Listen Without Prejudice: Funky Snakefoot Posted by Junior

Alphonse Mouzon: The Beggar and Tara Tara From: Funky Snakefoot [Blue Note, 1974] Ah, Jazz Funk Fusion eh? There are few terms that have people running for the hills quicker than this incredibly vague category. Forever synonymous with cheesy sax solos, tepid tunes and self indulgence this is an area of music that's easy to balk at and, you know what? There's a lot of music out there to justify their panic. However, when you're open to something new to prick up your ears, and aren't afraid of the consequences, then you're also open to hearing lazily labelled music like the Alphonse Mouzon album I offer up today to carry you into the weekend. Mouzon is rightly lauded for his drumming and has played with waaaaaaaaaay too many of the biggest names in music to list here. His status as one of the greats is set in stone and he still plays today along with running a successful record label. Despite all this I rarely hear reference to his Funky Snakefoot album and it may be because it's a bit of an odd gem. Forgoing the rawness of the playing he would display with The Eleventh House Mouzon instead delivers an album heavy on groove and electronic basslines which comes off less like Funk Jazz Fusion and more like Stevie Wonder around his Hotter Than July period. The Beggar is a lethal variant on the electric funk tip. With a bassline worthy of old school Detroit techno and key chords from a Chicago house record this is a broody little number indeed. Not funk but pre-disco it seems nestled comfortably in it's own criteria. The breakdown three minutes in sends my speakers into some sort of orgasmic meltdown as well. Tara Tara is more of a throwaway track but does feature great staccato drums over a busy piano melody which could have been taken straight off a golden age Wonder record. Jazz Funk/Disco Funk/Electro Funk/Funk Fusion - Personally I'll leave the labels to the record sellers and concentrate on enjoying good music no matter what the genre or current fads.