Gene Van Buren has been played on NTS in shows including Funk Freaks Radio, featured first on 25 March 2024. Songs played include Rock The House.

The vocal arrangements were taken care of by van Buren. When it came to the rhythm arrangements van Buren was assisted by Benjamin F. Wright Jr. that is one of the best in the field. Wright had plenty of knowledge and experience after been working as an arranger with artists like The Gap band, Michael Jackson and Aretha Franklin. Wright did also handle all the string arrangements. The horn arrangements though were taken care of no one less than funk band Ozone!

Except the vocal parts Van Buren also played Acoustic piano. The fellow musicians that worked with the album featured the highly accomplished and prominent session musicians of Michael Boddicker on Jupiter & Synthesizer (had worked with George Benson, Lenny White and The Brothers Johnson among others), Frank "Rusty" Hamilton III on Acoustic piano, Synthesizers, Prophet & Mini Mog and Fender Rhodes, L. Marlo Henderson, Dwight Carol and Charles W. Fearing on Guitars (member of Ray Parker & Raydio), Victor "Wide track" Hill and James Jamerson on bass Guitar (left; legendary Motown bassist that had played with highly regarded names like Stevie Wonder, Quincy Jones and Marvin Gaye that sadly passed away just one year after van Buren's release), Michael White (a quite new at the name later to work with acts like Teene Marie, Marcus Miller and Diana Ross) and Leon "Ndugu" Chancler on Drums (had worked with Herbie Hancock, George Duke and Norman Connors) and "Boots" Grey on Percussion. And if that wasn't enough Mr Berry Gordy himself was the executive producer. With this highly impressive line-up of musicians and financial support from the big "dragon" of Motown the playground was set, but was it to produce anything great?

The album

With a voice similar to Glenn Jones, intensive and passionate, van Buren delivered a very strong debut with a mix of soul and funk. Among the fast tracks two fantastic smokers exceeds the rest by a far margin in "Enjoy yourself" and "Rock the house". Two fantastic songs with so much joy presented in a outstanding mix of soul and funk with the main weight laying on the latter. Buren stretches his voice to the very limit of his ability but it never get out of hand. Buren always keeps the harmony in place and he does it in an excellent way. It's just sweet, tasty and indisputably awesome soul funk music that will make anyone happy and filled with a spiritual experience! The rest of the LP also includes dens and funky "Action" and likewise funky "I give you good love" with a touching song effort. Buren also manage to deliver three excellent ballads in "When is my turn" (with a short and blissful Toots Thieleman inspired passage), "I love you more (than I hate what you do)" and "One", all performed with sensitivity and finesse. Courtesy Patrick's Soul Funk Special
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