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Mark Adams ( Stone Jam aka Grung Funk !!

#101
Speaking for myself, funk is not something you can put in a box, it's too big for that. I would suggest to listen to as much music as you can outside of what you normally listen too. There seem to be funky elements in most genres of music. Sometimes funk is a sound or line or lick. Sometimes it's the attitude in which someone plays. Maybe even the clothes or style of a person. Miles Davis was funky, but can you use words to describe it? I do know that saxophonist Eddie Harris (my dad's high school buddy) was one of the first to use funk elements in his tunes. The same went for trumpeter Lee Morgan (another high scool buddy of dad's). Jaco was funky and used to quote Harris' 'Freedom Jazz Dance' a lot. I can detect funk elements in all types of music, some would debate this but even classical can sometimes get my funky ears going. I like certain things that Bach used to make a bass line happen. The same goes for Mozart, Pachelbel and others. They had attitude in their music that could be used in other music. Look at what Bernie Worrell and Bernard Wright have done with classical elements to boost their funk to another level. I like Jauqo's response the best:
"There really are no words for it,you will come to know it once you feel it and that is just the beginning."



BuffaloBass said:
Can you DW, Jauqo, S Bass, put in words the essence of the Funky Feel ??
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#102
:)

Aw com'on y'all that's what Ant Wellington told me! I hear ya, its hard, if not impossible to eloquate the Funk...


Ordered the book and Fenkentelechy ( almost bought the vinyl!) CD B Slave mentioned... whatyya think gentlemen, I'm just wasting our time here..... na fellas... don't do that.....aint me style.....

Just tellin' ya, one of the masters of funk, or its current disciples ( YOU ALL ) have to be able to "eloquate" it somewhat.... I'm a zero, just a student/observer/wannabe, but listeners have to be able to think they understand it...I KNOW they can feel it.....

I feel a bunch of yin/yan in it...... can be raw ( my favorite! ) or beautiful...... Bootsy singing in high echo about Love and then PLUCK PLUCK... back in the groove.... that kind of juxtapostion ... effiing elegant stuff if I may say.... Just like life.....love and hate.... all in one bigass bundle of.....

If I can ever properly wordsmith it, I tell ya what, I aint saying it.. wouldn't be proper.... I'll give the words to Ant and he can say them....if he chooses.... the messenger is sometimes most important... unless we get on Oprah like our lead singer dreams of ( ya I know, but I NEVER DIS' someone's dream - cuase thats where everything begins imho) ... then all bets are off boys....don't give a rats arse what color my skin is dammit, I's sayin it..........

Oprah and the NFL..... am I thinkin BIG enough here man? :)

Ya'll have a great work week. Can't tell ya how much I appreciate your sharin'!

Peace!
 
#103
In my opinion, ya gotta have a feeling for funk! To know when to add certain inflections (and when not to)! To use Slave as an example. The drummer, for the most part, just plays a simple backbeat but listen to the bass, keys, horn lines around him! You forget he's just playing a simple backbeat! Listen to Tower Of Power! Listen closely to the relationship between Rocco and Dave Garibaldi! The tune Soul Vaccination is a good example! You can't really explain funk! You just gotta listen to it, immerse yourself into it wholeheartedly and woodshed for a year or two!! I gotta warn you though, if you got it, you got it! If you don't, you'll be outed with the quickness! The same goes with Latin music! If you can't feel the Tumbao or Clave rhythms, it ain't gonna happen for you!
 
#104
Buffalo.. I think that just by you appreciating the stuff you've heard and what others have talked about in this thread, puts you in a position where you WILL know it when you hear it.
However: My description of Funk would be the following: "A combination of musical elements that creates a GROOVE or a condition that makes your head bounce uncontrollably."
Just as BassSlave says; It's like any other music out there-you know it's good when you hear it. You may feel your heart beat faster, or you get chills down your back.
Listen to some James Brown and you'll see what I mean.
It's like when you watch other musicians play. If you have your head on straight, you can TELL who can play and who's just standing there holding an instrument.
Don't try to quantify it or put it in a box. And again, skin color has nothing to do with it. To give you an example, while this may not be considered in the FUNK Realm specifically, listen to the TSOP or Salsoul Orchestra stuff. Most of the orchestral elements were played by CLASSICAL musicians. They would be playing Bach that evening, then go to the recording studio and play something COMPLETELY DIFFERENT, but they played it, and played it WELL.
I play mostly reggae now, but I'm able to incorporate all the things we've discussed in this thread into my playing.
Listen to as much music as possible and and don't break everything down too much. Just play and listen.
+1 to BassSlave on Classical music. Some of those players are amazing.
 
#105
DWBass said:
Unless you look into the urban Gospel field! There's some bad@$$ cats layin' it down! Other than that, it is truly a sad thing to see a genre like funk die a slow death! At least Prince (again, an older cat) is doing his part! Hopefully some young cats who recognize the importance of The Funk and start forming funk bands again.
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there are some very talented players in gospel but IMO there is a difference between "busy" and "funky"
 
#106
You are so right, some gospel players play a bit too much and never let the groove breathe. I also play gospel for two churches every Sunday and I always take my funk, jazz and classical approach to it. The groove is always Supreme....well almost.......


willgroove2 said:
there are some very talented players in gospel but IMO there is a difference between "busy" and "funky"
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#107
Many years ago I worked in a music store that had as the general manager a guy who was the pricipal flutist for the SalSoul Orchestra. Let's just say he was very rooted in his German beliefs and played strictly classical and had his way of interpreting jazz. However, at the annual Xmas parties, all of the staff would get drunk and most were musicians of all sorts and the only things we could jam on were funk and jazz. I used to think that if you get a classical cat high enough, he'll get funky. Now I understand that to mean you can take someone out of their element and get them into the funk and vice versa, but the player has to want it. All of the instruments in a funk group does not have to play in a 'funk' manner. Every one has a role to play and the strings and horns might have to be very disciplined to play the chart as written, while the bass player can dance and groove to his liking while the drummer may have to play a repetative part, or vice versa. I tell cats to do their job first, learn all the rules then break them.


Sounbwoy said:
To give you an example, while this may not be considered in the FUNK Realm specifically, listen to the TSOP or Salsoul Orchestra stuff. Most of the orchestral elements were played by CLASSICAL musicians. They would be playing Bach that evening, then go to the recording studio and play something COMPLETELY DIFFERENT, but they played it, and played it WELL.
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#108
BassSlave said:
I tell cats to do their job first, learn all the rules then break them.
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I'll take that one to the bank brother....

funny, and beautifully ironic that " get a classical player high enough .." man, its JUST the opposite with me and one reason I'm diggin' coming back after 20 + years. I gotta be sober, real ass sober...a Guiness ...one.. maybe..and sip like its the last one in the world.... NOT the way it was way back when...good enough to play stoned... ***...

Funk. Yeah Baby!

Hopes I got it Mr. DW Sir. Ex teacher here told me I play WAY too funky. ( hence EX - theory/modes was no fun atall ) Been ghost thumping and double stoppin' since I don't know when....and can't stop listening to Slave......even the flippin Love songs I like.... now thats plainarse bizzaro for old airborne nco type .... good thing.....


SLAVE KICKS FUNKarse MAN!

My huntin' buddies have a wierd expression " Colder than a black cat's cun(expletive)" . Supposed to be "tighter than", or whatever damn adjective fits your fancy at the moment....but I digress...

Tighter than a black cat's ...... that's some outtasite....FUNK! :bassist: :cool:
 
#109
BuffaloBass said:
Funk. Yeah Baby!

can't stop listening to Slave......even the flippin Love songs I like.... now thats plainarse bizzaro for old airborne nco type .... good thing.....


SLAVE KICKS FUNKarse MAN!

My huntin' buddies have a wierd expression " Colder than a black cat's cun(expletive)" . Supposed to be "tighter than", or whatever damn adjective fits your fancy at the moment....but I digress...

Tighter than a black cat's ...... that's some outtasite....FUNK! :bassist: :cool:
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:eek:
 
#111
Speaking of which, did you know that George Clinton takes the word 'funk' literally? Everyone I know of that has ever played with him says that he likes to keep "everything" funky.... y'all smell me?


DWBass said:
Me thinks the 'Funk' has made him giddy! Funk is good but too much funk will..............well, I think we are already seeing the results!! Funk may just live on after all! LOL! :)

Keep the funk alive, baby!!
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#112
Lo end PUNCH said:
Yeah I don't think Eventide was out then,if they were, they were probably special made components. The basslines that I really loved though was "Come to blow ya mind" and "Baby Sinister" and the tone on "Volcano rupture" is insane. I'd love to know what Steve Washington is up to these days, is playing is wicked man, "Are you Single" is a bass anthem around these parts. There were two songs we had to know to be respected back in the days "GLIDE"-Nate Phillips and "Are you single"-Aurra-Steve Washington.
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Lo end, Bro when I 1st heard "Come to blow your mind. a brother was on getting his groove on in another way,but soon as I heard the 1st couple notes I got up and made a B-line to the radio (which was clear across the room) to turn it all the way up. My girl wasn't real happy, but it was all good because after that I put on "Just Freak ( The Concept )
 
#113
BassSlave said:
The only thing I disagree with Jauqo on is that Mark TOTALLY overplayed all the time, yet remained true to the groove. There is not a single tune I can think of that he plays on that didn't have some sort of 'Markism' within every 4 bars and sometimes every bar. His style reminds me of another loose player being Ed "Funky Thumbs" Reddick. And if you don't know who he is, wait until you do. Ed would basically groove in the studio and the band would then cut the songs after his bass jams. That band being the L.A. Boppers. I forgot to mention Eddie as one of my major influences as he was strictly a thumb player and never played the same thing twice. Back to Mark, his things grooved because the band allowed him to be the only one busy, except when the guitar soloed of course. He still played within his own funky limitations and that's what I love about him to this day. I jammed with him recently on Slide and he played everything but the main three note groove, he let me do that while he danced all over the place. Plus most of the songs in his band are in the key of E and even I have had memory drops onstage and forgot briefly which groove went with which tune. I do agree with Jauqo in that he gave the song what was needed and the bass should always have a few surprises in that particular band's setting. Drac also told me that they have been rehearsing with Mark Adams and Steve Washington back on drums. It might put me in the bass unemployment line, but I wouldn't have it any other way for a chance to see the original finger funker himself. He did tell me to hold tight as they will still need me and I wouldn't be surprised if they do another gig with the both of us on bass. The first time we did that was in Baton Rouge LA, and Mark soloed through the entire show, except on Slide where there was a bass duo. We simply told the sound guy to put Adam's bass only in the monitors and use discretion when to put him in the house. He was very wild back in '96. I hope that cleared up.....a little.....
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bro I still have this album with Mikki Howard on vocals...great stuff
 
#116
BuffaloBass said:
Na! We ain't ending this on a negative note....I'm trying my doggonest to get this feel, might be some time yet but...we CAN"T let it die.

Com'on now, ***, I have always been a somewhat criitical listener of all genres of music ( most all), and this stuff's got it, I mean really got it, the ability to be emotive, to resonate inside.. I am once again astonished at mass appeal, or in this case lack therof...

Geez gents, Jauqo, DW, least I know what direction to take, like usual, the one least taken....funny how a Path you take can lead you off in an unforseen direction as you satisfy a thirst... ironic that the name of the original rock and roll band I play in is The Path....not neccesarily a great showcase for funk...although drummer and I, when given some free reign in a song ( we don't write - only "arrange and embellish"), we end up going funky.. but its a glimpse of a groove.....couple of 40 yr old white professionals in a pimple on a rat's ass part time original rock and roll band... not what I'd consider able ambassadors of funk,

but FUNK IT - it is what it is....... we do our little part...

Gotta think big man.... like an NFL linkup/JV or something... FUNK-IN' FOOTBALL and have a great FUNK band do halftime shows. Huge brass sections and all.... given the fact that most half time shows SUCK..... stuff like that.... but in anything like that..... branding the FUNK is key.... packaging it so folk understand it and get it without thinking about it too much....

Branding the Funk.... off on a tangent now, but, if y'all allow me this indiscretion.... to run Mark's thread out....

Can you DW, Jauqo, S Bass, put in words the essence of the Funky Feel ??

( I get a JOLT of the feel now and again so little that I DON"T want to try and define it and explain , just FEEL IT intuitively... again and again....MORE AND MORE...... like muscle memory in athletics....can't talk of it yet...)

And if anyone can link to a printable "discology of required funk listening", that'd be boss man...

mf Boosty's Rubber Band doing the Super Bowl half time show.... that's what I'm talking about..... :cool:
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Yo Man,everything that's been mention to you from these guys are truly legit,but you have to know is Funk is truly a lifestylle
 
#117
Yeah don't let me wierd ass humor mean anything.. I understand that and appreciate the heck out of these guys sharing their thoughts and experiences... the intricate tightness of the music really sets me free man.... my education in exploring Funk lifestyle is being impeded by wearing a "Brooks Bros suit" everyday :rolleyes: but I;m getting the feel of it... and have SO much more to explore... THANK YOU KINDLY Y'ALL!
 
#118
I was grooving to that comming to work today,man, the bass ( a Fender yes?) in that is THICK and hard! Love it!!!!! ANYBODY HAVE ANY LINKS OR PICS OF MARK PLAYING! sorry for screaming, I had a Charlie brown Christmas flashback:eek:

I wish Mark would stop by talk bass and Holla at us :hyper:
 

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