Though the set includes a few hits from superstars like Aretha, Curtis Mayfield, and Earth, Wind & Fire, the tunes come mostly from lesser-known artists who cut tracks with Atlantic, Atco, and Warner Bros. And though you may not recognize some of the artists by name, chances are you’ll recognize the players, who occasionally used pseudonyms to avoid record-label scrutiny. The Meters are credited with just one cut in the set, but they in fact perform on five or six other tracks. Other pseudonyms belong to Sly Stone (6ix) and Bootsy Collins’s post-JBs outfit the Houseguests.
It’s clear why some of these tracks have been overlooked—they can be pretty rough around the edges. On several occasions, the band is in the deepest of grooves when some little rhythmic hiccup causes the groove to stutter and stall. But on the up side, the set includes about a dozen funk-fried versions of pop and rock tunes, including sitarist Ananda Shankar’s psychedelic take on the Rolling Stones’ “Jumping Jack Flash” and Funkadelic guitar ace Eddie Hazel’s passionate version of the Mamas & the Papas’ “California Dreamin’.”
Like Hip-O Records’ Funk Box [2000], a true must-have for funk fans, What It Is! should be required text for students of the groove. Pick it up, and get ready to move! —Brian Fox