Loose Grooves - Funkin' Live In England 1980

Description

One of the most popular funk groups of the '70s, War were also one of the most eclectic - freely melding soul, Latin, jazz, blues, reggae, and rock influences into an effortlessly funky whole. Although War's lyrics were sometimes political in nature, their music almost always had a sunny, laid-back vibe emblematic of their Southern California roots. War were often given over to extended jamming - many of their studio songs were edited together out of longer improvisations. War's was a truly group-minded approach: no one soloist or vocalist really stood above the others and their grooving interplay placed War in the top echelon of funk ensembles. This ‘In Concert’ perfectly illustrates the picture painted in the above description. As well as the extended improvisations this film also includes the band presenting faithful versions of their big hits Cisco Kid and Low Rider. By this point in the band’s career they had effectively been a unit for a decade and their experience shows in the almost effortless and laid back way they hit their groove. Over more recent years interest has grown in the WAR audio catalogue, and plenty of samples have been taken for latter day R&B hits. Their music is also regularly used in feature films. As a result a touring line-up has been able to maintain a healthy presence on the international scene.