Good God! Born Again Funk

After the Numero imprint's classic Good God! A Gospel Funk Hymnal in 2006, the label's intrepid detective team decided to further explore the connection between the music of the church and the music of the street; what they unearth here is mind-blowing. Many of the records collected on the 18-track Good God! Born Again Funk, though no less inspired and devoted to the divine, were also originally recorded with an ear toward what else was happening in black music on the radio and in clubs between 1969 and the mid-'80s. A classic example is the 1971 "Like a Ship" by Mount Zion Church Pastor T.L. Barrett & Youth for Christ Choir. (The church held among its membership at various times Maurice White, Donny Hathaway, and Phil Cohran) Beginning with a gritty Rhodes piano and a deep funk bassline, the Young Voices guided by Barrett were aided in production by Chess Records' Gene Barge and Richard Evans (it's his bass on the track) with guitarist Phil Upchurch! Another highlight is the following cut, "I'm Drunk & Real High (On God)," by Detroit beautician and spirit-filled gospel singer Ada Richards, with Ray Charles-styled piano line, blues-drenched guitar line, and Fortune Record-influenced drum breaks from 1970, it's all killer, no filler. "Packing a Grip" by the Golden Echoes contains a bassline worthy of post-punk group E.S.T.! Dig the funky clavinet and rubbery bassline on "Pray a Little Longer" by Lucy "Soul Sister" Rodgers from 1976. The James Brown-esque breakdown on 1975's "Somebody's Watching You" by the Sacred Four is backbone-slipping infectious. The Jordan Travelers' "God Will Answer" from 1976 pairs five-part harmony, wah-wah guitar and a bassline Bootsy Collins would rubberize. The sound quality on this volume is generally better than its predecessor due to higher-quality recording facilities and more advanced production techniques, but none of this music is slick. It's raw, inspired, and full of invention. This makes an excellent complement to the first volume in the series, but is essential for any fan of funk all on its own. ~ Thom Jurek