Various Artists - Eccentric Soul: Smart's Palace

Funky soul from Witchita, Kansas - an unlikely locale, but home to some really great music - courtesy of the Smart brothers, and their ultra-hip club! This wonderful entry in the Eccentric Soul series from Numero really brings that lost scene to life - telling the tale of the brothers, their club, and some of the wickedly funky artists that graced their stage - a host of obscure groups, singers, and instrumentalists who really made Kansas cook, back in the day! The groove here is plenty darn hard - as raw as some of the best funky 45s you might find from points north, warmed up with occasional southern soul elements - and always produced with rough-and-ready vibe that gets to the heart of the grit right away. The set comes with a beautiful 28 page booklet - filled with vintage photos, in support of the Smart story, told by Dante Carfagna and Rob Sevier - but even without this added feature, the CD itself would be wonderful - essential listening for fans of all things funky!