Funk Brothers Movie

LIVONIA -- In the pine-paneled rumpus room of a nondescript brick house in a

sleepy suburb, the worlds greatest basement band is kicking some serious butt.You know these musicians, even if you never knew their names: the Funk Brothers, as they called themselves, were the uncredited studio band that laid down the intricate, funky grooves for Diana, Smokey, Marvin, Tammi, Martha and the rest of Berry Gordys stable.

Weve heard it for years -- Pistol Allens infectious shuffle on "Baby Love," Ivy

Hunters funky keyboard intro on "Pride and Joy," drummer Uriel Jones urgent beat on "Aint No Mountain High Enough."

For 15 years, a slightly changing cast of Funk Brothers plied their trade in tiny Studio

A in the back of 2648 W. Grand Blvd., coming up with the goods over and over for producers ike Smokey Robinson, Norman Whitfield, Holland-Dozier-Holland, Ashford and Simpson, and the boss, Gordy. Their reign ended abruptly in 1972.

Now, thanks to the persistence and heart of a 48-year-old, self-described "bar mitzvah" musician from New Jersey, the Funk Brothers will swing again, in a documentary being filmed in locations around Detroit next month

.