Live At The Funk Lounge features some songs of Val Watson’s debut album Urbal in a live setting with her so-called Urbalites Trendsetters & Funkateers band plus a few extras and new songs. Again Val called her friends to join her. This time she is supported by George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Gerald Albright, Marcus Johnson, Frank McComb and The Earth, Wind And Fire Horn Section.
It’s always a good sign when the music you’ve only heard as studio version before also works in a live recording. And it’s even better when a live version outdoes the studio version. That’s what happens here with High (It’s My State Of Mind). The live version has more verve thanks to the horn section and Val’s background vocalists.
Do What Come Funky (P-Funk Vamp) is a fine example of what makes live performances worthwhile with its interaction with the audience, ad-libs and much more spontaneity than a studio recording could offer.
The sole bad thing about the live versions here is Earth, Wind & Fire which is only the faded-in last two and a half minutes of what sounds like a great live performance. I really would like to hear the complete recording of this song.
Val delivers a decent version of Jimi Hendrix’ Wind Cries Mary, but I’ve never been a great fan of this song anyway and even Val can convince me to like this song. Much, much better in my opinion is the original compostion Where U B? that finds Val talking/ad-libbing over a nice midtempo funk-jazz groove, my personal favourite on this album. I really like the way Val vamps about her musical influences and friends, her producer Gerald McCauley and God knows who else.
The two remixes of The Real are fine since they stay close to the original version, although I notice only a slight difference between the Cue Da Co-Co Remix and the B Movement Remix.
Wind Me Up (Wiggle, Wiggle Remix) is a fast, pleasant electro funk song with vocals by Bootsy Collins.
Overall Live At The Funk Lounge is a fine album that shows Val’s talent in a live and studio setting but due to the mixture of live songs, remixes and new stuff the album lacks some coherence for me.

Tracklisting of Val Watson Live At The Funk Lounge: 1. Introduction (Live)/ 2. Alright (Live)/ 3. The Real (Do-Do)(Live)/ 4. High (It’s My State of Mind)(Live)/ 5. Earth, Wind & Fire (UTF Band Vamp)(Live)/ 6. Do What Come Funky (P-Funk Vamp)(Live)/ 7. That’s Funked Up (Live)/ 8. Wind Cries Mary/ 9. The Real (Cue da Co-Co Remix)/ 10. The Real (B Movement Remix])/ 11. Wind Me Up (Wiggle, Wiggle Remix)/ 12. V-Boppers & Fingerpoppers: Where U B?/ 13. Funk Jazz Lounge (Get Yo Groove On) | released 2005 by 215 Records

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