The Funk Brothers -- legendary Motown house band featured in the 2003 documentary "Standing in the Shadows of Motown" -- bring their show to the Belly Up Tavern on Saturday. I had the chance to talk recently with both Jack Ashford (Marvin Gaye's favorite percussionist) and Allan Slutsky, the writer who tracked the Motown musicians down after living in obscurity for decades. Due to the efforts of Slutsky, the men who make up the Funk Brothers now tour regularly. On this go 'round, Joan Osborne and Darius Rucker help out on vocals. Here's the preview article I wrote for the San Diego Union-Tribune:
HOUSE BAND NO. 1
At the Belly Up, a chance to stand in the shadow of Motown
By Chris Nixon
December 25, 2003
History has a way of burying genius, letting the winners and corporate bosses take the spoils – and the credit. Studio musicians, toiling away and creating music in anonymity, don't often get the spotlight, and more importantly, the recognition they deserve.
Enter the Funk Brothers: 13 studio musicians who changed the face of American pop music. As payroll employees for Motown Records, these musicians were a part of more No. 1 hits than the Beach Boys, the Rolling Stones, Elvis and the Beatles combined.
The Funk Brothers included some of Detroit's best musicians, and their story has remained untold for nearly half a century until this year's documentary film "Standing in the Shadows of Motown" shed some light on the musicians who created the famous "Motown sound."
"It really was like a factory," said Funk Brothers percussionist Jack Ashford from his home in Memphis, Tenn. "We would show up at 10 in the morning and go through the charts for the day– I got paid $10 a song. Some days we would record six or more songs, so it was good pay for that time."
Part documentary, part performance film, "Standing in the Shadows of Motown" tells the story of the Motown musicians through stories and the memories of the men who lived the music. The one-hour-and-48-minute movie has the feel of an American "Buena Vista Social Club," giving long-overdue notoriety and exposure to talented and influential musicians.
But the film – the brainchild of transcriptionist Allan "Dr. Licks" Slutsky – almost didn't get made.
Like many things, the cinematic retelling of the Funk Brothers' story came down to one thing – money.
"Well, the whole process took 17 years," said Slutsky recently. "The book started as a collection of (Funk Brothers bassist) James Jamerson's transcriptions. When I started talking to James' wife, Anna, she introduced me to all the guys and I started finding that it was a bigger story. After the book came out, I was chasing money around for a decade to make the film."
During the process, Slutsky lost a longtime friend to pancreatic cancer, but the break through came soon after his friend's death.
"My best friend from college – he was the kind of guy who'd call everyday and offer his support for the film – died from pancreatic cancer a few years ago," said Slutsky. "My other friend from college was sitting next to a gentleman reading my book at the funeral. Turns out, this guys is a volunteer fireman who sold an idea for a product and was now a billionaire. He ended up financing the movie. So I guess my friend gave me a little gift on his way out."
In addition to the documentary aspect of "Standing in the Shadows of Motown," the movie includes a reunited Funk Brothers performing Motown hits in front of a live crowd, with guest vocal spots by Chaka Khan, Ben Harper, Bootsy Collins, Montell Jordan, Meshell Ndegeocello, Joan Osborne and Gerald Levert.
Things went so well that the unheralded house band for Motown Records hit the road in support of the stunning documentary. The current tour includes a New Year's show with the Dead (the surviving members of the Grateful Dead), proving Motown's widespread appeal.
And the upcoming Belly Up show Saturday night provides a rare opportunity to see these living legends live on stage, along with Joan Osborne and Hootie & The Blowfish lead man Darius Rucker on vocals.
"The Motown tunes are truly America's music," said Ashford. "This music means a lot to people. And it means a lot to us, too. So to have people come up after our gigs and tell how much it means for them to hear us play live, it's just an amazing experience after so many years."
Chris Nixon is a San Diego writer.
