Bootsy Collins is the world most renowned funk bassist. Playing with James Brown and Parliament-Funkadelic and participating in the recording tons of classics made him a household name. As a solo artist he never made it that big. His name of the posters will bring in the punters, but his albums had that special extra. Alas, his latest Tha Funk Capital of the World won't lift the curse.
When you're Bootsy, everyone want to play with you, but a huge "guest list" don't equal a great record. Listening to the tracks is like being stuck in a overcrowded bus with all the passengers clamoring for attention. Bootsy himself is prominent in the mix, like he should be, but all the hip-hop, jazz and funk royalty can't hide the fact that album fizzles out after Don't Take My Funk when some pretty lame modern day r&B songs take over. And that's a shame, because there a few gems hidden in Tha Funk Capital of the World. Freedumb has some pretty sharp lyrics about materialism ("You So you got a smart phone, so you can't be dumb") and JB-Still The Man is a touch hing tribute to James Brown. Oh, and don't get excited about the Jimi Hendrix bit. It's just him talking about playing outdoor music festivals during an interview.
Somebody should hook Bootsy up with a kick ass band and funk his brain out. He is playing the North Sea Festival in Rotterdam. A short guy named Prince will be there too, so ...
Tha Funk Capital of the World is released on Mascot Records. JB-Still The Man is offered as a free download.
Tracks:- Spreading Hope Like Dope (ft. Dr. Cornel West & Bootsy)
- Hip Hop @ Funk U (ft. Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg, & Chuck D)
- Mirrors Tell Lies (ft. Jimi Hendrix)
- JB-Still the Man (ft. Rev. Al Sharpton)
- Freedumb (ft. Dr. Cornel West)
- After These Messages (ft. Samuel L. Jackson)
- Kool Whip (ft. Phil Ade & CandiSweetz)
- The Real Deal (ft. Sheila E. & CandiSweetz)
- Don't Take My Funk (ft. Catfish Collins & Bobby Womack)
- If Looks Could Kill (ft. Bela Fleck, Zionplanet-10, & Dennis Chambers)
- Minds Under Construction (ft. Buckethead & (Z-Class))
- Siento Bombo (ft. Olvido Ruiz & Ouiwey)
- The Jazz Greats (A Tribute to Jazz) feat: George Duke & Ron Carter
- Garry Shider Tribute (ft. George Clinton & Linda Shider)
- Stars Have No Names (They Just Shine) (ft. Nick Arnold & Chrissy Dunn)
- Chocolate Caramel Angel (ft. Faith Daniels, Ronnie Racket, & Casper)
- Yummy, I Got the Munchies (ft. Musiq Soulchild, Razzberry Hershey & Tom Joyner)
- 06/03 Club Nokia, Los Angeles, CA
- 06/04 The Fillmore, San Fransisco, CA
- 06/06 Boulder Theater, Boulder, CO
- 06/9-11 Bonnaroo Festival, Manchester, TN
- 07/02 Toronto Jazz Festival @ Toronto Star Stage Toronto, ON
- 07/10 North Sea Jazz Festival @ Ahoy, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- 07/16 Montreux Jazz Festival @ Miles Davis Hall, Montreux, Zwitserland