When Instant Funk's debut album, Get Down With the Philly Jump, came out in 1976, those who heard the LP agreed that the Philadelphians had a very recognizable and distinctive sound. Instant Funk had one foot in the sophisticated Philly soul/disco sound and the other in the gritty, down-and-dirty funk of pre-J.T. Taylor Kool & the Gang -- put those things together, and you have a group that was certainly unique and risk-taking. Although Bunny Sigler produced Get Down with the Philly Jump at Philly's famous Sigma Sound Studios, this LP isn't as strong as Instant Funk's subsequent releases would be. The album is uneven, and it doesn't contain a blockbuster hit like "I Got My Mind Made Up." Nonetheless, the material is generally decent; one can hear Instant Funk's potential on infectious tracks like "I Know Where You're Coming From," "Hup Two, Hup Two (Get in Line, Say Get in Line)" and "Philly Jump." In 1976, the best was yet to come for Instant Funk, but Get Down With the Philly Jump indicated that the Philadelphians had a lot of possibilities. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
