BY JOHN M. JAMES

Tuesday brings a new collaboration of Jazz and Funk masters, all bowing down to the P-Funk manifesto as The Clinton Administration. The new CD, One Nation Under a Re-Groove, also launches Magnatude Records, a new groove, Funk 'n Jam boutique label through Magna Carta. From a stellar résumé of seasoned professionals led by James Brown drummer Clyde Stubblefield, the results are steamy, playful and strokin', with material selected from throughout George Clinton's Parliament/Funkadelic years. Other knee-deep magicians on this magic carpet ride include legendary guitarist Phil Upchurch, turntable and sound manipulationist DJ Logic, saxophonist Skerik of Les Claypool's Frog Brigade, and Rollins Band bassist Melvin Gibbs. Highlights include their throbbing cover of "Cosmic Slop," the cinematic squiggle of "Chocolate City" and the keyboard-heavy pant of "Hit It and Quit It," each instrumental track broken down, jazzed up and built back up one funky brick at a time. Look for the Epic Legacy label to issue a new retrospective, Six Degrees of P-Funk: The Best of George Clinton & His Funk Family, next month. ... Also from the funky side of the neighborhood comes the news of an upcoming Jimi Hendrix tribute album featuring Earth, Wind & Fire's take on "Voodoo Chile," Musiq's spin on "Are You Experienced," and Chaka Khan's flight of "Little Wing" with Kid Rock guitarist Kenny Olson. The all-new collection, entitled Power of Soul, is due later this year on the MCA Records label and also features George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Carlos Santana and Seal. ... In the funky, but wacko white bread department, comes the new release of Confessions of a Dangerous Singer, the debut album from television maverick Chuck Barris. Released last week on the Domo Records label, the founder of The Gong Show, The Dating Game and The Newlywed Game covers a strange brew of material, like Bob Dylan's "Don't Think Twice" and standards like "The Sunny Side of the Street," Mr. Sandman," and his own penned "Palisades Park," a hit in 1962 by singer Freddy Cannon. ... My pick of the week is The Watchers' To the Rooftops, a sizzling hot debut from former members of Hex and Assembly Line People, drenched in the No-Wave guitar chords of Gang of Four and slippery wet grind of the Talking Heads' Remain In Light era. Angular and sweaty, the Chicago band whips up a cubic frenzy, an undeniable Rock & Roll tent revival of twitching riffs and beats. Found on the Gern Blandsten Records imprint, the CD is electric, alive and loose, climbing into convulsing summersaults and sharp, athletic grooves.

Television Alert
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno features Fleetwood Mac both this evening and Thursday and Lou Reed on Friday. The Late Show with David Letterman hosts The Folksmen on Thursday, Lisa Marie Presley on Friday and Wilco and The Minus Five on Tuesday. Late Night with Conan O'Brien features The White Stripes Tuesday through Friday as the house band. Last Call with Carson Daly sits down with Pete Yorn on Friday and Little Steven on Tuesday.

New Releases Coming Tuesday
and like the winds, young grasshopper, are subject to change...

Trey Anastasio ­ Plasma (Elektra) two-CD live set from the Phish founder featuring a cover of Bob Marley's "Small Axe"; Black Box Recorder ­ Passionoia (One Little Indian); Bluebottle Kiss ­ Revenge Is Slow (In Music We Trust) excellent shimmering Pop from Australia, reminiscent of Frank Bango and the Afghan Whigs; Byrds ­ Byrd Parts 2 (Raven) 28 rare tracks from 1962-1986; Chimaira ­ The Impossibility of Season (Roadrunner); City Of Ghosts ­ original motion picture soundtrack (Lakeshore) featuring Cambodian and French selections from the 1960s; Howie Day ­ Howie Day's Madrigals (Epic) EP and bonus DVD; Elliott ­ Song In the Air (Revelation) swirling, pulsating, atmospheric Rock from Louisville, Ky., now featuring a string quartet assembled by Christian Frederickson of Rachel's; Fingertight ­ In the Name of Progress (Columbia); The Fugs ­ The Fugs Final CD: Part 1 (Artemis); Go Kart Go ­ Flying (House Cat); Martin L. Gore ­ Counterfeit2 (Mute/Reprise) all-covers album with the Depeche Mode songwriter's electronic twist; The Heatseekers ­ In Praise Of (Ohev Records); $ign of 4 ­ Dancing With St. Peter (Track Record) new from UFO's Phil Moog; The Influents ­ Some of the Young (Adeline); James Last ­ Songs From the Heart (Eagle); Eric Leeds ­ Now & Again (Liquid 8) new Jazz album from the Prince saxophonist; Lil' Mo ­ Meet the Girl Next Door (Elektra) with guest Eve; Lynch Mob ­ Revolution (Cleopatra) George Lynch's reworking of thirteen Dokken classics; Mono ­ One Step More and You Die (Arena Rock) tender ambient wanderings from Japan; The Party of Helicopters ­ Please Believe It (Velocette); The Pretty Things ­ SF Sorrow At Abbey Road (Snapper) DVD release of this 1998 performance of the first "Rock Opera" from 1967, with guest guitarist David Gilmour of Pink Floyd; Revis ­ Places For Breathing (Epic); Sam Shaber ­ Eighty Numbered Streets (SMG) smart new album from this female New York City singer/songwriter and winner of the John Lennon Songwriting Competition; Southern Gentlemen ­ Double Your Pleasure (Leviathan) hot and sweaty new Blues Rock from guitar wizard David T. Chastain and company; Spacek ­ Vintage Hi-Tech (K7) second album from the trio dubbed the "Radiohead of Soul"; Starvations ­ Get Well Soon (Gold Standard Laboratory) featuring cover art by Dame Darcy; Sticky Fingaz ­ Decade (Riviera) new from the former Onyx front man; Tangerine Dream ­ Mota Atma (United States of Distribution) all new; Various Artists ­ The Acoustic Coffee House Presents: A Female Tribute To Creed (Reverberations); Various Artists ­ Underground Screams (Asian Man) 26-track compilation culled from 600 worldwide demos; Various Artists ­ Wayne Kramer Presents: Beyond Cyberpunk (North Star Media) rarities from Mudhoney, Pere Ubu, Richard Hell & the Voidoids and Dee Dee Ramone.

E-mail John M. James

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