the very real virtues of the amazing Bose sound system technology. Suddenly, 19 bars into a Motown song, I found myself blown away by an assemblage of musicians on the screen that seemed to resonate in my memory but I recognized no one. The performances were so exacting and well performed that common sense told me there was something more to this concert. So, I contacted Bud Buckley to see if he knew anything about this (Bud performs his gigs with a Bose P.A. System). Bud replied that he too had heard of this concert event and intended to track it down. Fortunately, I have a less demanding schedule than Bud's at the moment, and I'm pleased to share with you that I found the film! The result is this week's "Friday Movie Suggestion Night" pick: "STANDING IN THE SHADOWS OF MOTOWN"! This concert will blow you away with sheer JOY!

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Paul Justman's documentary pays tribute to one of the most influential and yes, unrecognized collection of musicians that has ever been assembled called "The Funk Brothers". These musicians played the background music on every Motown classic in the 1960s and 1970s, resulting in a non-stop roller-coaster resume that boasts more number one hits than The Beatles, The Beach Boys, The Rolling Stones, and Elvis Presley combined! This film was shot on location in Detroit, Michigan after Justman actually managed to locate and reunite the surviving members as they share stories of the groups' glorious past. A celebration of the late Bassist James Jamerson, whose fiery showmanship (and technical virtuosity) was largely responsible for shaping The Funk Brothers' supremely distinct sound much in the same way Brian Wilson's brilliant stewardship of The Beach Boys string of hits beginning in the early 1960's, through the 70's and 80's is even reflected in his own solo efforts. There's that unmistakable thread you can;'t help but identify! The Reunion Concert will leave you with an unforgettable experience with some incredible archival footage, and a collection of vocal support of several contemporary artists, including Joan Osborne, Ben Harper, Chaka Kahn, Gerald Levert, and Bootsy Collins. I want to take great care here to state that Berry Gordy, Marvin Gaye and Diana Ross' involvement remains legendary. But history must be set straight. And previous television programs I have seen have tended to support the legend that Gordy did it all. Not so. I have said this before in this BLOG: "Nobody ever does it all by themselves". The Funk Brothers prove that they haven't lost a beat. Based on the book by Allan "Dr. Licks" Slutsky, STANDING IN THE SHADOWS OF MOTOWN gives long-overdue credit to a group of unassuming musicians who quietly created one of popular music's most enduring and spectacular musical legacies. If you play music or just plain love music, don't miss this feature! And by all means, feel free to "crank it up".

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The Cast: Director: Paul Justman; Music: The Funk Brothers; Narrator: Andre Braugher; The Musical Artists: Joan Osbourne, Gerald Levert, Meshell Ndegéocello, Bootsy Collins, Ben Harper, Chaka Kahn, Montell Jordan, Tom Scott, Jack Ashford, Bob Babbitt, Johnny Griffith, Joe Hunter, Uriel Jones, Joe Messina, Eddie "Chank" Willis, Source Writer: Allan "Dr. Licks" Slutsky; Producers: Sandy Passman, Allan "Dr. Licks" Slutsky, Paul Justman; Director of Photography: Douglas Milsome; Director of Photography: Lon Stratton.

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I'M ESPECIALLY PROUD TO FEATURE THIS ONE.

ENJOY!