Cookie Rabinowitz | Photo via facebook.com/CookieRabinowitz

Local funk soul singer songwiter brother Cookie Rabinowitz has added to voice to our growing list of Philly local cover songs with a version of Pharrell Williams’ “Happy.” Back in September, Cookie had the audacity to cover Fall In Philadelphia by Jall & Oates, and this time around he’s reflected on one of his favorite songs of 2014.

Last Febraury, Cookie released his solo album, Four Eyed Soul, a collection of eclectic soul influenced songs. About Rabinowitz, music blogger Andrew Greenhalgh from Along The Journey writes:

Rabinowitz didn’t start in the world of soul, R&B, and hip-hop. Rather, the eclectic artist began his journey as “an introspective folk singer with reclusive tendencies.” Yet, when finances became an issue, the artist found himself working at a gentlemen’s club as a DJ where he became entranced with the beat-heavy music and swarthy hooks, drawing him into a new creative space.

Along that journey, Rabinowitz came alongside hip-hop pioneer Schoolly D who helped to mentor the young artist. The tandem worked together with guitarist Erik Horvitz on the animated urban music interview show, The Cookie Rabinowitz Show, which later led to Rabinowitz heading out with Schoolly D and a plethora of other rappers, with Public Enemy among them, on a tour that would change the artist’s trajectory forever.

“The hip-hop community really embraced me. It was eye opening. Schoolly let me do my thing and shine – I was able to sing and play guitar at 3,000 capacity venues,” he recalls. “That inspired me to dive into that world.”

For his cover of “Happy,” he took a sensual and soulful Marvin Gaye “Trouble Man” meets Steely Dan approach to the song giving it a different kind of dance groove. Listen to it below. Cookie is playing The Grape Room on Saturday, December 6th. Go here for tickets and more information about the show.