Important points about Funk!
- Funk music infused rock, gospel, soul and R&B into one groovy genre.
- Soul at the time was very popular and melodic, but it wasn’t really daring or danceable.
- After a while, artists started looking at Rock and Jazz for new elements. They preferred the psychedelic, rebellious nature of Acid Rock alongside the deep, dynamic part of Soul Jazz as flavors of choice for the revolutionary fusion that was Funk.
- James Brown, nicknamed “the hardest working man in show business”, spearheaded the evolution from Soul to what became known as Funk Soul and eventually Funk.
- Funk focuses on driving bass lines and a steady groove from the drummer. Funk showcases dancing and is all about a powerful, soulful melody.
- Funk is directly related to Disco, but has more of a soul base or foundation rather than a pop base.
- Famous Funk Musicians: James Brown, Sly & The Family Stone, Curtis Mayfield, George Clinton, Parliament, Funkadelic, Earth, Wind & Fire.
- Instrumentation: Rock band set up: (bass, drums, guitar, vocals), horns (trumpets, saxophones, etc), piano/organ.
Sites to reference…