Back to Reality

As the drummer for James Brown’s group The J.B.’s, the then-teenaged Tony Cook helped oversee the ensemble’s sometimes-rocky transition from the hard funk of the early ‘70s to the streamlined disco-infused grooves of mid-‘70s singles like “Bodyheat” and “The Spank.” By the end of the decade, Cook began to dedicate more time and effort to solo projects; he recorded a number of singles as a bandleader and sideman for the Brooklyn-based Half Moon label. The most memorable of these was 1984’s “On the Floor,” an inspired slice of electro-funk that split the difference between the robotic menace of early Afrika Bambaataa and the hard-strutting funk of Cook’s work with The J.B.’s. The track was an underground sensation on the New York club scene, and its pulsating, minimal beat has been credited as a profound influence on the development of house music. Despite the success of “On the Floor,” much of the material that Cook recorded during this period was never officially released. Stones Throw Records’ retrospective compilation Back to Reality collects a number of these lost recordings alongside more familiar material like “On the Floor.”