Ripple

Ripple was a soul-funk group from Michigan whose lineup crossed racial lines. The act scored an R&B chart success in 1973 through the single "I Don't Know What It Is but It Sure Is Funky" and issued further sides on the GRC label across the mid-'70s. Their approach blended a broad range of currents then active in soul, at moments evoking a pop-tilted take on Kool & the Gang and at others resembling a milder counterpart to Stevie Wonder. The resulting funk steered clear of both extremes of grit and polish while drawing freely on pop and jazz touches. Listeners drawn to the funk style that immediately preceded disco are apt to appreciate the ensemble.