Standing in the Shadows of Motown

Reviewed by:
Paul Ulane

Detroit produced some legendary soul in the late ’50s and early ’60s, but the men behind the men and women who recorded those unforgettable vocal tracks never got any credit. Standing in the Shadows of Motown is the better-late-than-before-all-of-these-guys-are-broke story of the Funk Brothers, the musicians who crafted the songs of Hitsville, U.S.A.—go ahead, look it up—as told by the Brothers themselves. Adding to the historical perspective, the DVD has some up-close, and often-embarrassing, looks into some of soul’s soulfullest. “Dinner With the Funk Brothers” has the brothers talking music (it just isn’t what it used to be)and crazy nicknames (Diego is not Spanish for James), and gambling with Marvin Gaye over some weed (they gambled with Marvin Gaye over weed). You can also select, by song, specific performances from the movie. Skip the Joan Osborne and head straight to the Bootsy Collins, or a heartening tribute to the musicians who didn’t make it to the movie’s release. You may never have rhythm, but at least now you can learn where it came from.

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