Is Funk derived from Motown?

[Stingray9]

Hello peeps! I'm doing a little research into the history and sub genres of funk music and its notable bass players of each. Now could any funk historian help me to find out if 'Funk' as a genre of music actually stem from Motown? any information welcome

Matt

 

[Mushroo]

The Motown studio musicians are sometimes referred to as "The Funk Brothers" but I have never heard anyone claim they invented the genre of funk. The wikipedia page for "funk" mentions the word "Motown" exactly once:

Like Motown recordings, funk songs used bass lines as the centerpiece of songs.

 

[Unrepresented]

Motown in general was making traditional pop songs with an ethnic marketing angle. Funk was not particularly uniform or localized in its creation. It has roots throughout the US.

 

[DWBass]

Motown was a bit more refined and geared more towards Top40 radio and therefore a wider audience. While there were some Funk tunes that came out of Motown, that wasn't their money maker! Labels like Stax and King had artists playing music with more edge and funk to it. Some of the record companies back then are listed below.

Philadelphia International
T-Neck
Sussex
Tabu
Gamble
Curtom
Philly Groove
American Recording Company
Sugarhill
All-Platinum
Hot Wax/Invictus
Stax
King

 

[fraublugher]

If you HAVE to pick one demarcation point , this is the one I pick-

 

[JTE]

Look up and listen to Horace Silver too.

 

[mellowinman]

I thought Little Richard and James Brown invented Funk.

 

[fraublugher]

Absolutely James Brown , Little Richard and Horace Silver .

My choice is more of a point of convergence.

 

[Unrepresented]

Absolutely James Brown , Little Richard and Horace Silver .

My choice is more of a point of convergence.

Does Ohio qualify as a point of convenience?

 

[fraublugher]

Absolutely

 

[bass12]

Funk didn't just come from one place. The guy who refined it and presented it as a specific form, if you will, is James Brown. But you would have to look at what was happening in popular music during the 60s and even before to get a clear notion of where funk came from. Second line drumming, blues, jazz, R&B, rock and music from the Caribbean (afro-cuban and calypso for example), all had a role in what became funk. One thing Motown arguably did contribute was the use of wah-wah guitar in an R&B context (courtesy of Wah-Wah Watson and Dennis Coffey).

 

[Jim Campbell]

Hello peeps! I'm doing a little research into the history and sub genres of funk music and its notable bass players of each. Now could any funk historian help me to find out if 'Funk' as a genre of music actually stem from Motown? any information welcome

Matt

i believe that the term was used long before the music we commonly refer to as "funk" ..... jamerson had it carved into the neck of his pre,but motown made a lot of music that would not be considered funky.....i'd argue that the term kind of evolved into what we know it as today .....

 

[sowilson]

Bootsy playing in the JB's

 

[Jhengsman]

Bootsy playing in the JB's

Sly & The Family Stone along with others emerged concurrently with James Brown as a funk and not just a R&B act

 

[Unrepresented]

Bootsy playing in the JB's

He's from Ohio, if you're keeping score.

Sly & The Family Stone along with others emerged concurrently with James Brown as a funk and not just a R&B act

He's not from Ohio, but he did smoke a lot of crack if that gets him partial credit.:|

 

[Jeff Bonny]

If we're talking origins of funk you can't ignore the New Orleans thing...it's all about the second line rhythms. Yes Motown, P-Funk, Muscle Shoals/Memphis and especially James Brown were all power influences but without the drum thing that came out of New Orleans funk as we know it would not exist. So no, Funk does not "stem" from Motown. Motown was just one of the more obvious filters it went through on its journey to the present.

 

[Jhengsman]

Wasn't acid the choice during that developmental periods? With heroin coming from the groove based jazz foundation on funk.

 

[Unrepresented]

Wasn't acid the choice during that developmental periods? With heroin coming from the groove based jazz foundation on funk.

I'm taking about the 80s. Sly Stone burned out badly on cocaine derived products.

 

[bass12]

Sly & The Family Stone along with others emerged concurrently with James Brown as a funk and not just a R&B act

Yes, things caught on pretty quickly after "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag" and "Cold Sweat".

 

[Stingray9]

This is all great info! thanks a lot guys, keep it coming!!