MACEO PARKER was born in North Carolina in 1943 and at the age of 19 he and his younger brother Melvin were recruited by the “Godfather of Soul” and undisputed “King of Funk” James Brown. Maceo, with his driving, soul/jazz sax proved a pivotal role in the J.B.’s and his weaving licks can be heard loud and proud in Brown’s revolutionary anthem “Say It Loud. I’m Black And I’m Proud.”

But as the Seventies dawned, Maceo and his brother, drummer Melvin, were ready for their own revolution. In a daring protest they left to form their own band taking the cream of the Kings men. From the day Maceo’s Men entered the studio in 1970, the funk world would never be the same again. Their debut album Doing Their Own Thing (reflecting their independence) announced to the world that Maceo Parker would be a funk force in his own right for decades to come and that The Kings Men would be major players in the funk world from now on with or without James Brown.

If any of the many rumours are to be believed, Brown used his position to supress the album paying DJ’s not to play it. It is astonishing that such an acclaimed masterpiece should have gone unnoticed at the time of release and languish in obscurity for so many years. Now, we set the funk free, PLAY IT LOUD…