Millennium Collection - 20th Century Masters

This album is a great deal of fun, and is long past due. It took until 2002, with the release of the film STANDING IN THE SHADOWS OF MOTOWN, for the Funk Brothers to get the credit they deserve as the engine behind so many great Motown recordings. What emerges for me in this album is a revelation of how varied their musicianship was. The arrangements cover a wide array of instruments & styles, demonstrating in a small way how profound their contributions to American music were, and they're just as tight and accomplished as they were in the '60s. (And if you haven't seen STANDING IN THE SHADOWS, it's one of the great music documentaries of our time.)

Amazon, I Knew that you'd come through for the Funk Bros. I've been a Jazz musician here in Nashville for over 30 years and I love those guys. Everyone in America should have a copy of both of their DVDs. These guys played on more number 1 songs than The Beatles, The Beach Boys, the Rolling Stones, and Elvis Presley combined.

This collection is one of my favorites from way back when. I am old school and I just love this music. I have lost a lot of my old CDs and to find them online in MP3 format is a blessing. Today, as a baby boomer, I have to go with the flow of today's technology so I can continue to listen to my favorite music that sounds even better than before.

I bought this so I could listen to the bass playing of James Jamerson, mostly unaccompanied by vocals, and it's great for that. So much of his playing on this album sounds simple...until you actually try to play it yourself. This album also started my education into how the music business was run in an earlier era.

I thought it was a good compilation. I would recommend it for some one who loves Motown.

I like Motown

I would like it more if I could sing. The Funk Brothers deserve more recognition.

This recording belongs in the Library of Congress to forever document the contribution of these unsung session musicians in created such wonderful music that defines American music.

Muscle sholes had swampies stax had Booker T and the MGs and Memphis horns phil Spector and his wall of sound had the wrecking crew Motown had the funk brothers they were the sound of new America absolutely brilliant artists in there own rights and this CD proves it I'm really glad I purchased this CD.I just wish the people who own the Motown rights would release more of their music they were the very best

Although they had played on thousands of records for Motown, until the documentary film Standing In The Shadows Of Motown in 2002 few had heard of the Funk Brothers by name, and even fewer knew the names of the master musicians who did so much to create the identity of Motown from the snake pit at the Hitsville Studio in Detroit throughout the sixties. Until Marvin Gaye insisted on having them credited on his album What's Going On in 1970, their names had apparently never even appeared on a Motown sleeve.Names like bandleader and keyboard player Earl Van Dyke, bassist James Jamerson, guitarists Robert White, Joe Messina and Eddie Willis, and drummers Benny Benjamin, Pistol Allen and Uriel Jones, to mention a few, are gradually seeping into our consciousness as we backtrack through the mighty ever-expanding Motown archives.Occasionally the band were let loose and allowed to add lead instruments over the backing tracks originally recorded for the various Motown singers, and in 1965 an album appeared by Earl Van Dyke and the Soul Brothers (Berry Gordy didn't approve the name Funk Brothers because of what he considered its improper connotations) called That Motown Sound.The tracks were mostly led by Earl Van Dyke's Hammond organ, with extra guitar fills by Robert White or Joe Messina, and six of them are included on this Best Of, including All For You and I Can't Help Myself, which came out as singles in the UK and America respectively, with B-sides Too Many Fish In The Sea and How Sweet It Is. Given the 38 minute playing time, it is a shame space could not have been found for the rest of the album. Also, as the first five tracks come from the stereo version of the album, it is a pity that the single mono mix of I Can't Help Myself has been used.Three other Earl Van Dyke singles are included in mono: Soul Stomp (1964), Six By Six (on which the Funk Brothers are joined by the six-piece Motown Brass)(1966) and Runaway Child, Running Wild (1969). Soul Stomp was a cover of a Contours song which wasn't released.The Stingray is a funky workout taken from a 1970 Earl Van Dyke live album called The Earl Of Funk. Marvin Gaye's single What's Going On featured the instrumental backing track (with backing vocals) on the flip side, with Eli Fountain's memorable opening sax line, but sounds slightly incomplete, though it is a welcome inclusion as it is a first-time stereo mix. The final track is similarly the (mostly) instrumental B-side of the mighty Tempts' track Papa Was A Rolling Stone. This is the most recent recording on the record, having been made on 28 June 1972, though it remains sadly in mono, so for the full effect you need to turn to the near twelve minute version on their album All Directions.There are no new unreleased tracks here (two can be found on the Cellarful Of Motown compilations) and the playing time is skimpy, but it's what's in the grooves that counts and this is a testament to the creators of some of the finest grooves to be found.

Great to hear the band without singers. Most of the tracks sound like the main mix with the singers removed, rather than written as instrumentals. Berry Gordy was too controlling to let the band come out from the shadows of Motown, until he dumped them. It would have been good to hear more of the late-period Detroit recordings, Psychedelic Shack era onwards, without vocals and 'Papa Was a Rollin' Stone' is still best heard as the original 11 minute eversion as both band and vocalists shine. An enjoyable compilation...

I have all the Earl Van dyke related CDs, although I have all of the tracks in various forms, this CD features the unreleased instrumental track, WHAT'S GOING ON, so a must buy. Nice and clear reproduction, nice addition to the collection.

It's the Funk Brothers performing some motown classics and several of their own instrumental "hits". The sound quality is very good. The musicianship is groovy man! Outta sight!