Download or Listen to Gene Dozier and the Brotherhood – A Hunk of Funk from the Minit Records 45

It’s midweek here at FMF, and I dug a bit deeper today. I had something else on deck and decided to change it the last minute. I’ve come to realize that my ever growing record collection needs another Expedit to get all these extra piles of Lps off the floor. I’ve got the room, so I just need to hunker down a bit and get it done. Today’s 7″ comes from s tash a bought a while ago, but can’t exactly remember where. I dig this record a lot, and I hope you will too. Here’s Gene Dozier and the Brotherhood with “Hunk of Funk” from the Minit Records 45.

Ugene Lloyd Dozier aka Gene Dozier aka Billy Jackson led a great musical life and successful career. With 19+ Gold records for a variety of bands and genres, Dozier started with Cameo in Philadelphia before relocating to Detroit to hopefully write for Motown. He ended up do some writing for a few artists (not for the famous label unfortunately). He released out this side on the great Minit Records out of New Orleans (but by this time they had relocated to CA, see the following). Minit was a hot bed of talent, with artists such as Alan Touissant, Jesse Hill, Ernie K. Doe, Aaaron Neville, Jimmy McCracklin, Bobby Womack, Tina Britt, and more. Of course they were bought by Imperial/ Liberty and then were based out of California eventually (allegedly some say after Touissant left for the Army and there were no more hits coming out), but the Minit discography is pretty damn impressive none the less. Dozier and the Brotherhood released this gem of a 45, which is off of the 1968 Lp Blues Power. The record was chock full of funky covers, most notably James Brown’s “Cold Sweat” and others like “Watermelon Man”. Dozier had keyboard and piano duties on this record, but he was a multi-talented player. When I say player I can include arranger and composer in his career. The man made and was involved with hits in the 60′s, 70′s, 80′s, and 90′s with bands and performers such as Dusty Springfield, Lakeside, Shalimar, the SOS Band, Minnie Ripperton, the O’Jays and others. Later on in life, Gene Dozier would found Renaissance records in Providence, Rhode Island. Dozier would die in 2007.

“A Hunk of Funk” starts out with a great little drum break coupled with some guitar work, and the piano genius of Dozier. The Brotherhood of Funk had a hot horn section (and with a name like that, how couldn’t they?) The beat is steady throughout, with some definite kick ass guitar that keeps your head nodding throughout. Not the heaviest funk, but a hunk of it as the title suggests. I’ll see you before the weekend with some new sides to quench your thirst. Until then, Keep Diggin’.