Too Littl, Too Late

They were the best musicians in the world and they formed, 50 years ago, the best band in the world. Nobody has done better so far. It was the general opinion that they had the biggest and the best success, more than the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Beach Boys and Elvis Presley put together. Adding up all the facts and figures, it would show that it's the truth.

They revolutionised the pop music, but they never came out of anonymity and remained with relative poverty. They live a hard life, but in a more or less enjoyable way, under the weight of their trademark: Motown. Only the name Motown was important. They created 4 songs but their names were not even mentioned on the discs.

Anyone remember James Jamerson? He died in 1983 at the age of only 47, of harden tumour, neumonia and pain. He was an extraordinary base player, perhaps the greatest, but had to wait until 1970 when everything seemed to be finishing, to see his name on the cover of the disc. It was on the sleeve of 'What's going on', of Marvin Gaye, a theme the Jamerson brought forth, the notes of which today's professionals still fight for. When this disc was recorded Jamerson was too drunk to sustain himself on his feet and had to lie down on the floor, and playing the instrument above him. He appeared on this disc as: 'the incomparable James Jamerson'. Too little, too late.

There's a book about him in 1989, titled: 'Standing in the shadows of Motown', with a biography, an old interview and some scores with the best lines of base of the great instrumentalist, marking the beginning of recuperation of that group of extraordinary musicians. Three years later, under the same title of 'Standing in the shadow of Motown', a documentary was premiered as homage to the unknown musicians who, between the years of 1959 and 1972, called themselves The Funk Brothers and contributed to not only change the popular music, but breaking the racial barrier in the United States.

The story began in the beginning of 1959, when composer Gordy Jr., in the company of the singer Smokey Robinson, founded in Detroit, Known as Motor Town, later Motown; they needed studio musicians and went around searching the jazz dens to recruit them. In just a few months, and in exchange for a few dollars, the playful musicians, eccentric, outlandish and wild hard drinkers had fabricated their first success of Motown, 'Money (that's all I want)', a theme of the mythical Holland, Dozier & Holland, and later on by the Beatles.

From there on a whole chain of winning hits, without ever occurred to Gordy to pay the musician a little more or, at least, acknowledge their participation in the product. On some discs, the band leader Earl Van Dyke was named, and some anonymous Soul Brothers. In fact they were the Funk Brothers, apart from Van Dyke and Jamerson, there were Joe Hunter, Benny Papa Zita Benjamin, Robert White, Joe Messina, Richard Pistol Allen, Johnny Grifith and other promising students like Stevie Wonder.

In 1970, Motown discovered a family group with a child singer. They were given the name the Jackson Five and lived in Los Angeles. Motown had lost the Hollands, and selling less records. Although still producing great hits, Gordy decided to move to California. The musicians knew about it only when they went to the studio one day and found it closed. A note on the door notified that the company had moved to Los Angeles. The majority of the Funk Brothers decided to stay in Detroit and back to the gambling and jazz joints as always. Others, like Jamerson, followed Gordy and had a hard time with the change. In the case of Jamerson, the loneliness was mortal. Almost overnight, the Funk Brothers disappeared without a trace.

The book of 1989 and the film of 2002 belatedly gave acknowledgement, at last. In 1990, Jamerson was included in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. In 2003, George Bush invited the Funk Brothers, the surviving members, to the White House. In 2004, the Funk Brothers received the special Grammy award for their career.

Once again, too little, too late.

Tags:funkbrothers,jamerson,motown

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