Presenting…..

Funk Brother Jack Ashford

Jack Ashford states in his monologue on stage ‘there are many Funk

Brothers, as that was not their name during the Berry Gordy/Motown

years’. That name was created following the success of the award

winning feature documentary film of 2002 entitled ‘Standing in the

Shadows of Motown’. Musicians involved in the Funk Brothers have

formed their own spin-off, in a similar vein to other legendary groups

The Temptations and The Supremes. This Funk Brother Jack Ashford

band is the last of that era in its original form.

Two Time Grammy Winner Jack Ashford is the virtuoso whose vibes

and tambourine made the Original Motown Sound, having also won Life

Time Achievement Award. His performance on almost every Motown

hit during the 60’s and 70’s was generated in the ‘Snake Pit’ and

although much copied, his delivery is unique. Jack was born in

Philadelphia in 1936. By the age of 32, he had started working for

Motown, as one of Berry Gordy’s session musicians. Over the next few

years he toured with most of the famous artists of that label, including

Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas,

calling themselves the Motown Review. In fact it was Marvin Gaye who

requested that Jack join Motown originally, when Marvin discovered

Jack playing the vibes in an organ trio in Boston. Jack went on to be

their most prolific percussionist, playing more than a dozen traditional

percussion instruments as well as some more obscure instruments such

as knee slaps, foot stomps and his own invention, the hotel sheet.

Angelo Starr (real name: Angelo Hatcher) is the brother of singer

Edwin Starr and backed his brother for many years. Jack Ashford was

at Motown when Angelo’s brother was major recording artist there; in

fact the hit ‘War’ includes his tambourine. When Edwin Starr passed

away in 2003, Angelo stepped forward to front Edwin’s band ‘The

Team’. When UK producer Ian Levine heard Angelo's similarity to

Edwin (whom Levine had recorded for his Motorcity Records project in

the early 90s), he offered him a record deal, and Angelo Starr did the

opening track "Stand on My Own Two Feet" for Levine's Northern Soul

2007 album.

Joseph ‘Foley’ McCreary aka Foley played bass guitar for Miles Davis

from 1987-1991. He is featured on his albums Amandla, Dingo Live

Around The World and The Complete Miles Davis at Montreux.

The Motown recording artist came to Jack Ashford’s attention during

November 2007 when he was George Clinton’s drummer and the Funk

Brothers were the opening group. Foley went on to perform with Funk

Brother Jack Ashford because of his love for James Jamerson’s bass

playing with the original studio band.

Foley has performed on stage with Lenny White, Marcus Miller, Res,

Fishbone, Arrested Development, Macy Gray, Mint Condition, Prince,

Davina, Kenny Garrett, Santana, Alice in Chains, Foreigner, Monica

and Primus.

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DVD & BOOK

• 2002 STANDING IN THE SHADOW OF MOTOWN • ARTISAN ENTERTAINMENT

• 2005 MOTOWN :THE VIEW FROM THE BOTTOM BANK HOUSE BOOKS

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YELLOW GO-RILLA PRODUCTIONS LTD.

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