Various Artists / Studio One Funk

AllMusic Review by Steve Leggett  [-]

Clement Dodd's Studio One is absolute ground zero for modern Jamaican music, and there's no denying that the sturdy rhythm tracks that were created at Studio One during its 1960s and 1970s peak were funky. Jamaican funky, that is, which isn't quite the same thing as funk. It's an important distinction, because listeners drawn to this collection because of its title and expecting to hear some monster funk grooves done up island style are going to be a bit surprised by what's actually here. Soulful Reggae might be a better title, since these tracks, if they're funk at all, are only funk in the broadest application of the term. That doesn't mean this is a bad collection. It isn't. It's really quite interesting. Compiled by Doddhimself shortly before his death, Studio One Funk boasts some killer sides, including Alton Ellis' wonderful "African Descendents," Jackie Mittoo's soulful organ take on "Hang 'Em High," Cedric Brooks' reconfiguration of the "Skylarking" rhythm as "Idleberg," and the Underground Vegetables' sax-led cover of Booker T. & the MG's' "Melting Pot." None of this sounds remotely like American funk, or even a Jamaican approximation of it, but it is, well, very funky and cool roots reggae (with a ska track or two thrown in), which isn't a bad tradeoff at all.

Track List 0:00 The Soul Machine - Twitchie Feet 2:45 Salt - Hung Up 4:58 Isis - April Fool 10:15 StarFire - If you cant stand the heat, get out of the kitchen 13:30 Oceanliners - Funky Pants 16:34 Sarah Simpson - I Kicked the Habit 19:17 Soul Patrol - Don't Knock the Cop 21:42 General Crook - Do it for Me 24:41 O.D. Williams - I'm Moving On Out of Your Live 26:53 Undisputed Truth - Method To The Madness 30:46 Billy Sha-Rae - Let's Do It Again 33:18 Pajoma - Oooh baby 36:59 StarFire - If you cant stand the heat, get out of the kitchen 40:14 All The People - Cramp Your Style 42:29 The Variations - Saying It Doing It 46:33 Push - Cut Me Loose 50:07 The Brothers - Brothers Groove 54:19 Preston Epps - Afro Mania 57:04 Swaen - Believe in Me