Seattle’s Finest Funk

Funky Louie

Black on White Affair: Bold Soul Sister, Bold Soul Brother

Mister Holmes and the Brotherhood: Thrift Store Find

The Overton Berry Trio: Hey Jude

There’s something about music from the Pacific Northwest.  It’s got this slightly weird bent almost disconnected vibe from everywhere else.  Which might explain why it’s been the home to Jimmy Hendrix, Louie Louie, Sir Mix-A-Lot and the Grunge scene which was much weirder than it got credit for post Nirvana Blow Up.

This compilation has some of the most killer straight up funk jams and jazz twists I’ve heard in awhile.  My favorite band on the compilation is easily The Black and White Affair.  I originally heard their version of Auld Lang Syne which is also on the comp.  On their version the song starts off slow and somber and then subtly turns into a straight funk jam.  I had to include Bold Soul Sister, Bold Soul Brother in the post though because its actually got some real vocals too it.  The drums are straight up precision and that wail makes anything sound slick.  The Black on White Affair made it all the way down to Southern California performing in and around the clubs, putting together a few recordings but never full achieving much in the way of mainstream success.  Damn shame theres not more.

At first when I heard the clapping and the little bass groove I was reading maybe doing something else, then the little snare kicks and the piano and all of a sudden the realization it was a Beatles cover.  Better than the original in my opinion.  A little Bit of the Beatles a little bit of Vince Guaraldi equals a whole lot of Overton Berry.  He’s still recording today and from what I gather still playing occasionally in Seattle.  Straight up just solid funk jazz fusion.

Mister Holmes and the Brotherhood is like perfect soundtrack material.  Its like the perfect downtempo leadup to something ominous on the horizon.  Creeping dirty guitar licks.  This is as sparse as funk gets.

This whole compilation is full of awesome amazing songs from artists who may have never recorded anything else.  Its a lot like many of the numero compilations that have come out in the past year and is just as worthy of a listen.