Not sure why or how I got the soul/funk jones when I was a kid-  maybe it was the broad playlists prevalent on the radio in the mid to late 70s; maybe it was Mom and Dad having Saturday Night Fever on constant rotation; hell, maybe it was those Jackson 5 and Fat Albert cartoons that I grew up on.  I dunno, but no matter how much I eventually gravitated to hard rock and heavy metal I always appreciated a funky jam and good time groove more than anyone and boy does Brother Strut and “Love And Only” deliver.

First, a little bit of “Strut” history…  Saxophonist Stevie Jones formed the band in 2012, pulling together a killer core of funkiness tapped from a wide variety of players that had toured with major acts like Amy Winehouse, Stevie Wonder, Sting, and Jamiroquai (just to name a few).  So far the band has released three discs and a couple of EPs filled with stirring soul, dance, and funk music with hints of Latino beats and jazzy world music vibe that is sure to have you singing and dancing along.  Disc #2, the brilliant What We Got Together, contains the sizzling “Love And Only” which in an ideal musical world should be a summertime anthem based on an insistent light funk beat, killer singalong chorus, and awesome hookiness.  This, ladies and gentleman, is the sound of REAL musicians-  this is strong, this is live, and this is joyousness of the highest order.  There is no oversinging, no overplaying, no overproducing…  nah baby, this is beautifully tight, in the pocket and brilliantly performed, letting the hookiness breathe on its own.

So let’s recap and add a few other bits n bobs…  you like soul?  Check…  you like funk?  Check…  you like hooks?  All over this one…  how about groovy bass playing?  Got it big time…  Fine, fine singing?  Oh absolutely…  Maybe you’re convinced-  if you haven’t hit the play button above do so PRONTO then go to the band’s website https://brotherstrut.com  and dig in to the rest of the band’s catalog.  You’ll be glad you did.