THE SOUND OF SUNSHINE
Release Date: 1975
Famous Tracks: Shotgun Shuffle, Rock Your Baby, Funky '75
CD Availability: Entire album became available on CD in 2006. "Shotgun Shuffle" is on most KC greatest hits compilations
Becky Rating: 7 Suns (out of 10)

JUST SOME GROOVES

The Sound of Sunshine is an all-instrumental album featuring the members of the Sunshine Band - Harry "KC" Casey on keyboards, Jerome Smith on guitar, Rick Finch on bass, Robert "Shotgun" Johnson on drums, Fermin Goytisolo on percussion, the band's normal backup singers, and the band's normal studio horn section. (KC does not sing.) Released in 1975, it demonstrates the funky rhythms, tight playing, and catchy melodies that make the Sunshine Band's music so memorable.

A few tracks stand out. "Shotgun Shuffle" is one of the sweetest instrumentals I have ever heard and is one of my top five favorite KC tracks. Beginning with a simple repeated keyboard pattern on top of happily-percolating conga drums, the horns come in with a major-key melody that takes me right back to the summer of 1975. A brief excursion into minor follows, until we're back at the beginning with a happy cry of "Shotgun!" If I ever get married, I'm going to walk down the aisle to this song, and not just for the pun, either.

Three other famous KCSB songs appear here in modified formats. "Funky '75" is simply the instrumental track to "Sound Your Funky Horn" with the vocals removed; a flute shimmers in place of KC's voice, and the percussion stands out a little more. "Rock Your Baby" is a new version of the song KC and Rick wrote for George McCrae; it's a faster, more upbeat version with "real drums" and a saxophone carrying the melody. "I Love You" interpolates a little bit of the horn part to "That's the Way I Like It" on the minor-key bridge. You'll recognize it.

The remaining originals include "Hey J," which sounds to me like the theme from a police show; "Sunshine City," an upbeat horn-led dance groove, and "Just a Groove," a funky slow number that recalls...The Band? Yep, but I can never figure out which song it reminds me of: "Up on Cripple Creek" or "The Weight."

The Sound of Sunshine provides a good sample of mid-70s R&B music styles. In early 2006, it became available on CD, so now you can enjoy it even if you don't have a turntable. I highly recommend it!

(c) 2002 and 2006 Becky Banfield for Dos Gardenias Productions