Sansu

Before ascending to funk superstardom with their masterpiece Rejuvenation on Reprise Records, The Meters were the house band for influential vocalist, instrumentalist and producer extraordinaire Allen Toussaint’s Sansu label. There, they backed up artists such as Lee Dorsey and recorded instrumentals that would often be used as filler on Sansu LPs. Many of these were grouped and released on the Josie label under the title The Meters, their first album. This essential compilation collects their three Josie albums – their debut, Look-Ka Py Py and Struttin’ – and also previously unissued B-sides and singles attributed to Art Neville & The Meters and Cyril Neville & The Meters.

If the music here has a fat-bottom end – murky and heavy – then it’s also spare, as the four musicians play exact notes in the exact spots without wasting a single moment in creating their sweltering brew. George Porter Jr. (bass) and Leo Nocentelli (guitar) harmonize on the dirtiest licks and riffs imaginable ( “Cissy Strut,” “Hey! Last Minute” ). Art Neville (organ) brings burning lyricism to his B3 workouts, while Zigaboo Modeliste (drums), the most underrated funk drummer out there, rips through every single tune popping the snare like a thunderclap. If there is any revelation here, then it’s without a doubt Modeliste. His off-beats and ghost notes enhance but never distract from the structures and grooves of the tunes. Move over David Garibaldi and Clyde Stubblefield – you’ve got company.