Ron Banks & The Dramatics

Ron Banks & The Dramatics

"Drama V" ABC Records

The Dramatics' newest is proof positive, if one needed it, that the soul music scene in Detroit thrives despite the absence of Motown Records. In fact, "Drama V" is "another Groovesville masterpiece" from producer Don Davis, who owns United Sound Systems where this was recorded and who has organized the impressive complex of writers, arrangers, and musicians whose talents grace this album into an awesome, "assembly-line" production in the old Motown mode. This includes many crack studio musicians for years and years associated with Motown: Rudy Robinson, Earl Van Dyke, Johnny Griffith, keyboards; Richard "Pistol" Allen, drums; Marvin Marshall, guitar; Jack Ashford, percussion; Johnny Trudell and the Detroit Horns. These folks are augmented by people like Michael Henderson (of Miles Davis' band), bass; Earl Klugh, guitar; and Lorenzo "Mr. Rhythm" Brown, percussion. They all combine to provide the Dramatics with an album rich in their particular brand of sophistifunk, and delightfully redolent of several Motown acts, especially middle period Temptations.

There is the psychedelic schmooze of "Treat Me Like A Man", the lush romanticism of "I Was the Life Of The Party", and the crisp aggressiveness of "I'm Gonna Love You To The Max". Each arrangement is distinctive and there are any number of nice touches from tune to tune, especially the guitar/alto opening of "Just Shopping" courtesy of Earl Klugh and the immaculate Eli Fountain, and the manner in which the Groovesville gang elevate the Barry White-ish "Dramatic Theme" to something dynamic. Yes, yes, yes.