The Counts were a great 70s funk band who somehow never got the recognition they deserved. Like so many early funk bands, The Counts were basically jazz musicians at heart and all through �Funk Pump� their jazz skills come through loud and clear. They have a fairly diverse sound, The Ohio Players and early Funkadelic are influences, as well as War�s earthy sound and older jazz and soul styles as well. This diversity of sound may be what held The Counts back as it is possible the labels weren�t sure how to market them. There is also a very appealing down home old school almost country sound to The Counts, which may have hurt them in the mid 70s when other funk bands like Parliament and EW&F; were sounding urban and futuristic. Possibly the two main things that hurt The Counts most though were the lack of a central lead character along the lines of Bootsie, Sly or Sugar Foot, and a lack of memorable lyrics. Although the songs and playing are great on here, the lyrics sound like filler and afterthoughts.

Anyway, don�t mean to get stuck on this band�s faults while speculating on their lack of commercial recognition, this is actually a good record and it should appeal to fans of jazzy funk. Also, for the funk-jazz purists, there are a couple of totally (or mostly) instrumental numbers too. If you like old school down to earth funk with a bit of country twang along the lines of early Ohio Players and War, you will enjoy this one.