Funk Express

by Chuck Brown & the Soul Searchers, Chuck Brown

Overview

Although not as strong as 1978's Bustin' Loose, 1980's Funk Express is a generally decent and occasionally excellent LP that was produced by Wayne Henderson. Hard bop fans, of course, know Henderson as a founding member of the Jazz Crusaders; but in the 1970s, he moved away from straight-ahead acoustic jazz and became a lot more commercial. Whether he was producing Ronnie Laws and Side Effect from 1975-1977 or Chuck Brown and the Soul Searchers in 1980, it was clear that Henderson's days as a full-time bop trombonist were a thing of the past. Funk Express isn't among Brown's essential releases, and it didn't contain a big national hit like Bustin' Loose's title song. But it fared well in the Washington, D.C./Baltimore area and has its share of infectious go-go grooves, which include "In the Pocket," "Come on and Boogie," and "Sticks and Stones" (a tune that combines go-go with elements of George Clinton's p-funk sound). Not all of the songs are go-go-minded; "Who Are You" and Henderson's "Time Has No Ending" are romantic soul ballads, and the LP takes a mildly jazzy turn with a remake of the Crusaders' 1976 hit "Keep That Same Old Feeling." For casual listeners, Bustin' Loose would be a better choice than Funk Express, although Brown's hardcore fans will find this album enjoyable. ~ Alex Henderson

Product Details

Release Date:	06/04/2021
Label:	Raw Venture
UPC:	0767758002426
Rank:	80018

Tracks

1. Come On and Boogie, Pt. 1: Vocal
2. Come On and Boogie, Pt. 2: A Fantasy of Fusion
3. In the Pocket
4. Who are You
5. Sticks and Stones
6. Time Has No Ending
7. Slow Down (You Keep Telling Me)
8. Keep That Same Old Feeling
9. I Love You, I Do
10. Get Up Get Down
11. I Want to Ta Ta You Baby
12. The Key

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Chuck Brown   Primary Artist
Chuck Brown & the Soul Searchers   Primary Artist

Technical Credits

Charles Brown   Composer
Wayne Henderson   Arranger,Composer,Producer,String Arrangements
Michael Sutton   Composer,Production Assistant
Stephen Pitts   Cover Design
Gip Noble   String Arrangements
Herb Powers   Mastering
Rip Bang Pictures   Design
Brenda Sutton   Composer,Production Assistant
George Osaki   Art Direction
Linda Bangham   Design
Johnny Reason   Composer
James Purdie   Producer
Ralph Bates   Album Concept
Joe Fontana   Executive Producer
Melissa Weber   Liner Notes
Johnny "Guitar" Watson   Composer
David Oliver   Composer
Donald Banks   Composer