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What happened to funk?

#41
Funk has passed more to and through the smooth jazz genre. Artists like Brian Culbertson, Gerald Albright, Pieces of a Dream, George Duke and George Benson just to name a few have continued to use the amazingly dark and primitive vibe of funk in a lot of their music. Brian Culbertson's latest features the late-great Chuck Brown on a real ole school funk jam and another tune that Alex Al (baddest cat) is funkin it up seriously on the bass. I

I hear your point and understand your question. If Funk is in your heart then it's just a lick away.
Peace
 
#42
cnltb said:
What 'attitude' is it you are referring to and what is it that makes you single out the US?
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The attitude that a genre is irrelevant! Why would any genre be irrelevant? Then or now? The US is the biggest culprit! They remove something from the mainstream because they 'deem it irrelevant'! By the way, a lot of those classic funk bands are still touring but have to create their own labels in order to sell their music! Record companies won't sign them and radio won't play them! Corporate radio sucks! At least we have the internet and satellite radio! And thank you to all the local bands who dedicate themselves to the genre (I'm in one).

Lastly, if a genre is irrelevant to 'YOU', keep it to yourself and move along!
 
#43
cnltb said:
To me personally, Funk( the original70s kind) is and has always been quite irrelevant, but as long as people like to listen to it and like to play it , it'll be around and keep relevant to those people.( I know.. stating the obvious :) )
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This post is kind of irrelevant to this thread.

The clips that have been included in this thread are pretty cool, but when I think of P-Funk, James Brown, Sly and the Family Stone, the Isley Brothers, the Brothers Johnson, AWB, Kool & the Gang, Stevie Wonder, the Commodores, Cameo, Earth, Wind & Fire, Tower of Power, the Bar-Kays, etc., and the fact that all you had to do was turn on the radio to hear them, I do wonder what happened to funk in general.
 
#44
mazdah said:
Slap happened and killed the funky groove :(
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Yeah, that Larry Graham guy came along and just ruined everything.

cnltb said:
To me personally, Funk( the original70s kind) is and has always been quite irrelevant, but as long as people like to listen to it and like to play it , it'll be around and keep relevant to those people.( I know.. stating the obvious :) )
Click to expand...
Okay, I know you prefaced your remark with "to me personally" but there's no way funk hasn't been relevant to your experience with music. James Brown alone had a massive influence on the world of popular music, especially in the latter part of the sixties and early seventies - not to mention the relevance Brown had on a socio-cultural level for a civil rights movement/black power-era generation. That influence didn't just dry up and disappear - it's part of popular culture as we know it.
 
#46
DWBass said:
The attitude that a genre is irrelevant! Why would any genre be irrelevant? Then or now? The US is the biggest culprit! They remove something from the mainstream because they 'deem it irrelevant'! By the way, a lot of those classic funk bands are still touring but have to create their own labels in order to sell their music! Record companies won't sign them and radio won't play them! Corporate radio sucks! At least we have the internet and satellite radio! And thank you to all the local bands who dedicate themselves to the genre (I'm in one).

Lastly, if a genre is irrelevant to 'YOU', keep it to yourself and move along!
Click to expand...

I am not saying that any genre is irrelevant per se and explained what I mean by that statement.
 
#47
bass12 said:
Okay, I know you prefaced your remark with "to me personally" but there's no way funk hasn't been relevant to your experience with music. James Brown alone had a massive influence on the world of popular music, especially in the latter part of the sixties and early seventies - not to mention the relevance Brown had on a socio-cultural level for a civil rights movement/black power-era generation. That influence didn't just dry up and disappear - it's part of popular culture as we know it.
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I have heard funk and played it but it has done preascious little in terms of influencing me as a musician or a player.
Having listened to it to some limited degree does not make it 'relevant' in my book.
I agree with what you say in terms of socio cultural side of it or the influence on other styles of music, but none of it is exclusive to James Brown or to funk.:)
 
#50
DWBass is exactly right in saying that, generally, non-US countries as a whole are much more into funk currently. The closest things we've got to straight up funk in the US mainstream are Prince, Sam Sparro and Chromeo.

I wouldn't really mind if more funky groups that I liked had gigs in my area but everyone I want to see is off gigging everywhere but here :(. I can't really complain because they're only going where people will REALLY enjoy they're music but I'd love to catch Jamiroquai, Incognito and a bunch of other groups at some point in my life.

All that said there's still PLENTY of the stuff to be found all over... just don't count on seeing them live too soon ;).
 
#51
DWBass said:
The attitude that a genre is irrelevant! Why would any genre be irrelevant? Then or now? The US is the biggest culprit! They remove something from the mainstream because they 'deem it irrelevant'! By the way, a lot of those classic funk bands are still touring but have to create their own labels in order to sell their music! Record companies won't sign them and radio won't play them! Corporate radio sucks! At least we have the internet and satellite radio! And thank you to all the local bands who dedicate themselves to the genre (I'm in one).
Click to expand...
Quoting myself to add..........

While corporate entities keep funk off the mainstream, they still put out re-releases of all the old funk music and profit off it! I see funk compilations released all the time. James Brown Box Sets, Motown Box Sets, etc, etc.....just frikkin' greedy! I respect a guy like Prince who just will not put up with that crap!
 
#53
cnltb said:
I agree with what you say in terms of socio cultural side of it or the influence on other styles of music, but none of it is exclusive to James Brown or to funk.:)
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Well that depends on exactly which influences we're talking about. But the musical landscape of today simply would not be what it is had funk never happened.
 
#54
KCLRbass said:
I also love whenever people ask about funk, cuz I'm always excited to hear what Kwesi's listening to. Also, thanks for the shout out.

Here's what I'm spinning right now:

LETTUCE!!!

P.S. Kwesi, we're recording a quickie live off the floor record next Tues so that we have merch for festival season. All brand new tunes that won't be on PDF2 I'll be in touch to make sure you get a copy.
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Haha, you know when funk is mentioned and I'm around, you guys WILL be mentioned, no question. That Rasmus Faber tune is just nasty, too!

And I've got more music of yours to be hyped about? Today's a good day :D.
 
#55
Pardon me if I soap-box it a little. And speaking as someone who has worked in music production since 1974. What has happened to funk is the same thing that's happened to soul and r&b. Sorry if this sounds racist, which it's not intended to be, but we have not had a strong infusion of black bassists and drummers since the mid 80's, because everyone wants two turntables and a microphone and have no interest in forming an actual band. I don't bash hip-hop like some, because my mastering business was built on a strong rap base, including Manny Fresh, D.J. Screw and 8-Ball & MJG, but it has totally overtaken all other forms of black music. And what passes as r&b now, IMO, is a total joke.
Yes of course we've had some excellent black bassists and drummers in the past 20 years, but the numbers no way compare to what it was up to the mid 80's.
 
#59
Freight Train said:
Pardon me if I soap-box it a little. And speaking as someone who has worked in music production since 1974. What has happened to funk is the same thing that's happened to soul and r&b. Sorry if this sounds racist, which it's not intended to be, but we have not had a strong infusion of black bassists and drummers since the mid 80's, because everyone wants two turntables and a microphone and have no interest in forming an actual band. I don't bash hip-hop like some, because my mastering business was built on a strong rap base, including Manny Fresh, D.J. Screw and 8-Ball & MJG, but it has totally overtaken all other forms of black music. And what passes as r&b now, IMO, is a total joke.
Yes of course we've had some excellent black bassists and drummers in the past 20 years, but the numbers no way compare to what it was up to the mid 80's.
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Trust this black guy, you don't NEED a black member to get that kind of vibe going. Of course, that sound started in black culture but it can definitely be found elsewhere. That said, I don't doubt that more black folks on the scene might change that.
 

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