Track Listing

1. Give & Take
2. I Stayed Away Too Long
3. Rap It Together - Detroit Sex Machines
4. Alcohol (Pt. 1)
5. Farewell to the Welfare (Pt. 1) - Wendell Harrison
6. Lets Get on Down
7. Searching for Soul (Pt. 1)
8. Be Mine Tonight - Andy Williams
9. Back to Funk - Robert Lowe
10. (I Can) Deal with That - Dee Edwards
11. Do It Right - El Riot & the Rebels
12. Why She Had to Go
13. Trust Me
14. Take Time Out - Wendell Harrison

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #87455 in Music
• Released on: 2005-10-25
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .23 pounds

Album Description
Detroit was the epicenter for the soulful revolution the world knows as Motown. However, Detroit and the surrounding cities making up Michigan were also home to an unparalleled underground music scene that supported, propelled, and fed off the Motown machine. Included here are absolute rarities from The Black Aces Of Soul and The Eyes Of Ebony next to now funk classics by The Detroit Sex Machines. Raw breaks and beats from Jake Wade and The Soul Searchers sit next to the melancholic charm of vocalist Dee Edwards, while intergalactic big band funk from Wendell Harrison drops down next to the freaky synth-driven soul of Aged In Harmony. Almost all these records have never been heard on CD. This is volume one in a comprehensive series, and it features detailed liner notes illustrated with never before seen images from the era.

SEATTLE WEEKLY SEATTLE WEEKLY Seattle Weekly
"Reminds listeners that Motown Records only represents a fraction of the Great Lake State's legacy on wax."

OKAYPLAYER
"The album is a great introduction for hip-hop fans looking to get schooled in soul."

Customer Reviews

Obscure Funk Tracks from the Vaults
True funkateers know that in terms of funk there was far more to Michigan than Motown...
- - take for example the greatest greasiest and grittiest funk label WESTBOUND.
This compilation features select gems, obscure as they are, that would make any hardcore funk fanatic or DJ wet himself... If you liked COLD HEAT and the FUNKY 16 CORNERS compilation, you may very well like this even more(!) - - (There's also an OOP collection of rare WESTBOUND tracks out too!)

As for the tracks on this album... the range from gritty psychadelic black rock, to Jazzy (yet oh so funky) instrumental jams... some of the tracks are funny too... (Alcohol especially.) My favorites however include the totally tripped out somewhat "Bodyheat"/Bowie's "Fame" influenced DO IT RIGHT by El Riot, drum break waiting to happen wa wa laiden "Farewell to Welfare", The JB like RAP IT TOGETHER... Jake Wade's "Seaching for Soul".... awwww heck, they're all good... and the drum beats on virtually every track are Meters NASTY! ("Searching for Soul" is particularly interesting... as with a lot of classic funk recordings, the groove is tight, but the tuning on some of the instruments are a little off... actually in the case of the bass player WAY off, however, it actually adds to the groove and grit of the track making it sound way way funkier than it would have if all the instruments had been tuned perfectly. Learn your lessons all you digital tuning device carrying mo'fo Berklee heads!)

If you like really hard funk, this compilation is definitely a much welcomed jewel in the ruff! Put simply, it is RUDY RAY MOORE funky... that's how funky it is...!

P.S. If you like this album, another good (but probably out of print) compilation is SON OF STAX... or also check out THE PROPOSITIONS or MAGNUM's REVOLVER.

Enjoyable Soul Funk Compilation
Real good audio document of rare soul and funk from the state of Michigan. Lots of good stuff here from Wendell Harrison, Tommy McGee, and Jake and the Soul Searchers. Most tracks survey the underground soul scene that existed along side of Motown during this era. Also includes artists from Grand Rapids and the metro Detroit area. Great variety of sounds: some jazzy, some gospel like, a little light disco flavor. Many will leave you wondering why some of these tracks were the lone releases for the creator artist. A must have for all the Soul Funk Brothers from Michigan, and a good pickup for any collector seeking rare and unique material.