That’s Funky is an album by saxophonist/composer Benny Golson that was recorded in 1994 and originally released by the Japanese Meldac Jazz label before being reissued by Arkadia Jazz in 2001.[1][2][3]
. . . That’s Funky . . .
The AllMusic review by Michael G. Nastos said “As an originator of the initial soul-funk movement of the ’60s when he was with Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, Golson is eminently qualified to funkify jazz and R&B-flavored instrumental music. Nat Adderley plays cornet alongside Golson’s tenor in this, one of his last recordings before he passed away … Though they’re not swinging, for the most part, in conventional 2/4 or 4/4 jazz beats, in a sense they are swinging in their own inimitable, danceable, street-derived, backbeat-driven way á la Silver, Stanley Turrentine, and Grant Green, among others. Those inventors of this boogaloo-influenced subgenre should be happy with Golson’s results”.[4]
All About Jazz‘s C. Michael Bailey stated “All of the performances are splendidly executed, solos well considered, and performance spontaneously conceived … What could possibly be better? In two words: the originals. That is not to slight the performances here, they are very fine. I would encourage all who read this to buy this disc and once curious, invest in the original recordings of these tunes. You cannot go wrong.There is no mixed bag here; this is an excellent disc. It will be a fine addition to any fan of jazz. But the originals are brilliant artifacts that while old are still essential to the proper understanding of this great American music”.[6]
JazzTimes‘ John Murph observed “With this aptly described quintet, tenor saxophonist Benny Golson pays tribute to the stylistic idiom that made him famous-hard bop. By channeling his R&B sensibilities, which go back to his 1950s days with Bull Moose, Golson interprets a handful of war horses … While some may argue that the material on That’s Funky is overdue for a moratorium, Golson’s Funky Quintet has ingeniously crafted worthy interpretations that sound fresh without sentimentality or overt pretensions”.[7]
. . . That’s Funky . . .