Funk Spectrum Vol. 3 compiled by Pete Rock and Keb Darge

British DJ and beatminer extraordinaire Keb Darge has made a name for himself by finding long-forgotten funk and soul tracks and packaging them to a modern audience. Funk Spectrum, Vol. 3 is the continuation of his very successful series for BBE Records, and this time he gets a little help from legendary hip-hop producer Pete Rock.

As with any Keb Darge disc, there is little to criticize. Too often, compilations of obscure oldies appeal only to collectors, but Darge has an uncanny knack for finding old tracks that appeal to anyone. Highlights include tracks by long-forgotten tracks like the Chosen Few’s twangy anthem “We Are the Chosen Few” and “Nothin But a Party (Part 1)” by the Blenders. Pete Rock contributes a few obscure tracks from well-known artists like the wonderfully moody “Chains & Things” by BB King and the surprisingly funky “Nothing Is the Same” by ’70s rockersGrand Funk Railroad. Also included is the Motown-influenced “Hey Joyce” by Lou Courtney.

None of the tracks on Funk Spectrum, Vol. 3 could be considered essential to anyone’s collection. One could get a full sense of the funk genre without ever hearing music from groups with unintentionally hilarious names like Mad Dog & the Pups and Charles Pryor & Power of Love. But that’s beside the point. The real joy comes from re-discovering something that might have been lost forever. As usual, Keb Darge has done all the footwork by unearthing these lost classics, leaving you with nothing to do but sit back and enjoy.