Wikipedia: The Styles of Funk Music

This Wikipedia article discusses the history and different styles of funk music.

Introduction

Styles of funk music include but are not limited to: disco-funk, Afro-funk, psychedelic funk,
P-Funk, and groove. Funk saw a resurgence in popularity in the late 1990s and 2000s with the
electrofunk sound developed by artists such as Daft Punk, Outkast, and LCD Soundsystem.

What is Funk Music?

Funk is a music genre that originated in African-American communities in the mid-1960s. Funk is a style of music that is based on a strong groove and is often described as a “pulsating”, “percussive” or “throbbing” sound. Funk songs are often based on a strong bassline, and they often have a strong backbeat.

The Funk Sound

The funk sound is a style of popular music that originated in the African-American community in the United States in the 1970s. It is a type of rhythmic, danceable music that is characterized by a strong bassline and drumbeat, as well as elements of soul, R&B, and disco.

Funk music evolved out of other genres such as soul and R&B. It became its own distinct genre by incorporating elements from these genres while also adding new elements such as a strong emphasis on the groove and rhythmic complexity.

The funk sound is often associated with artists such as James Brown, Parliament-Funkadelic, Sly and the Family Stone, George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, and Prince.

The Funk Groove

The basic elements of the funk groove are a steady bassline, funk guitar, strong and prominent drumming (usually on the backbeat), syncopated percussion, and sometimes horns. The bassline is normally inspired by rhythm and blues or gospel music, while the guitar often takes influence from rock music. The drums typically have a backbeat on the second and fourth beats of every bar (occasionally adding rimshots on the off-beats to accentuate it further), while the percussion plays rhythms that accentuate the groove.

The funk groove is generally recognized as being founded by James Brown’s band in the late 1960s. Their rhythm section – consisting of bassist Bootsy Collins, guitarist Jimmy Nolen, and drummer Clyde Stubblefield – laid down the foundations for what would become known as “the JB’s sound”. This sound became particularly influential in the development of hip hop music, as many early hip hop tracks were based around samples of Brown’s recordings.

The Funk Attitude

In the same interview, Bootsy clarified what he felt distinguished funk from other genres of music, stating that “[funk is] a certain feel that you just can’t get from no other kind of music. It’s a feeling inside that grows, and sort of funks up your system.” Although often used interchangeably with the term “funk”, the word “attitude” was Bootsy’s way of distinguishing funk from its predecessors and contemporaries. Funk musician George Clinton stated that the term “funk” was chosen simply because it was the most compositionally correct word at the time; [3] he has said that if Parliament-Funkadelic had existed in 1776, they would have been called something like “Committee-Funkadelic”. [5][6][7]

The early musical style of the P-Funk All-Stars was influenced byJames Brown as well as The Last Poets and Melvin Van Peebles, [8] while their early recordings were informed by free jazz and avant-garde rock. Parliament’s 1974 debut album Osmium featured Maggot Brain, a 10-minute long synth-funk track which became one of their most popular songs.

The Origins of Funk Music

Funk is a genre of music that originated in the mid-1960s when African American musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of soul music, jazz, and R&B. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground.

Funk in the United States

Funk music began in the United States in the mid-1960s andearly 1970s, with James Brown’s development of a signature groove that emphasized the downbeat—with heavy use of a funk bass style, electric guitar riffs, Maceo Parker’s often imitated Funky Drummer rudiments, and shouted vocals. Funkamples were also being created at that time by Sly and theFamily Stone, who began working with Brown’s bandleader/arrangerPee Wee Ellis in 1968. By 1970, Parliament-Funkadelic (led by GeorgeClinton) became perhaps the most commercially successful exponentof the genre; they would achieve several hit singles (most notably,”Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof off the Sucker)”) and three goldalbums during their years as active recording artists. Other groupsduring this initial phase of funk music were Ohio Players (“Fire”),War (“Slippin’ into Darkness”), Rufus Thomas (“Do the FunkyChicken”), Mandrill (“Fencewalk”), Jimmy Castor Bunch (“Troglodyte(Cave Man)”), Curtis Mayfield & The Impressions (“We’re aWinner”). Abstractions such as James Brown’s “Maggot Brain”and Funkadelic’s “Free Your Mind and Your Ass Will Follow”, whichwere not intended for commercial release but rather to showcaseGeorge Clinton’s and Bernie Worrell’s instrumental prowess withina psychedelic/avant-garde context.

Funk in Brazil

In the 1960s and 1970s, Brazilian funk took on a more political tone, with songs addressing Afro-Brazilian pride and social issues such as police brutality. African American funk artists like James Brown and Sly & the Family Stone were popular in Brazil, and their music served as inspiration for Brazilian funk artists.

One of the most famous Brazilian funk artists is Jorge Ben Jor, who blended funk with other genres such as samba, bossa nova, and African music. His 1972 song “Mas, Que Nada!” became a worldwide hit and is still considered a classic of Brazilian pop music.

Other well-known Brazilian funk artists include Tim Maia, Gilberto Gil, Os Mutantes, and Maria Rita.

The Styles of Funk Music

Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-1960s with African American artists in the United States. Funk music combines elements of rhythm and blues, soul, and jazz. The style is characterized by a groove-oriented approach to songwriting and arranging, as well as call-and-response patterns, syncopated rhythms, and horn-based riffs.

P-Funk

P-Funk (also spelled P Funk or P. Funk) is a subgenre of funk music characterized by a distinctive bass line, electro-percussion breakbeats, and catchy melodies often based around key modal progressions. P-Funk music first reached mainstream audiences during the mid-1970s with groups such as Parliament-Funkadelic, whose hit singles “Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof Off the Sucker)” and “(Not Just) Knee Deep” became international anthems for the genre’s followers.

Iconic P-Funk figures include bandleader George Clinton, bassist Bootsy Collins, and keyboardist Bernie Worrell. As a style of dance music and fashion, P-Funk has had considerable influence on mainstream pop culture since the 1970s, permeating TV shows, fashion, and vocabulary.

Afrobeat

Afrobeat is a music genre which combines elements of West African musical styles such as fuji music and highlife with American funk and Jazz influences, with a focus on chanted vocals, complex intersecting rhythms, and percussion. The style was started in the 1970s by Nigerian musicians such as Fela Kuti, who blended these various influences together.

Disco-Funk

Disco-funk is a subgenre of funk music that was popular in the late 1970s, especially in American disco clubs. This style of funk is often credited with helping to keep disco music alive during its commercial decline in the early 1980s.

Disco-funk is characterized by a strong backbeat, catchy hooks, and often sexually suggestive lyrics. The style also incorporates elements of disco and soul music. Many of the best disco-funk tracks were produced by artists who were already well-established in the disco and soul genres, such as the Bee Gees, Donna Summer, and Chic.

Disco-funk declined in popularity after the rise of electro music and hip hop in the early 1980s. However, the style has seen a resurgence in recent years, thanks in part to its influence on modern dance music.

Funk Rock

Funk rock is a fusion genre that mixes elements of funk and rock. James Brown and Parliament-Funkadelic were some of the earliest innovators of the style, with Brown’s release of “Sex Machine” in 1970. Funk rock began to emerge in the early 1970s with bands such as Sly and the Family Stone and Chocolate Watchband.

The style continued to evolve in the 1980s with bands such as Fishbone, Faith No More, Living Colour, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Rage Against the Machine. In the 1990s and 2000s, the genre increasingly incorporated elements of hip hop, as well as dance music styles such as techno and house.

Conclusion

Funk is a style of music that is often characterized by a groove-oriented sound. It is often played with a strong backbeat and is often based on African-American culture. Funk music has been popular since the 1970s, and its popularity has continued to grow in recent years.