(February 16, 2023) “How Happy,” the new song from the Brooklyn Funk Essentials, is musical confirmation of the saying better late than never. The group originally wrote “How Happy” in the early 1990s, but never released the tune. We don’t know the reasons that led to keeping the song under wraps. Quality certainly wasn’t a factor.
The subject matter addressed in “How Happy,” the unexplainable joy that comes from being in the presence or even thinking about that special someone, is the kind of topic that songwriters often take on. Brooklyn Funk Essentials pairs that identifiable subject with a song funk/disco number that serves as the perfect vehicle for Alison Limerick’s honeycombed and seductive vocals.
“How Happy” fuses the popping bass line and tight horn play of funk with the lush string arrangements of disco. The combination adds to the band’s rich musical palate that includes in addition to funk jazz, hip-hop, spoken word and Latin. The accompanying video for “How Happy” captures the feel of a band that has a warm connection to each other. The video cuts between footage of the band performing in a studio and a lone woman joyfully dancing as she puts in motion the words that Limerick sings. Check out “How Happy” by the Brooklyn Funk Essentials here.
By Howard Dukes
Brooklyn Funk Essentials – “How Happy”
