What is it about Colorado’s Funk bands and their sophomore releases?  Their debut discs, as excellent as they are, seem to be the blueprint for brilliant follow-up records.  Funkiphino got off to such a start with Lovin’ Life, one of my favorite Funk albums in 2004.  Now they’ve released Rise Above – an instant dance classic full of funky rhythms to shake your groove thang to.  Band leader/keyboardist /co-founder/backing vocalist Chris Fischer co-wrote every track with different combinations of band members and friends, teaming up with GRAMMY winner Matt Sandoski to co-produce and co-arrange with Dave Eskridge of Tower Of Power fame.  Tower Of Power’s Stephen “Doc” Kupka (saxophone) sits in on five of the tracks, adding extra funk to their soulful groove. The not so secret weapons of Funkiphino are front women Cathy Griffin and Jennifer Butler.  Onstage, they’re candy for the eyes and ears; on Rise Above, they also display their talents as lyricists.  Cathy wrote words to six of Chris Fischer’s songs and Jenn contributed to his “Unchained.”  As soloists, each gets a chance to show off her vocal gifts, but when they harmonize and trade off as they do on “State Of Groove,” the sound is pure magic.  With Rise Above, Funkiphino have created the album Donna Summer and Diana Ross would love to launch their comebacks with… they just did it with better singers.