Bruno Mars is without question a Funk-A-Teer!  He recently wrecked stages at the Grammy and iHeart awards, kicking off an International tour later this month, this weekend he does two nights in Vegas.  I’ve been feeling Mars’ music since his collaboration w/ B.o.B. on “They’ve Got Nothing on You.”  Now he’s a worldwide sensation.

His latest CD “24K Magic,” is a golden collection of music, worthy of platinum success.  It’s a tribute album to black music of the past five decades.  Hot on the heels of “Uptown Funk,” a collaboration he did with producer Mark Ronson for his CD “Uptown Special,” the album’s title track hit the airwaves retaining Mars’ heat.  It peaked at number-four on Billboard’s Hot 100, where ironically his current single “That’s What I Like,” sits for the second week.  At 15 Weeks on Billboard’s top 200 Album chart, now sitting at number-three, the record peaked in the number-two spot.Bruno Mars - Treasure

A bonafide summer jam on the release is the track “Chunky.”  There’s the ballads “Straight Up and Down,” “Versace on the Floor” & “Too Good To Say Goodbye,” as well as tongue-in-cheek tunes “Perm” & “Calling All My Lovelies.”  Not designating any particular performer, crooner or group to any of the given songs featured, the project channels the sonic delivery of hit-makers: James Brown, Prince, Smokey Robinson, The Jacksons, The Sylvers, Lakeside, Zapp, The Time, SKYY, Atlantic Starr, The Deele, Babyface, Dreamboy, The Force M.D.s, The Manhattans, Blue Magic, The Spinners, and The GAP Band, to really just name a few.  He packed it in there, and has been very vocal about his musical influences in recent interviews on 60 Minutes, and with Latina magazine… http://theboombox.com/bruno-mars-black-music-gave-america-its-swag-latina/

His second album “Unorthodox Jukebox,” peaked at number-one and is still among the top 200 on Billboard, it was released in 2012.  “Doo-Wops & Hooligans” was his first album, that was preceded by the EP, “It’s Better if You Don’t Understand.”  Beyond the hits he’s performed, did you know he wrote “Fu_k You” for Cee-Lo, as well as co-wrote Travie McCoy’s “Billionaire” and Jigga & Yeezy’s “Lift-Off,” that features Bey?  Those three songs and several others mentioned here… http://www.mtv.com/news/2339611/30-songs-bruno-mars-wrote/

Mars’ song “Finesse” could easily be a new GUY record, as the groove is steeped in New-Jack Swing, reminiscent of Teddy Riley’s work.  All you need do for this album is press play.  I could go on but I’ve cited the nine titles, that are a fresh burst of soul, funk, and R&B, which has been sorely lacking in music amidst a plethora of redundant hip-hop tracks.  A Tribe Called Quest’s latest, “We Got It from Here, Thank You for Your Service,” being the profound exception, as their album is another I’m steadily burning right now.

bruno2

for the FUNK of Bruno

c-dub

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