Nancy Dupree – Ghetto Reality

Absolutely compelling music made by little black school children. I often see this described as a “funk record”, but I feel that is somewhat misleading and probably has some people expecting a Jackson 5/Sylvers type thing, which it isn’t. What we do have here is far more interesting. Just Dupree on piano & the kid’s singing give this record a sparse, yet intense sound that ranges from jubilant on tracks such as the tribute “James Brown”, to harrowing and mournful on “Docta King” – a lament to the late Martin Luther King Jr. A great record that will capture the imagination totally. I smile just thinking about it.

[audio:ghettoreality.mp3]