SOUND CHECK.VARIOUS: ``What It Is! Funky Soul and Rare Grooves'' (Rhino) - Four stars There's ``Funky Thing'' and ``Funky Canyon,'' but don't expect any trips to disco's ``Funkytown.'' Rhino's latest compilation box is certainly one of its greatest, collecting 91 rare cuts of horn-driven r&b, righteous soul and booming funk, many of which have never appeared before on CD. The four discs span 1967-77, but, save for nine songs, the music concentrates on the years 1967-73, when Hammond B3 organs and wah-wah guitars rang loud and proud throughout the land. Heavyweights like Curtis Mayfield, Wilson Pickett Wilson Pickett (March 18, 1941 – January 19, 2006) was an American R&B/Rock and Roll and soul singer. Known for his raw, raspy, passionate vocal delivery, he recorded some of the most incendiary soul music of the twentieth century. , the Meters, and Earth, Wind & Fire (in one form or another) are included, but not on songs you've heard on oldies radio Oldies Radio (formerly known as Pure Gold) is an American radio network with a Oldies format. It plays primarily pop and rock hits from the 1960s and 1970s. Oldies Radio is an ABC radio network. . The set primarily concentrates on obscure and forgotten artists, many of whom disappeared after their one and only trip to the studio. But what a trip it was! -- Glenn Whipp JAKE SHIMABUKURO Jake Shimabukuro (born November 3, 1976 in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi) is a ukulele virtuoso known for his lightning-fast fingers. His music combines elements of jazz, rock, Hawaiian, and pop. : ``Gently Weeps'' (Hitchhike hitch·hike v. hitch·hiked, hitch·hik·ing, hitch·hikes v.intr. To travel by soliciting free rides along a road. v.tr. To solicit or get (a free ride) along a road. ) - Four stars If Eric Clapton is a guitar god, Hawaiian master musician Shimabukuro -- not Tiny Tim Tiny Tim crippled son of Bob Cratchit. [Br. Lit.: A Christmas Carol] See : Lameness -- is the ukulele-playing version. Known for putting his affable little ax through amplifiers and special effects, Shimabukuro now takes his act further, playing entirely acoustically and tackling difficult material with just four nylon strings. Surprises abound -- ``While My Guitar Gently Weeps,'' ``Ave Maria,'' ``The Star-Spangled Banner,'' and the album's tour de force, Chick Corea's ``Spain,'' all feature technique, musicality and chutzpah chutz·pah also hutz·pah n. Utter nerve; effrontery: "has the chutzpah to claim a lock on God and morality" New York Times. to spare. Check him out on YouTube.com. -- Steven Rosenberg TRENT SUMNAR & THE NEW ROW MOB: ``Horseshoes & Hand Grenades'' (Palo Duro) - Three stars He's called the King of Redneck Rock. He wears red pants. He's labeled the electrified, wordplay-happy songs he writes farm rock. But for all his studied distinctiveness, Sumnar clearly wants to be accepted by the Nashville establishment. The tracks on ``H&HG'' are uniformly more country radio-friendly than his more snarling snarl 1 v. snarled, snarl·ing, snarls v.intr. 1. To growl viciously while baring the teeth. 2. To speak angrily or threateningly. v.tr. , meth-paced earlier work. That noted, tunes such as the Buffet-esque title cut, ``Pink John Deere'' and a punked-up ``He Stopped Loving Her Today'' are stronger than 90 percent of anything else you'll hear on the AM. -- Bob Strauss CAPTION(S): 3 photos Photo: (1 -- 3) no caption (CD covers) |
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