Post by Diamond Girl on Sept 3, 2006 14:12:13 GMT -5
Funk Brothers, where art thou now?
Several members of the tightly knit studio band called the Funk Brothers died before Standing in the Shadows of Motown was made: drummer Benny "Papa Zita" Benjamin (1968), percussionist Eddie "Bongo" Brown (1983), bassist James Jamerson (1983), pianist Earl Van Dyke (1992) and guitarist Robert White (1994).
Sadly, two of the featured players in Motown died this year: piano player Johnny Griffith on Nov. 10 at the age of 66 — he was the sound behind Marvin Gaye's How Sweet It Is (to Be Loved by You) and What's Going On— and drummer Richard "Pistol" Allen in June at age 69. When you listen to Martha and The Vandellas' Heat Wave and The Supremes' Baby Love, you'll know Allen's work.
USA TODAY's Steve Jones gives the lowdown on what's going on with the other prominent Funk Brothers who appear in the film, and the music for which they are best known:
Motown memories: "There was no doubt in our mind about the contribution we made to Motown. Every place you go, every 15 minutes, somewhere in the world, somebody is playing your stuff."
Current work: Worked as a music executive and even had his own record label after Motown went to California. Lives in Detroit, where he's writing a book for a European publisher about his life and times at Motown.
Distinctive riffs: Edwin Starr's War; The Supremes' Where Did Our Love Go; Smokey Robinson's Ooo Baby Baby.
Motown memories: When Babbitt reunited with the band, "my wife was in the audience at a show we did in L.A., and the first thing she said to me was, 'I haven't seen you play like that in years.' "
Current work: Studio musician/producer in Nashville.
Distinctive riffs: The Temptations' Ball of Confusion; Stevie Wonder's We Can Work It Out.
Motown memories: "I was over in Canada (at the Toronto Film Festival), and they acted like they'd never seen a movie before. Everybody was just raving about it."
Current work: Star attraction at the Marriott Hotel in Detroit's Renaissance Center.
Distinctive riffs: Marvin Gaye's Pride and Joy; Jimmy Ruffin's What Becomes of the Brokenhearted; Martha and The Vandellas' Heat Wave. Also worked with Jackie Wilson and played on and arranged John Lee Hooker's Boom Boom.
Motown memories: "Back then, we didn't think about recognition. But after a few years, when you hear about Motown and the Motown sound, that is when it really hit us."
Current work: Still plays in Detroit-area clubs.
Distinctive riffs: The Temptations' Cloud Nine and Ain't Too Proud to Beg; Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell's Ain't No Mountain High Enough; Junior Walker and the All-Stars' Shotgun.
Motown memories: "I was really a studio musician at WXYZ at the time, and I was also doing commercials. Motown was really a side job for me, and it ended up being the best of all of them."
Current work: Gave up music 30 years ago to open a successful car-wash chain in the Detroit area; lives in Warren, Mich.
Distinctive riffs: Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell's Your Precious Love; Martha and The Vandellas' Dancing in the Street.
Motown memories: "When they (Motown) left Detroit, the bottom fell out of everything. They moved overnight, and it was a hard thing for us to grasp. The gig we thought would never end was gone."
Current work: Semiretired and living in Mississippi since 1990, he worked as a touring musician after Motown left Detroit for Los Angeles.
Distinctive riffs: Stevie Wonder's Signed, Sealed,Delivered I'm Yours; The Temptations' The Way You Do the Things You Do.
USA Today
Several members of the tightly knit studio band called the Funk Brothers died before Standing in the Shadows of Motown was made: drummer Benny "Papa Zita" Benjamin (1968), percussionist Eddie "Bongo" Brown (1983), bassist James Jamerson (1983), pianist Earl Van Dyke (1992) and guitarist Robert White (1994).
Sadly, two of the featured players in Motown died this year: piano player Johnny Griffith on Nov. 10 at the age of 66 — he was the sound behind Marvin Gaye's How Sweet It Is (to Be Loved by You) and What's Going On— and drummer Richard "Pistol" Allen in June at age 69. When you listen to Martha and The Vandellas' Heat Wave and The Supremes' Baby Love, you'll know Allen's work.
USA TODAY's Steve Jones gives the lowdown on what's going on with the other prominent Funk Brothers who appear in the film, and the music for which they are best known:
Motown memories: "There was no doubt in our mind about the contribution we made to Motown. Every place you go, every 15 minutes, somewhere in the world, somebody is playing your stuff."
Current work: Worked as a music executive and even had his own record label after Motown went to California. Lives in Detroit, where he's writing a book for a European publisher about his life and times at Motown.
Distinctive riffs: Edwin Starr's War; The Supremes' Where Did Our Love Go; Smokey Robinson's Ooo Baby Baby.
Motown memories: When Babbitt reunited with the band, "my wife was in the audience at a show we did in L.A., and the first thing she said to me was, 'I haven't seen you play like that in years.' "
Current work: Studio musician/producer in Nashville.
Distinctive riffs: The Temptations' Ball of Confusion; Stevie Wonder's We Can Work It Out.
Motown memories: "I was over in Canada (at the Toronto Film Festival), and they acted like they'd never seen a movie before. Everybody was just raving about it."
Current work: Star attraction at the Marriott Hotel in Detroit's Renaissance Center.
Distinctive riffs: Marvin Gaye's Pride and Joy; Jimmy Ruffin's What Becomes of the Brokenhearted; Martha and The Vandellas' Heat Wave. Also worked with Jackie Wilson and played on and arranged John Lee Hooker's Boom Boom.
Motown memories: "Back then, we didn't think about recognition. But after a few years, when you hear about Motown and the Motown sound, that is when it really hit us."
Current work: Still plays in Detroit-area clubs.
Distinctive riffs: The Temptations' Cloud Nine and Ain't Too Proud to Beg; Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell's Ain't No Mountain High Enough; Junior Walker and the All-Stars' Shotgun.
Motown memories: "I was really a studio musician at WXYZ at the time, and I was also doing commercials. Motown was really a side job for me, and it ended up being the best of all of them."
Current work: Gave up music 30 years ago to open a successful car-wash chain in the Detroit area; lives in Warren, Mich.
Distinctive riffs: Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell's Your Precious Love; Martha and The Vandellas' Dancing in the Street.
Motown memories: "When they (Motown) left Detroit, the bottom fell out of everything. They moved overnight, and it was a hard thing for us to grasp. The gig we thought would never end was gone."
Current work: Semiretired and living in Mississippi since 1990, he worked as a touring musician after Motown left Detroit for Los Angeles.
Distinctive riffs: Stevie Wonder's Signed, Sealed,Delivered I'm Yours; The Temptations' The Way You Do the Things You Do.
USA Today
