Beat Funktion – GREEN MAN: One of the things about our magazine that is unique is that we get jazz music from (literally) all over the globe… Italy, Korea, Japan, Indonesia, Norway, Denmark, and Sweden, just to mention a few of the countries… there has been a noticeable improvement in the jazz & blues coming from those countries over the past 10 years or so… this group, Beat Funktion, is from Sweden, and when you listen to tunes like “Over The Ocean“, you’ll think you’re hearin’ “Tower of Power”, but what you’ll realize by the one-minute mark is that this is “21st Century fresh”… elements of funk, along with a totally strong vocal set (you can read the player list on the CD Baby listing for this CD to find out who all the marvelous players are) make it the funkiest tune I’ve heard (yet) in 2017! As a matter of fact, this is the most “vocal” I’ve heard this group get… if you go to the “Exploring Green Man” playlist, you’ll see all eight of the singers who perform on this truly diverse funk marvel!
I first started reviewing the group way back in issue # 138, and have reviewed nearly every album released by them since then. I’m (somewhat) reminded of the old “Temptations” work as I listen to the ultra-cool “Paper Girl“… a song filled totally with the kind of soul I was weaned on in my earlier years. The pace is jumpin’ (& you’ll be dancin’, no ’bout a-doubt it’) when you hear the first couple bars of the 8:26 “In Love In Vain“… man, this will tear the house down, folks… (I just loved the sax work on this piece)… it’s really no wonder that they continue to top the radio charts in the U.S., Canada & ’round the globe!
You’ll probably be thinkin’ “Shaft” when you hear the gnarly wah-wah guitar on the opening track, “Steampunch” (I know I was), but when the horns join in the fray, you know it’s gonna’ be good… some superbly played organ on this tune as well, and the guitar solo (at about the 3-minute mark) is KILLER.
Of the ten tunes offered up for your git-on-down pleasure, it is the 10:51 closing title track, “Green Man“, that got my vote for personal favorite… this is definitely the kind of music we need to be dancin’ ’round the globe to as we fight back against the political power-brokers – they won’t have a chance, people, if we all get together like this! Take just a moment to watch these cool folks as they put the album together below:
I totally dig this album, and give it my MOST HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, as well as an “EQ” (energy quotient) rating of 4.99! Get more information about this truly global band on the Beat Funktion website (& tell them you read about them here, of course). Rotcod Zzaj
