Being a music lover and an musician, this 2 disc set was too good to pass up. Growing up in the 60's & 70's, I always knew this music was more intricate underneath than it's beautiful heartfelt melodies would imply.

I played in many bands over the past 30+ years and I have been praised by many for my ability to improvise, but I'm glad in my younger days, I wasn't aware of what was going on underneath those Motown soulful vocals...if I had, I may have never touched my bass again! James Jamerson is the kind of bassist that makes even the best players feel humbled.

This 2 disc set is packed with the Funk Brothers classic tracks with famous singers stepping in, showing it's the band that's the star on these tracks and anybody with a voice can sound good singing this stuff! As a bonus, these discs also feature some bass tracks from some of Jamerson's most memorable tunes. This is money well spent for any bass player wanting to improve their game or any music lover who wants a deeper understanding of this incredible timeless music! It's also a great listen too!

I recommend you buy this along with the 2 disc DVD Standing in the Shadows of Motown. It's a fascinating bio and there is plenty of great recorded music on it as well!

Music from the movie where the guys finally get their recognition. Feel good, sing along, and bonus tracks too!

Present day music does not compare to the Motown sound. I want to say to the artist, backup singers, the writers and to those amazing mmembers of the " Funk Brothers " thank you for the music of my youth.


Robert Attwood

Sure, everybody's heard of the Supremes, the Temptations, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles and Stevie Wonder. But few were aware of the Funk Brothers until the outstanding documentary Standing In The Shadows of Motown came out in 2002. The Funk Brothers were Motown's house band from 1959 to 1972, when the label relocated from Detroit to LA. Studio musicians weren't credited on Motown releases until 1971 (many other pioneering studio musicians and backup singers remain in the shadows of Motown), although the Funk Brothers' unique sound graced all of Motown's pivotal hits such as My Guy, Stevie Wonder's Signed, Sealed, Delivered and Heat Wave.

The first disc (and only disc on the standard soundtrack) contains modern recordings of Motown standards such as a smoldering Motown-worthy Heat Wave (Joan Osborne) and soul luminaries Meshell Ndegeocello (You've Really Got A Hold on Me), Gerald Levert (Reach Out), Ben Harper (Ain't Too Proud To Beg, Heard It Through The Grapevine), and Chaka Khan (What's Going On, Ain't No Mountain High Enough).

On Standing In The Shadows of Motown (deluxe edition), we're given the chance to hear the Funk Brothers' genius unimpeded, since the second disc contains the backing tracks (My Girl, For Once In My Life, I Second That Emotion) with the vocals stripped. The tight interplay of guitar, organ, piano and drums would define the sound of a generation, and it's much easier to appreciate it on its own merits (check out the tight bongo solo and bass punch on Standing in the Shadows of Love, or the studio banter on Love Is Like an Itching In My Heart). Short snippets of dialogue from Funk Brothers members and Motown musicians / writers round out the offerings.

Though the original band lineup changed frequently (several musicians suffered early deaths, including Benny Benjamin (drums), the Funk Brothers sound went on to back Motown's greatest hits, and it's about time that such an important element in the Motown formula is finally receiving the recognition they so greatly deserve, albeit too little, too late since most of the original Funk Brothers have gone to that great jam session in the sky.

Tons of great tracks updated with great contemporary signers - dosen't get much better than this...