Trunk Funk Classics 1991-2000

Before Maceo Parker played with De La Soul, before Dr. Dre sampled the entire P-Funk catalog, even before flares came back in style, London's the Brand New Heavies were spreading funk's gospel to a whole new generation of listeners. Formed in 1985 by James Brown-worshipers Jan Kincaid, Simon Bartholomew, and Andrew Levy (vocalist N'dea Davenport joined in 1990), the band emerged from London's acid jazz scene in the early '90s with a sound folks had been jonesin' for. It wasn't quite Bootsy or Sly, but the Heavies' sexy, raw, and uplifting blend of sweaty '60s funk and smoothed-out '70s soul made booties shake harder than they had in years. Their early material has aged well; cuts off 1992's hip-hop-infused Heavy Rhyme Experience: Vol. 1 (especially "Soul Flower," which features hip-hop's Pharcyde at its finest) gush with exuberance, as do the four cuts from Brother Sister, perhaps the band's strongest album. Unfortunately, things haven't been quite the same since Davenport left the band in 1995 (replaced by Siedah Garrett until '98, then by current vocalist Carleen Anderson). But the comp's only new track, a reworking of Marvin Gaye's "Saturday Nite" that features rapper Mos Def, offers up a superfine bounce that'll definitely leave you grooving. They've still got it goin' on. --Sylvia W. Chan