Standing in the Shadows of Motown

Standing in the Shadows of Motown chronicles the untold story of The Funk Brothers, the studio musicians who played on Motown Records' biggest hits from 1959 to 1972. The book combines oral history, photographs, and musical transcriptions to document this group of musicians who created the foundation of classic Motown songs. Author Allan Slutsky reconstructs the daily workings of Motown's Studio A, known as the "Snake Pit," where The Funk Brothers recorded thousands of tracks. The narrative follows the careers and contributions of musicians like bassist James Jamerson, drummer Benny Benjamin, and guitarist Robert White as they shaped what would become known as "The Motown Sound." The text features detailed musical analysis, including note-for-note bass transcriptions of James Jamerson's work on iconic recordings. Historical context about Detroit, the music industry, and American culture of the 1960s provides background for the musicians' stories. This work serves as both historical record and musical study, exploring themes of artistic recognition and the often-invisible role of session musicians in popular music. The book examines questions of credit, legacy, and the collaborative nature of hit-making in American popular music.

Readers praise the detailed musical transcriptions and the spotlight on bassist James Jamerson's contributions to Motown hits. The book resonates with both musicians seeking to learn the bass lines and music fans interested in the behind-the-scenes stories of the Funk Brothers. Readers highlight: - Historical photos and personal anecdotes from fellow musicians - Clear, accurate musical notation - Technical insights into Jamerson's playing style Common criticisms: - High price point - Some transcriptions contain errors - Physical book quality issues (binding problems reported) - Limited coverage of other Funk Brothers members Ratings: Amazon: 4.7/5 (290 reviews) Goodreads: 4.5/5 (168 reviews) Sample reader comment: "The transcriptions alone are worth the price. Learning these bass lines transformed my playing." - Amazon reviewer Several bass players note the book helped them understand Jamerson's fingering techniques and note choices, though some mention the difficulty level is high for beginners.

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🎵 James Jamerson, the legendary Motown bassist featured in the book, played on more #1 hits than The Beatles, The Beach Boys, The Rolling Stones, and Elvis Presley combined. 🎸 Author Allan Slutsky spent nine years researching and transcribing Jamerson's bass lines, even working as a cab driver to fund the project when publishers initially rejected the book. 🏆 The book won the Rolling Stone/Ralph J. Gleason Music Book Award and inspired the 2002 documentary film of the same name. 🎼 Most of Jamerson's iconic bass lines were played on a 1962 Fender Precision Bass nicknamed "The Funk Machine," which was stolen shortly before his death in 1983. 🎹 Though The Funk Brothers (Motown's house band) played on countless hits, they were uncredited on records until the 1970s and were paid only $10 per song during Motown's early years.