U-Nam & California Funk Machine - California Funk Machine, Vol. 3 (2023)

Paris born guitar virtuoso Emmanuel “U-Nam” Abiteboul continues to follow his passion for funk. This year he presents Volume 3 with an exquisite collection of hits.

On his new album he is supported by these musicians on individual tracks: Tony Tatum (Lead Vocals), Gennine Francis-Jackson (Lead & Background Vocals), Larry Salzmann (Percussion), Denis Benarrosh (Percussion), Michael White (Drums), Christian Martinez (Trumpet & Flugelhorn), Joabe Reis (Trombone), Thierry Farugia (Tenor Sax & Flute), Kim Chandler (Background Vocals), Franck Sitbon (Piano & Background Vocals, Additional Rhodes), Tim Owens (Background Vocals), Maria Grig (Violin & Viola), Lyudmila Kadyrbaeva (Cello).

U-Nam performs on this album Lead & Rhythm Guitars, Lead & Background Vocals, Talk Box, Vocoder, Bass, Synth Bass, Rhodes, Keyboards, Drums, Percussion, Horns, Programming & Editing. The album opens with Celebration, a song of the group Kool & The Gang which reached in 1980 Nr. 1 in the Hot 100-charts. The cover features lead vocalist Tony Tatum who already performed on both previous albums of this serial.

The GAP Band created Outstanding in 1982, one of their biggest hit and certainly their signature sound. U-Nam presents a polished cover by bringing a lot of his guitar personality to the song. Shining Star is one of the eternal hits of the band Earth, Wind & Fire from 1975. Among the smooth jazz performers of this song are Richard Elliot and Rick Braun. On this album we get anew an extended cover with much glamour.

Mel Brooks satirically poked fun at King Louis XVI of France with It's Good to Be the King. The song has its funky moments, which made U-Nam include this song in his collection. Spice of Life was composed by Rod Temperton and was released by the Manhattan Transfer in 1983. U-Nam's guitar power also dominates this cover.

Can't Hide Love was released in 1975 on the album Gratitude by Earth, Wind & Fire. The interpretation on this album is very talk box distorted, which seems to detract from the beautiful melody. Steppin' Out, on the other hand, conveys the joy of life with an unadulterated voice.

City Lights (Tongue In Chic) is a relatively unknown piece by the group Chic, written by Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers. U-Nam enhances the original in his familiar manner. The world-famous George Benson song Turn Your Love Around is given a talk box treatment by U-Nam that doesn't do justice to the character of the song. Two guitar alterations of Outstanding and Can't Hide Love complete the album.

California Funk Machine's Volume 3 impresses with a good selection of well-known and sometimes unknown gems from the funk era.