Funk Express

Although not as strong as 1978's Bustin' Loose, 1980's Funk Express is a generally decent and occasionally excellent LP that was produced by Wayne Henderson. Hard bop fans, of course, know Henderson as a founding member of the Jazz Crusaders; but in the 1970s, he moved away from straight-ahead acoustic jazz and became a lot more commercial. Whether he was producing Ronnie Laws and Side Effect from 1975-1977 or Chuck Brown and the Soul Searchers in 1980, it was clear that Henderson's days as a full-time bop trombonist were a thing of the past. Funk Express isn't among Brown's essential releases, and it didn't contain a big national hit like Bustin' Loose's title song. But it fared well in the Washington, D.C./Baltimore area and has its share of infectious go-go grooves, which include "In the Pocket," "Come on and Boogie," and "Sticks and Stones" (a tune that combines go-go with elements of George Clinton's p-funk sound). Not all of the songs are go-go-minded; "Who Are You" and Henderson's "Time Has No Ending" are romantic soul ballads, and the LP takes a mildly jazzy turn with a remake of the Crusaders' 1976 hit "Keep That Same Old Feeling." For casual listeners, Bustin' Loose would be a better choice than Funk Express, although Brown's hardcore fans will find this album enjoyable. ~ Alex Henderson