Featured Artist: Plunky and Oneness

CD Title: Got to Move Something

Year: 2002

Record Label: N.A.M.E Brand Records

Style: Soul / Funk Jazz

Review: Plunky is saxophonist J. Plunky Brancy and if you never heard his name, you might have heard his music. He was featured on The Cosby Showas a studio musician who performed some of the background music on the show. He has released 16 CD's before his latest Got to Move Something and has toured internationally. Got to Move Something is something different for those who like both good studio tracks and also a recorded live release. The release features both a CD of new material recorded in the studio and a CD recorded live in Atlanta at the National Black Arts Festival in July of 2002.

Plunky and company go through various influences in Got to Move Something. There is an African influence, especially in the use of percussion by Asante. There is also tracks that feature rap, R&B and fusion. However, the ones that hit the mark most are the ones that have a funky beat to them. The urban grooves are infectious and bring the best of the city together. Plunky's sax stylings make the instrumental tracks very strong on Got to Move Something.

The only drawback to Got to Move Something is the inconsistent vocals on the studio portion of the twin CD release. While Plunky and Phillip Muz Branch are very good on background and some lead vocals, Tonya Lazenby-Jackson is a mixed bag. She can be very good on tracks like The Reasons Why I Adore You and the title track, but she is very weak on Funk U Up and Up and Down. Lazenby-Jackson should try to put a little more feeling in those and have a little more soul as well.

On the Live in AtlantaCD, Plunky and his crew have got it all together with a live performance that stands above the studio tracks. Here, Tonya Lazanby-Jackson shines in her performance and the rest of the crew feels the audience groove and makes the live performance their own. Of the two CD release, the live performance has it above the rest. Also of note is that there are a lot of tracks on Got to Move Something. There are 14 full-length tracks on the studio CD and nine more on the live performance. Got to Move Somethingis a good surprise that I hope gets more attention. Move to it!

Artist's Website: http://www.plunkyone.com

Reviewed by: Norm Breest

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