Licence to Funk is the eighth album by the Nils Landgren Funk Unit, and again, the Swedish trombonist reconfigures the band's personnel to keep things fresh. He keeps the rhythm section of German drummer
Wolfgang Haffner and bassist
Magnum Coltrane Price and adds reedman
Magnus Lindgren, keyboardist and vocalist
Ida Sand, and -- the biggest surprise here -- Detroit guitarist
Ray Parker, Jr., author of the hit single "Ghostbusters," who had retired from music in the early '90s and then reappeared on
Landgren's collaboration with pianist
Joe Sample,
Creole Love Call, in 2005. After the previous record's experimentation with
ABBA tunes (Funky ABBA),
Licence to Funk is basically an homage to various types of old-school '70s funk: the dry, hard-edged funk of
James Brown's famous rhythm section is celebrated in an energetic cover of
Fred Wesley's "House Party," another cover brings back the bouncy disco-funk of the
Ashford & Simpson/
Quincy Jones classic "Stuff Like That," and there are several nods toward the smooth soul-funk of
the Crusaders -- for example,
Landgren's own composition "24Hours," with its soft electric piano, relaxed background vocals, and sweet flute melody, or his near-instrumental "Capetown Shuffle" (not to mention a cover of
Crusaders bassist
Wilton Felder's "Brazos River Breakdown"). Despite the three cover tunes and the large number of comparisons the music brings to mind,
Licence to Funk is neither a full retro album nor a slavish imitation of all those acts -- the Funk Unit is in top form, with tightly locked grooves and inspired soloing, and the record is an excellent showcase for a band that knows how to use a funk rhythm as a springboard to exciting interplay. While all of the musicians are great (and all, except for
Lindgren, contribute original songs),
Ray Parker, Jr.'s presence is what gives the group that something extra: listening to his opening guitar licks on "Freak U" and the bluesy "Secret" alone makes you glad he's back. The two songs he's written are among the album's highlights: the gritty, driving rhythm of "SampleRayT" inspires some soulful soloing by saxman
Magnus Lindgren, and
Parker even sings in his instantly recognizable voice on "For Those Who Like to Party." If the Nils Landgren Funk Unit continue to record albums this good, their title-giving licence will never be revoked. ~ Christian Genzel