Lori Richardson

Instant Funk, the nine-piece funk unit discovered by Bunny Sigler, created a stir in 1979 when Salsoul released the single "I Got My Mind Made Up (You Can Get It Girl)." Swirling, screaming horns announce the chorus; hand claps, tambourines and a maniacal rhythm guitar battle the heavy bottom; and a woman delivers erotic lines for added impact. Salsoul followed the #20 pop and #1 R&B (for three weeks) hit with "Crying," a race horse whose relentless beat only subsides near the fade; Carmichael's vocal is passionate, almost deranged. "Never Let Me Go Away," a rare Instant Funk ballad, was so overblown the melody got buried. Spooky voices and haunted-house sounds wallpaper "Dark Vader"'s comic-book lyrics and funky hooks. Rolling horns pump "I'll Be Doggone" (not the Marvin Gaye hit), a cooker that rolls for seven minutes. Four of the eight tracks are killers; a pretty good average for a disco/funk group.

When Instant Funk moved from Philadelphia International's TSOP label to Salsoul, all of the pieces fell into place for the band - both commercially and creatively. While its first album, Get Down With the Philly Jump, was decent but uneven, its second and third albums were generally excellent. For Instant Funk, switching labels didn't mean switching producers - the Philadelphians worked with Bunny Sigler at TSOP and continued to work with him at Salsoul. Sigler was the ideal producer for Instant Funk because he really understood what the band was going for: an unorthodox blend of Philly soul/disco and the type of hardcore funk that other cities were better known for. Sigler is a major asset on Witch Doctor, which was Instant Funk's second album for Salsoul and its third album overall. From the sweaty funk of "Bodyshine" (a major hit), "Slap, Slap Lickedy Lap," and "Witch Doctor" to the smooth ballad "I Had a Dream," Sigler does right by Instant Funk on this solid effort.