Mem Shannon – I’m From Phunkville (NorthernBlues Music).

Mem Shannon gives an idea of what’s to come in the title although there is more than one style on offer. He opens with the funky blues of The Reason and his voice is like syrup, making for a good start. Swing Tiger Swing is in the same vein and has horns in abundance with piano to the fore also. Incidentally, this jaunty tune is dedicated to none other than Tiger Woods. Perfect World is slow and soulful with deep velvet tones before Mem straps on his guitar for the slow burner, Phunkville. Josh ‘The Little Kid’ Milligan pounds out the beat on drums ably backed by Mem’s funky guitar and Robert ‘Rock’ Dabon’s organ. The horns then build the song up to the conclusion of this 10 minute epic. I’ll Kiss A Pitbull is a strange title for a love song but after the spoken introduction a la Barry White/Floaters he explains that he’d kiss a pitbull just for some of his baby’s love.

Battle Ground is almost Gospel in its execution and there’s an excellent trumpet solo from Barney Floyd in the middle. There’s the expected Spanish guitar at the beginning of The Lights Of Caracas (I Didn’t Know) before it drifts off into bluesy piano. This is quite sedate but Mem’s guitar lifts it when required. Three different but slightly similar styles follow. There’s the fast paced jazz of Sweet Potato with its excellent guitar, blues on the rocky side of No Religion and the out and out soul of Forget About Me. All work better than Mem’s attempt to phunk up The Beatles’ Eleanor Rigby – some things should just be left alone. He returns to form for the last two tracks, Ignant Stick and We Going, both of which are funky in the extreme with Dabon excelling again.

Mem Shannon can phunk with the best of them.

http://www.northernblues.com/
http://www.memshannon.com/

Copyright David Blue 2006.