Review: The on point Funk Night label returns with these raw and emotive jams from Rickey Calloway & The Tennessee Band. The tidy two track 7" opens with the raw soul jazz sounds of 'Everybody Say Yeah' with its blasts of horns, expressive vocals and rolling rhythm section all cutting deep. Flip it over for the slightly more loose feeling 'Mr Meaner,' an instrumental version with the backing singers left in place to inject some human warmth to the lo-fi grooves.
Rickey Calloway & His Tennessee Band - "Do It On The One (Stay In The Pocket)" (3:10)
The Tennessee Band - "Ain't It A Crime" (instrumental) (3:06)
Review: Funk Night cop a couple of fine funk gems here from Rickey Calloway. He is an r&b singer, as well as a rhythm guitar musician and songwriter from Jacksonville, Florida. His Tennessee Band helps him serve up funk that comes direct from the 70s, James Brown style. Both of the singles here are [rimed to fire up the floor, with 'Do It On The One (Stay In The Pocket)' the more direct of the two and the flip side 'Ain't It A Crime' (instrumental) going deeper.
Review: A lovely new 45 from Detroit funk/hip-hop label Funk Night Records .Rickey Calloway started his music career at the tender age of 13, clowning around in rest periods doing James Brown imitations. It's with the spirit of Brown's backing band The JB's that the Daptone label's house band, The Dap Kings, turn Rickey's vocal track original into a groove led funk set of instrumentals. This version is heavy on the guitar licks with smatterings of bongo percussion, smouldering Hammond organ and punchy brass stabs without the confines of vocals. Highly recommended.
Review: This latest seven from Frank Raines Funk Night label is so hot there is steam rising off the wax! It sees funk troupe The Soul Surfers team up with vocalist Coko and we hope it's the first of several collaborations as there is a real studio chemistry on display here. There's a raw energy to Coko's vocal delivery that is reminiscent of Betty Davis and her vocals and the backing accompaniment sit perfectly on a killer groove arrangement from The Soul Surfers. The partnership shows a different side on the flip with "Wicked" a pensive Blues number that is fairly dominated by Coko's raspy singing.
Review: Two of Funk Night Records' most distinctive and innovative acts join forces for two outstanding pieces of psychedelic fiery funk fusion. Estonian duo Misha Panfilov Sound Combo set the bedrock on "Soul Strut". All fuzzy, unkempt and energetic, it sets the scene for Detroit's Coco Buttafli to lay her scorched heart on the line in an almost metal-like style. "Electrifying Woman" takes us even deeper into the psychedelic mindset as the groove is given a swampy, dizzying feeling while Coco spits spoken word with such a savage honesty you can't helped but get sucked into the story. Two of a kind.
Review: Detroit funk collective Will Sessions sounds like they've jumped four five decades directly from the 60s. Their fuzzy, loose tightness works as a perfect bed for Coko's fiery emotional vocals as they treat us to two Sharon Jones-level funk sessions. "Boss Lady" is a direct strutter with spit fire vocal passion and an overwhelming JBs style swing while "Good Things" is more of a bluesy, sultry workout with a killer percussive breakbeat breakdown. Listen to the boss lady! She knows what she's talking about!
Review: Classic Soul styles from Detroit ensemble Will Sessions pressed up on authentic dinked 45! Run Don't Walk Away finds the Sam Beaubien-led band working once more with vocalist Coco, and if you picked up Boss Lady, that 2013 funk jammer they previously collaborated on, you will be all over this like a bad suit. Coco takes centre stage here, her heart-wrenchingingly soulful vocals leading the way whilst the Will Sessions gang beat out an instrumental groove you'd be hard pressed to separate from the JBs finest.
Review: R&b and funk singer, rhythm guitar musician and songwriter Rickey Calloway hailed from Jacksonville, Florida but earned himself a global reputation. His style borrowed from James Brown but brought something new, inspired by his time playing in clubs from a relatively young age. He was active in the 70s and much of his music has been reissue do newer audiences since and now comes his King Of Funk album on Funk Night which, from the title down, pays homage to the aforementioned Brown. It features his most well known tune - the wonderful 'Tell Me' - as well as plenty of other big hitters like there particularly hard hitting 'Shake It Up, Shake It Down.'
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