Charlie Funk is a musician from Brooklyn, NY, and has recently released his debut solo EP, Give Me A Groove. Funk, aka Charles Maynard is a staff-songwriter for label True Groove, and is joined on the EP by a cavalry of labelmates and funk legends, including former Parliament-Funkadelic members guitarist Michael “Kidd Funkadelic” Hampton, and keyboardist Amp Fiddler.
The EP begins with the down and dirty “Give Me A Groove.” It’s retro horns and synths add a classic touch to an otherwise fresh and updated sound. Charlie’s vocals are raw and gritty; and full of pure, unadulterated soul. “Sexy Cutie” is a sexy, unabashed slow jam with some wonderfully salacious, tongue-in-cheek lyrics. The experimental “Lunch In Babylon” features some fitting spoken word by True Groove labelmate Marla Mase.
A definite highlight of the EP is a cover of “It’s Not Unusual.” Funk slows the song way down, and makes it a whole lot smoother than the original by Tom Jones. It may be a lot rawer and not as pretty, but it’s far and away much cooler. The entirety of Give Me A Groove will feel appeal to fans of funk precisely because it feels like comfortable, well-trodden territory from a musician who expertly understands the ins and outs of the genre.
