Tantric Funk (18 Jul 2009)*
*This is a slightly edited version of my very old Amazon review.
I wrote a piece on this album for Drummer magazine (go buy it, it’s a great read!) some time back, and just now, listening to ‘Heaven At Once’ (track four) I thought ‘I bet if anyone’s reviewed this for Amazon this they haven’t mentioned this little doozy’. … I took a quick look, and it appears [at least at that time, pre 2018?] my suspicions were correct.
Andy Edwards [who had a review on Amazon UK when I wrote this] has already said enough to justify any funk (or jazzy soul) lover flopping out their wallets or prizing open their purses for the better known tracks.
I just want to add that ‘Heaven At Once’ is a thing of nonpareil beauty, and yet another compelling reason to shell out for this masterpiece.
Kicking off with a languid and harmonious 16th note groove, a fabulous horn arrangement, with sax and vibes tootling away, a child’s voice then enters into a truly wonderful dialogue with superdude Kool, who ultimately reveals that he and his band, under the cover of being a completely groovy funky soulful outfit (not that he makes that boast), are actually “scientists of sound, mathematically putting it down”…
And what are these funky boffins (re)searching for? “The key to the light”. “What’s the key to the light?” You might well ask, as does the kid rappin’ with Kool… for the answer, go buy this deliciously fabulous peach of an album.
It saddens me to say this, but, as far as I know, they (and by they I don’t mean Kool & The Gang, I mean anyone) don’t generally make ’em like this any more.
UPDATE (Jan, ‘25)
After crying like a big baby for hours, listening to their 80s hit Cherish, and the whole of Wild & Peaceful, for the umpteenth time, I felt perhaps I should address the rest of this awesome – six stars, no less! – recording.