Customer Reviews
Funk Bros Rock! 
2008-02-18
All I have to say is "it's about time!" These guys are incredible. They ARE Motown. Late coming but the recognition is well deserved. Every music lover needs to see this. They need to put them ALL in the Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame as a group.
ABSORBING DOCUMENTARY! THE FUNK BROTHERS RULE! 2007-12-31
If you appreciate great music and great musicians then I recommend you check this DVD out. The story behind the "Motown Sound" with live performances by the original band with some popular younger singers taking center stage. The fact that they used these singers really shows how the music carried these hits and not so much who was singing them. The minute you hear the band play you'll know that no one could copy these guys! I would have liked to see more of the 2 disc set devoted to the late genius bassist James Jamerson but, it's still a very interesting and entertaining look into a group not well known but, heard on an astounding amount of hit records. This is one of the best music DVDs out there. I have seen this DVD many times in the bargain bin for $5.00.......a bargain indeed! Buy it....you will not be disappointed!
Motown 2007-12-30
A friend and fellow musician recommended this movie and it's a very good history of the musicians who provided the original motown sound.
Standing In The Shadows of Motown 2007-12-18
This film is really great especially for music lovers. This is my 4th copy I've ordered and given out as gifts. Everyone enjoy it as well.The film is done in a way that put you right in that moment of time as musical history was being made. The story, the performances,especially, Chaka Khan's version of "What's Going On" will have you in tears. I was very fortunate to see the "Funk Brothers" perform twice after viewing this film. Great, just like the film.
Funk Brothers and Motown 2007-12-14
This DVD is an amazing story of the little known Motown house band "The Funk Brothers" who had a major impact on pop music. Anyone who grew up in the 1960`s and 1970`s will perobably instantly recognize the hit songs these guys provided the music for. It`s waaaaay cool to hear these songs via modern recording equipment that demonstrates that these guys were some of the best musicians of their time. I ordered several copies for friends and everybody has been absolutely amazed. A must have for anybody into popular music history.
MIndblowing 2008-06-22
I heard of them, but never knew the real story. This is really spectacular stuff. The groove these guys have is awesome! There recognition was long overdue!! Respect, respect. If you want to see the guys in action, buy the dvd "live in Orlanda" That is even more swinging!!
Standing In The Shadow Of Motown 2008-05-21
There is a lot of well kept secret in this world and "Standing In The Shadow Of Motown" is one of them. This biography of Motown should be in all households, that is, all fans of the Motown Sound. Five Stars.
A must have 2008-05-19
If you have any interest in how great music is created you'll want this 2 disk set. In another life I was a musician and recording engineer; seeing the personalities and interactions is great to watch. Another must have: Tom Dowd & the Language of Music.
Jim Bell
The Funk Brothers were Motown! Don't give the Motown singers all the credit! 2008-03-10
I've always been a fan of Motown but of the singers, now I'm starting to realize I shouldn't give the singers all the credit, it was the producers, songwriters, and musicians who made the artists become hits. We tend to overlook the people behind the scenes and give all the credit to the singers. If it wasn't for the unique, special Funk Brothers who knows if Motown would have become as successful as they did. It doesn't matter how good of a singer a singer is, if the music ain't right, the singer ain't gonna sound good. Its that something special about the Motown Sound that sparks something in our minds, hearts, and souls, the music complimented the singers excellently thanks to The Funk Brothers who made sure the music fit the artists image. They didn't play the same for everyone yet each song had their special trademark sound.
I favor James Jamerson, as mostly everyone else do, he was just a handsome, wonderful, real, interesting, talented person. Its sad he and the other Funk Brothers had to get recognition after they passed on. It seems the only way to become a legend is to die first then people appreciate you more, well the book on Jamerson's life and this documentary taught me to love and praise people while their alive...that's what keeps them going. All James and The Funk Brothers wanted in their last days was recognition and to know they did make a difference in the world of music and they wanted people to know they created the Motown Sound. This documentary taught me to appreciate the musicians, songwriters, and producers, the people behind the scenes, who made it possible for the music to become timeless, sometimes we give the singers too much credit. The singers come to the studio do they number then get fame and fortune, its the musicians, producers, and songwriters who worked in the studio for many hours perfecting everything to make the artists successful.
It was interesting for me to find out most of the Funk Brothers didn't even like Rock N Roll or Soul music and thought most of the songs at Motown wouldn't be hits, they were really jazz and blues fans and wanted to play jazz, so it shows how gifted they were to still play soul music effectively even though it wasn't their cup of tea. Another reason why Motown sound is so appealing and fresh is because the Funk Brothers laced different genres of music and tried new things creating the Motown Sound, a sound in its own class. Now I know why Berry Gordy didn't want The Funk Brothers playing for the other studios. He was afraid the Motown secret sound would get out and make other studios and artists successful. The Funk Brothers were so good they could make anyone a hit.
The Funk Brothers were an entertaining, colorful group of guys who was Motown, thanks to this documentary, we now know it wasn't just the singers, there were other talents who contributed to the greatness of Motown. I loved the re-enactments of some of the hilarious things James and the other Funk Brothers did in their lives and careers. The story that put tears in my eyes in this documentary was the reenactment of when James slipped into a theater to watch Motown 25. He should have been at Motown 25, all the Funk Brothers should have been there, if it hadn't been for the Funk Brothers, there probably wouldn't have been a Motown 25. The Funk Brothers should have been the first invited but again The Funk Brothers were overlooked by Motown itself. Also, why wasn't David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks, Barrett Strong, Kim Weston, The Andantes, The Marvelettes, Brenda Holloway at Motown 25, there were a lot of key figures missing from Motown 25 who contributed to the greatness of Motown as well....but that's another story. It must have killed James to sit in the theater watching Motown 25, seeing all the people he help make superstars and legends, hearing the music he helped create and play on and then the people sitting around him didn't know he help make the Motown Sound, all that that must have did him in, he died shortly after Motown 25. He must have died of a broken heart too.
Some people complain why the Motown artists weren't included in the documentary. I'm glad they weren't, it would have only overshadowed The Funk Brothers story, and they've been overshadowed enough. The purpose of having other singers sing the Motown songs was to show it was the musicians who made Motown and the documentary wanted to show that it didn't matter who was singing the songs, The Funk Brothers could have made those sound good and become hits regardless of who sings them. One of The Funk Brothers said if you took most of the Motown songs and gave them to other singers outside of Motown those songs would have been hits anyway if The Funk Brothers were playing on the songs, not to knock the Motown artists but its true, think about it. Its really the music, not the Motown singers, its something special about the Motown Sound that The Funk Brothers created that grabs you and makes you listen, they worked their magic and made the unique music classic and if you put The Funk Brothers behind any artists their gonna make that artists a hit. Most of the time I listen to Motown and just fascinated with the sound, the singers are great of course but the music just stands out to me more now.
I liked seeing Lottie The Body in this documentary, she was something else and in her late 70's she still has IT. We learn The Funk Brothers learned a lot about music playing for her, so the Funk Brothers had some great teachers and great training from interesting places that benefited Motown.
Everytime you listen to a Motown song, as much as you love the artists singing, don't forget to love The Funk Brothers playing right along singing through also through their music. It wasn't just Berry Gordy, it was the singers, producers, writers, arrangers, composers, and musicians who made Motown possible and everyone should be commended, not just some.
No one could have done it alone!
Now I hope the musicians who helped create The Philly Sound and the Chicago Sound have their story told!
Wonderful documentry 2008-02-27
What a wonderful find this music documentry is. I absolutely loved it. Be forwarned that none of the songs are performed by the recording artists. They are redone by new artists. But the beauty of this film is in the story of the Funk Brothers, the group of studio musicians that played on all the Motown hits and never got any recognition. A few of the performances are wonderful also. I loved "What Becomes of the Broken Hearted" and "What's Goin' On".
