Mobil Unit used to be known as Karl “Motown” Morrison and was previously hailed in these pages for his “Mary Jane,” a decidedly funky tune about what Karl calls “the medicine of choice,” featuring the inspired performances of Karl on keyboards and vocals, guitarist Mark Bingham, drummer Willie Green , bassist Nick Daniels, trumpeter Michael Ray and saxophonists Clarence Johnson III and Lance Ellis. Somehow, the song landed in the hands of the producers of the Grammy Awards ceremony, who used the instrumental version of the song throughout the show when they cut to commercials, thereby insuring Morrison a fat (and totally unexpected) royalty check.

In the meanwhile Karl decided his “Motown” nickname might prove legally problematic so he adopted Mobil Unit as his new title, which sounds a bit like Moby, the musician responsible for the Entire World’s favorite album of 1999. Indeed, Mobil Unit and his tantalizingly diverse CD is the closest thing we’ve got to Moby in New Orleans, and Fukuoka City, Japan, where Karl spends approximately half his waking hours.

“I love the working arena in Japan,” Mobil Unit explains. “They give a lot of respect to musicians. I totally can’t speak Japanese. I have a Japanese wife and that helps. The city I live in has five-million people. Everyone is very efficient with space.”

Likewise, Mr. Unit is very efficient with the space on his CD. “Hush Darling” is an authentic Jamaican reggae number co-written by Morrison and Gregory Isaacs, featuring none other than the immortal Sly and Robbie on bass and drums. “Talk To Me Quick (Ultra Funkula)” samples the Brecker brothers. Espouses Mobil Unit: “To use a sample or an idea of anything musical is positive, I think—to re-work it to the maximum, to play it backwards, play it forwards, to tweak it is positive.”

“Mary Jane,” included in its vocal version, is funk to die and be reincarnated for. Karl credits the usual local suspects (Booker, Longhair and Dr. John) as inspiration and his keyboard playing is definitely in their league. His sophistication and wit surpasses that of the aforementioned Holy Trinity. He’s even included a rap song, “Mental Mind Gone”—a 38-second rap song starring his nephew Rodney Lee. 38-seconds—now that’s efficient!

The CD credits commence by thanking God and concludes with Yours Truly. As Mobil says, “God first, Bunny last—isn’t that a concept!” Right on! Or as they wail in Fukuoka City: Light on!