Fans of funk pay attention, Toronto and Montreal’s funk and soul greats Ron Littlejohn & The Funk Embassy have released a full-length album, Shining On. This is an album that will get you up and moving, but tracks like “Shining On” and “Seems Like Yesterday” are emotional and unique. The songs really draw you in.
Ron Littlejohn
According to Littlejohn and the band, the album was inspired by the Golden Age of 70s music, when so many timeless songs were written by wonderful artists. Shining On is diverse, and it’s no wonder since the album was inspired by so many of the greats including Stevie Wonder, Curtis Mayfield, Al Green, Isaac Hayes, Rolling Stones, Herbie Hancock, James Brown, John Lennon, Sly & The Family Stone, Little Richard, Muddy Waters, and Marvin Gaye.
About the inspiration for the title track “Shining On”, Ron says, “When I was about to become a father, some friends actually became resentful at the idea of me having new priorities. This hurt me like a bitch. I wrote this song to my unborn daughter trying to tell her no matter how mean the bastards get, keep on shining. I think it’s the best song I’ve ever written. So I thank those negative folks for the inspiration.”
Thierry Matrat
Ron Littlejohn & the Funk Embassy is a funk collective founded by main songwriters Thierry Matrat and Ron Littlejohn. The project features Ron Littlejohn on vocals, Thierry Matrat on keyboards, Alana Bridgewater on vocals, Olivier Babaz on bass, Joe Hackl on guitar, Moise Matey on percussion, Dwight Chase on drums, and many other talented musicians contributing to individual tracks.
Listen on Bandcamp: https://funkembassy.bandcamp.com/
Listen on SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/funk-embassy
Ron Littlejohn & The Funk Embassy – Shining On ( HQ Music Video )
Alana Bridgewater
Olivier Babaz
Joe Hackl
Dwight Chase
