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Standing in the Shadows of Motown

PostPosted: 16 Dec 2008, 16:14
by compact
the funk brothers!

In addition to the songwriting prowess of the writers and producers, one of the major factors in the widespread appeal of Motown's music was Gordy's practice of using a highly select and tight-knit group of studio musicians, collectively known as "The Funk Brothers", to record the instrumental or "band" tracks of the Motown songs. Among the studio musicians responsible for the "Motown Sound" were keyboardists Earl Van Dyke, Johnny Griffith, and Joe Hunter; guitarists Joe Messina, Robert White, and Eddie Willis; percussionists Eddie "Bongo" Brown and Jack Ashford; drummers Benny Benjamin, Uriel Jones, and Richard "Pistol" Allen; and bassists James Jamerson and Bob Babbitt. The band's career and work is chronicled in the 2002 documentary film Standing in the Shadows of Motown.

Much of the Motown Sound came from the use of overdubbed and duplicated instrumentation. Motown songs regularly featured two drummers instead of one (either overdubbed or in unison), as well as three or four guitar lines. Bassist James Jamerson often played his instrument with only his index finger, and created many of the basslines apparent on Motown songs such as "You Can't Hurry Love" by The Supremes.


Re: Standing in the Shadows of Motown

PostPosted: 16 Dec 2008, 21:48
by UncleVibes
I really appreciate your musical anthology, I wish this message as the other one about reggae music anthology could stand a long time in the header of this forum. :biggrin:

Re: Standing in the Shadows of Motown

PostPosted: 16 Dec 2008, 22:20
by polocorp
I saw the movie... Not that good a movie actually for such a great theme and musical era. But it got me into exploring and playing more of the mowtown music.

More on the infamous funk brothers :

The Funk Brothers was the nickname of Detroit, Michigan, session musicians who performed the backing to most Motown Records recordings from 1959 until 1972, when the company moved to Los Angeles. The Funk Brothers played on Motown hits such as "My Girl", "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", "Baby Love", "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours", "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone", "The Tears of a Clown", and "(Love is Like a) Heat Wave".
The role of the Funk Brothers is described in Paul Justman's 2002 documentary film Standing in the Shadows of Motown, based on Allan Slutsky's book of the same name. The opening titles proclaim the Funk Brothers as "having played on more number-one records than The Beatles, Elvis, The Rolling Stones, and The Beach Boys combined."


source : wkipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Funk_Brothers

Re: Standing in the Shadows of Motown

PostPosted: 17 Dec 2008, 01:17
by compact
UncleVibes wrote:I really appreciate your musical anthology, I wish this message as the other one about reggae music anthology could stand a long time in the header of this forum. :biggrin:


unfortunally, i haven´t got any mod-rights in this forum :cry: i would, if i could :mrgreen: but maybe it´s a little too special to make it sticky ...?


thanks uncle.


mello-d.

Re: Standing in the Shadows of Motown

PostPosted: 17 Dec 2008, 16:05
by compact
polocorp wrote:I saw the movie... Not that good a movie actually for such a great theme and musical era. But it got me into exploring and playing more of the mowtown music.

wich motown tracks do you play in your sets?


the trailer is a little "cheesy" too imo ....


Re: Standing in the Shadows of Motown

PostPosted: 17 Dec 2008, 16:38
by polocorp
my favorite :

The four tops - Reach out i'll be there
MArtha Reeves & the Vandelles - Nowhere to run

& a bunch of Marvin gaye, The temptations, The supremes of course. i play theese tracks in a small club called le Tania. Playing tommorw night. all oldies fom 50s to 80s :D

Re: Standing in the Shadows of Motown

PostPosted: 17 Dec 2008, 18:26
by compact
...i would be interested in hearing one of those set´s :mrgreen: nice, didn´t know you also play classic soul sets, very kewl! :cool:


Re: Standing in the Shadows of Motown

PostPosted: 18 Dec 2008, 12:17
by polocorp
i blend in motown, sixties rock, new wave, italo disco, leftfield disco, indie stuff, big band and crooners, rare grooves, rockabilly, some 90s hip hop... It's a selecta kinda gig not really a DJ set ;)