Hey everyone i was wondering if you could give me some recommendation of "funky" jazz. I like kind of funky jazz like Herbie Hancock's Chameleon and more funkeir songs by Jaco. What are some really good funky jazzy albums/artists? Thanks
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funky jazz
- Thread starter Ace123
- Start date
Miles Davis - On the Corner is a must under funk/jazz I would say. You mentioned the Headhunters cd, but Thrust and Man-Child are also great. Return to Forever maybe? Also anything by Karl Denson or the Grey Boy Allstars is cool. Medeski Martin & Wood might be interesting - funk isn't their biggest thing but it's there. Scofield A Go-Go?
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Jimmy Smith - "Root Down Live"
If truly funky, early 70s jazz is what you want, look no further. Wilton Felder on bass, Jimmy Smith on Hammond organ, funky wah guitar - what more could you ask for?
If truly funky, early 70s jazz is what you want, look no further. Wilton Felder on bass, Jimmy Smith on Hammond organ, funky wah guitar - what more could you ask for?
Jaco covered "Wiggle Waggle"...originally found on Hancock's Fat Albert Rotunda.
www.dustygroove.com routinely stocks this title.
Thrust & Man-Child are very good!
Eddie Henderson-Sunburst(w/ Alphonso Johnson). Henderson played trumpet in Hancock's Mwandishi-era bands.
Miles Davis-We Want Miles
Miles Davis-Star People
...both fall under the 'chromatic Funk' umbrella.
The Brecker Brothers-Straphanging(w/ Marcus Miller)
The Brecker Brothers-Brecker Brothers(from '75?)...has "Some Skunk Funk".
Billy Cobham's A Funky Thide Of Sings also has this tune.
Jeff Lorber Fusion-Water Sign & Galaxian
The Crusaders-Images, Those Southern Knights, & Free As The Wind.
Early Spyro Gyra-Catching The Sun, Free Time, Incognito, City Kids, etc. Bassists include Will Lee, Marcus Miller, & Kim Stone.
On the smoother side-
Grover Washington, Jr-Winelight. Some nice mellow/funky grooves.
WOW! These bands (specifically lettuce) are EXACTLY what i was looking for. Thanks WR!
ALso, thanks for the other suggestions from you guys, i'll be downloading then hopefully buying some more funky jazz in the near future. I love this stuff!
Anymore suggestions?
thanks so far.
John scofield has some really great tracks
I like his latest album(er...latest as far as I know)
'bump'
it features the indomitable Chris wood on bass
Also, is medeski martin and wood, but they are a little more fusiony I guess
but still very groovy.
And, there is a band, called SEATBELTS, they did the music to the anime series cowboy bebop, while the music on that show is VERY diverse, there is a good handful of GREAT funky jazz tracks amongst the jazzmess
Also you might want to check out maceo parker, very funky stuff, but still pretty fresh.
I like his latest album(er...latest as far as I know)
'bump'
it features the indomitable Chris wood on bass
Also, is medeski martin and wood, but they are a little more fusiony I guess
but still very groovy.
And, there is a band, called SEATBELTS, they did the music to the anime series cowboy bebop, while the music on that show is VERY diverse, there is a good handful of GREAT funky jazz tracks amongst the jazzmess
Also you might want to check out maceo parker, very funky stuff, but still pretty fresh.
I really like MMW. Some of their stuff is funky as hell (the song pappy check is out of control). What would you say is their funkiest album?
Thanks for all these requests. I'm just getting into the wonderful world of funky jazz and this suggestions should help start my collection. thanks so far
Thanks for all these requests. I'm just getting into the wonderful world of funky jazz and this suggestions should help start my collection. thanks so far
one guy.....george bensen....charles mingus had some groovy stuff as well....his later stuff anyway...fables of faubus by mingus is a great track..if you dont notice the drum line...well...pity on you
Well I was gonna say Chameleon by Herbie Hancock, but you already said it
. Try the song "Actual proof" by Herbie Hancock, its alot more technical than chameleon, but still very funky.
. Try the song "Actual proof" by Herbie Hancock, its alot more technical than chameleon, but still very funky.
Watermellon man by Herbie Hancock 
John Scofield has indeed made some really funky albums (pick Hits, Bump, Up All Night). Not really jazzy, but extremely funky are the Fun Lovin'Criminals, a really underrated band IMO. Cool band to check out live!
oh and ofcourse:
Booker T and the Mg's
Wheater Report
Billy Cobham (spectrum)
Crusaders
John Scofield has indeed made some really funky albums (pick Hits, Bump, Up All Night). Not really jazzy, but extremely funky are the Fun Lovin'Criminals, a really underrated band IMO. Cool band to check out live!
oh and ofcourse:
Booker T and the Mg's
Wheater Report
Billy Cobham (spectrum)
Crusaders
Another vote for Jimmy Smith. Grey Boy Allstars are cool also. Chuck Levell has some nice stuff in his 70s band Sea Levell(sp).
I just got a George benson album, the george benson collection, while it has some smoother groove stuff, there are some definitely funky tracks there.
God, I think I bought that in '80 or '81.
Agreed, some funky stuff; by this time, Benson was more into jazzy Top-40 Pop than Jazz.
He had some of the best studio guys of the day playing on those Pop records, too...Louis Johnson, Laboriel, David Foster, David Paich, Richard Tee, John Robinson. His Pop writers included Heatwave's Rod Temperton(also wrote the bulk of Thriller & "Off The Wall") & Rufus' "Hawk" Wolinski.
Give Me The Night is probably the classic jazzy Pop Benson album. "Midnight Love Affair" is sweet(IIRC).
Good King Bad(mid-'70s) is a jazzy R&B/Funk Benson album.
There's a good series of '70s jazz-funk compilations out called 'Pulp Fusion' - been going for a few years now. Some good tracks from lesser-known artists on these. I have 'Pulp Fusion: Fully Loaded' - the tracks are:
Wille Bobo & The Bo Gents - 'Broasted or Fried'
Chicago Gangsters - 'Gangster Boogie'
Betty Davis (formerly Mrs Miles Davis) - 'Your Mama Wants Ya Back'
The Nite-Liters - 'Afro Strut'
Jack McDuff - Hunk O'Funk'
Dizzy Gillespie - 'Matrix'
Edwin Starr - 'Easin In'
Lightnin' Rod - 'Sport'
Milt Jackson - 'I'm Not So Sure'
Frank Strazzeri - 'Cloudburst'
Exit 9 - 'Miss Funky Fox'
Donald Byrd - 'Love's So Far Away'
Wille Bobo & The Bo Gents - 'Broasted or Fried'
Chicago Gangsters - 'Gangster Boogie'
Betty Davis (formerly Mrs Miles Davis) - 'Your Mama Wants Ya Back'
The Nite-Liters - 'Afro Strut'
Jack McDuff - Hunk O'Funk'
Dizzy Gillespie - 'Matrix'
Edwin Starr - 'Easin In'
Lightnin' Rod - 'Sport'
Milt Jackson - 'I'm Not So Sure'
Frank Strazzeri - 'Cloudburst'
Exit 9 - 'Miss Funky Fox'
Donald Byrd - 'Love's So Far Away'
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How did this thread go this far with no mention of Marcus Miller? The Sun Don't Lie is an old favorite of mine. This isn't quite as Old School as all the 70s stuff people are mentioning though.
For something even less Old School, and a lot "jazzier", take a listen to some Steve Coleman sides. I'm partial to the Five Elements band, esp. Drop Kick and Curves Of Life, which has David Murray and some rappers on a few cuts. To me, this is what "acid jazz" should mean, not the watered down stuff that gets called that usually.
For something even less Old School, and a lot "jazzier", take a listen to some Steve Coleman sides. I'm partial to the Five Elements band, esp. Drop Kick and Curves Of Life, which has David Murray and some rappers on a few cuts. To me, this is what "acid jazz" should mean, not the watered down stuff that gets called that usually.
