Search - Zapp & Roger :: We Can Make You Dance: Zapp & Roger Anthology

Where's ALL the long versions?

Ollie | Columbia, Maryland United States | 02/17/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This collection is slightly better then the "All the Greatest Hits" CD but it has some major flaws that the "All the Greatest Hits" share. The positives that you get the long version of "More Bounce to the Ounce" and "Do it Roger" two major jams by Zapp. You also get the long version of "Heartbreaker" another plus. You get the album version of "Doo Wat Ditty(Blow My Thing) which is also a plus. But this collection fails to give you the long version of "Dancefloor" which I feel is just as a major jam as "More Bounce..". Good thing I have the 12" version of "Dancefloor" on another CD. Also, it would've been nice they gave us the album version "I Can Make You Dance". This is an area where the "All The Greatest Hits" album drops the ball also. Because of "Dancefloor" and "I Can Make You Dance", I had to deduct a star from my rating. But this CD is still a better buy then "All the Greatest Hits" CD."

A great collection with full length tracks

Jon L. Capogrossi | Arcadia, CA | 07/20/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This collection is superior, musicly speaking, to the previous platinum selling "Zapp and Roger-All the greatest hits" that came out back in 93. You should definitely get this one, even if you already have "All the Greatest Hits" Although that 1993 collection was great, they had to cut short a lot of the songs to fit so many onto one CD/Tape.
Therefore,for many who didnt have the original vinyl, you missed some cool stuff. Funk is a style of music where artists favor the LONG PLAYER and are known to drop some surprises even after 5 minutes of the song, and Roger was no exception. With the double CD "We Can Make You Dance" you get to hear the FULL LENGTH versions of some of some Zapp classics that were previously only found on the original vinyl hidden away in Record Shops, like the Phunky ending keyboard section in "Heartbreaker". Of course, you also get the full 11 minutes of "More Bounce" plus other FAT but lesser known Zapp songs like "Play Some Blues" and the "Playin Kinda Ruff" instrumental jam.
I am a BIG Funk Fan (aka Funkateer) and aspiring artist producer myself, and Roger's music is my main influence, so needless to say myself and others were stunned to see the loss of such a great creative artist in his prime when he was killed by his brother in 1999. Since his death I was waiting to see a proper CD collection talking about his life and music, and this CD is IT! This CD gives people an opportunity to see a much more well rounded picture of Roger and Zapp's musical influences, their skills at Funk, Blues, Soul, and Jazz and great craftsmanship, both in the uptempo Jamms and the slower ballads, with and without the talkbox. The liner notes tell the life story of the Troutman brothers and their interesting details about their musical history that bridged the gap from 70's to 80's Funk.
This is a great CD for anyone who likes Funk, likes the music of Roger, and, basically for anyone who wants some Jammin, well played, and positive music. In short, you'll hear more than just the greatest hits, but you'll hear what Roger and Zapp was really all about.
The remaining Troutman Brothers still tour as a group, usually billed as "Zapp-a Tribute to Roger", with Roger's brother, known as "Zapp" Troutman, handling all the talkbox vocals. IMO it's Hands down the best Funk Show out there right now (to me it's even better than George Clinton's current show!) See it if you can, and get this CD!"

Lots of different funk styles!

Jon L. Capogrossi | 04/09/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I confess: This double CD set is the only Roger Troutman/Zapp material in my collection, so maybe I'm missing out out some of the long or alternate versions of the songs, as many other reviewers have complained. However, almost all of the songs in this set are very, VERY long (a 10 minute jam, anyone?), so I hardly think that they're "radio edits"!My introduction to Roger Troutman was via a homemade CD that a co-worker gave me that contained two versions of his hit song "Computer Love." I instantly fell in love with the funky, heavy grooves and especially Roger's signature talkbox sound. Later, I would find out that Roger had played the talkbox on Tupac's song "California Love," which was pretty much the only thing that made that song good, IMO! A lot of people mention the influence that Roger had on later rap artists like Dre, Tupac, and Snoop Dogg (who made a song based on "Doo Wah Ditty" with L'il Kim and some other artists), and it's really incredible to listen to this set and hear the grooves and hooks that were wholesale ripped off by later artists. Case in point, I immediately recognized one of LL Cool J's latest songs when I heard "Be Alright." Although Roger & Zapp hailed from Ohio and are properly grouped with other great funk acts from the area like Lakeside and the Ohio Players, to a young person like myself, this set sounds extremely "West Coast"! In a way, listening to Roger & Zapp is like listening to Snoop or Dre's funkiest, most groovalicious songs, but without the curse words or references to gatts and ho's, etc. This is 100% POSITIVE music that will make you feel happy on the inside! Roger's joy of living and musical/production genius radiate from the songs like sunbeams.Another great feature of this set is the diversity of the material. It includes a handful of early songs from Roger's first group, Roger and the Human Body, that sound like classic P-Funk or Parliament material, and goes all the way up to the late 80s/early 90s on disc 2. I'm not so crazy about some of the later material (which even features some crummy mid-school rap), but the H-Town cover of "A Thin Line Between Love and Hate" (featuring Roger on talkbox and the beat from "Computer Love") that concludes this set is a surprise treat! If you like electro-funk, BUY THIS CD NOW! Roger was a true technological pioneer, and his crisp production and synth-soaked grooves sound funky and fresh, never "over-computerized"!"