Life on Planet Groove

Maceo Parker | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 20, 1992)
• Original Release Date: October 20, 1992
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Polygram Records
• ASIN: B0000046OI
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (40 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #152,471 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Who's runnin' the show? MACEO!, January 30, 2001

By 

Mike Stone - See all my reviews

This review is from: Life on Planet Groove (Audio CD)

"We like to play 2% jazz, 98% funky stuff," says Maceo Parker, while the band warms up the first song. I'd quibble with those numbers; there's considerably more jazz here than he is willing to admit, although the record is definitely dominated by "funky stuff". The great drawback of the album is that Parker and gang allows that 2% to dominate the slower songs in its middle, bringing the party to a halt.

When the party is cooking, however, you can smell the down home spices wafting from your stereo speakers. 'Shake Everything You've Got' is neither a suggestion nor a demand. It is a command, one that I defy anyone to disobey. The horns are tight, the bass moves beautifully, and Maceo is a king MC, working the crowd in a great example of call-and-response interplay. The song's most glorious section comes when Maceo asks the crowd to "give the drummer some (give it to the funky drummer)". One of the many references to Maceo's first funk godfather -- James Brown -- it sets drummer Kenwood Dennard on a ridiculous funky solo. Maceo and his sax eventually join in, and the results are transcendent. Listen to Maceo's horn rise in pitch and energy, whipping the audience into a frenzy until they can't stand it anymore. When the main groove bursts back in, the place erupts. A truly cathartic moment.

'Pass the Peas' takes 'Shake's momentum, and cranks it up a notch. A song of quicker tempo, it features the ultimate in energetic grooves. Here, Maceo pays homage to his other funk godfather, George Clinton. At one point, he quotes lyrics from half a dozen Parliament songs, most notably the famous refrain: "Make my funk the P-Funk/I want my funk uncut/Make my funk the P-Funk/I want to get funked up..."

Then comes a cover of Brown's "I Got You (I Feel Good)". Maceo played on the original version, and should have left it at that. Kym Mazelle, who does vocal duty, is way too over the top. She reminds me of a technically proficient Tina Turner, a singer whose voice I never liked. The next three songs are nondescript ballads. The band manages a noble effort on these, but it really derails the party. 'Georgia On My Mind' follows them, and is a stunning version of that Hoagy Carmichael classic. Maceo (at least I think it's him on this one) does a credible Ray Charles impression in his vocal, and later introduces the band (for I think the third time!) so each can take a manic, energetic solo; my favourite being Rodney Jones' busy, jangly, and jazzy guitar break.

The final song on the album, 'Soul Power '92', returns to the party form established by the first two songs. It's another up-tempo groover, featuring Maceo's simpatico call-and-response style with the audience, and some tight (or rather TIGHT!) horn playing. Should be noted that the horn section contains such notable James Brown alumnus as Alfred "Pee Wee" Ellis and the great Fred Wesley on trombone. Wesley gets several solos here, each of full tone and funky rhythm.

Maceo is a great saxophonist. In fact, he's one of those players who's tone and style you recognize immediately. It's funky and huge. And on the party jams here, he leads his band through some serious pure and uncut funk. The recording is masterful, the band sounds great, and the audience seems willing to follow them wherever they go. I just wish he'd left the ballads in the dressing room. Otherwise, this would have been a perfect album.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ooooh, what's that you're doin'? Sure looks good to me!, April 6, 2005

By 

Adam D. Lofstedt (Seattle, WA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Life on Planet Groove (Audio CD)

This is the best live performance ever recorded, EVER. I'd give my right leg to have been there.

Any drummers here? There's enough tight licks to send you to the woodshed to practice for a decade. Almost every backbeat sends chills down my spine.

This album is truly a testament to instrumental musicians. Everybody plays their part, nobody steps on anyone else, each musician inspires the others to play their best, and the result is a sublime collective whole. Machines will never groove as hard humans, and this album is proof.

I'm on my third copy in over a decade, the CDs just can't seem to hold up to the amount of times I play them.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Feel the groove, January 31, 2000

By 

"john276626" (Montville, NJ United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Life on Planet Groove (Audio CD)

If you like funk and you don't own this CD, stop reading my review and ORDER THE CD...then come back and read the rest of course...this is one of the most groove-heavy and funky CD's I've ever heard...just in the first track alone when Maceo goes at it with Kenwood Dennard (drums) and they solo together it is so funky. if you can't feel the groove this disc will help you find your way to the groove...this is what you need...anyone who likes funk should get this CD by ALL and ANY means possible!