Life On Planet Groove (live) (1992)

Maceo Parker

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Track Listing:

Shake Everything You've Got {Maceo Parker}  16:15
Pass The Peas {James Brown, John Starks, Charles Bobbit} 11:12
I Got You (I Feel Good) {J Brown}  3:38
Got To Get U {M Parker}  6:56
Addictive Love {Winans, Love, Thomas}  8:37
Children's World {M Parker}  6:07
Georgia On My Mind {Hoagy Carmichael}  7:12
Soul Power '92 {B Collins, M Parker, Bobby Byrd, J Brown, Roger Troutman}  14:13

Personnel:

Producer: Stephen Meyner, Maceo Parker
Vocals: Maceo Parker, Fred Wesley, Pee Wee Ellis
Alto Sax: Maceo Parker
Trombone: Fred Wesley
Tenor Sax: Pee Wee Ellis, Vincent Henry
Flute: Pee Wee Ellis
Guitar: Rodney Jones
Organ: Larry Goldings
Drums: Kenwood Dennard
Vocals on "I Got You", "Got To Get U": Kym Mazzelle
Sax on "Addictive Love": Candy Dulfer
Bass: Vincent Henry
Recorded Live March 5-7 1992, Cologne, Germany

Rating:  RC: ****

Comments:

RC: This is one of the great live funk albums ever. A red-hot show with a lively crowd, it features unbelievable playing and timing between the horns, and an incredibly solid band behind them. Mixing songs from his James Brown days, his early solo career, his new solo career and his stay in Parliament, he ranges from fast and furious to soulful and mellow. I would eagerly recommend it to any fan of Maceo, James Brown, or funky music in general. As it says on the album's cover and Maceo says at the beginning of the show, it's '2% jazz and 98% funky stuff.'

The show begins with "Shake Everything You've Got", which sets the album's trend. The drummer and organist show their chops right away, locking in like they were the Meters. The title chant makes you groove with the way the Maceo & Co. sing. The drummer rips it up in a tasteful solo. The band heads into Maceo's classic "Southwick" halfway through, returning to that riff from time to time. Maceo takes a superb solo, blowing away some funky little riffs, then proceeding up to the next higher key and repeating it, creating some excellent tension. It ends with the horns playing alone, perfectly playing off against each other. "Pass The Peas" is as funky as you would guess it is, with some great rapping. "I Got You" is fast, furious and funky, featuring Kym Mazelle belting out the lyrics in a soulful manner. The album slows down a bit for awhile, focusing on some ballads. "Addictive Love" features Maceo prominently. "Children's World" guest stars sax player Candy Dulfer. "Georgia On My Mind" features Maceo singing as soulfully as I've ever heard him. The album closes with the almighty "Soul Power 92", yet another reworking of Maceo's all-time classic performance. Here, they incorporate a little P.Funk into the show, singing bits of "P.Funk" and "Good To Your Earhole". "Let Him Out", the Free James Brown song, is also thrown in, as is "Sex Machine". It's the gutbuster funkathon song, good for what ails you, and it perfectly closes out a well-designed album.

The album is in print and should be easy to find. Check the jazz section of your store for it, though.