Funk

Funk music was originated by African Americans, e.g., James Brown and his band members (especially Maceo and Melvin Parker), and groups like Parliament-Funkadelic, Sly and the Family Stone, or The Meters. more...

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Funk best can be recognized by its syncopated rhythms; thick bass line; razor-sharp rhythm guitars; chanted or hollered vocals (as that of Marva Whitney or the Bar-Kays); strong, rhythm-oriented horn sections; prominent percussion; an upbeat attitude; African tones; danceability; and/or strong jazz influences (e.g., as in the music of Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, George Duke, Eddie Harris and others).

Characteristics

Compared to funk's predecessor, the soul music of the 1960s, funk typically uses more complex rhythms, while song structures are usually simpler. Often, the structure of a funk song consists of just one or two riffs. Sometimes the point at which one riff changes to another becomes the highlight of a song. The soul dance music of its day, the basic idea of funk was to create as intense a groove as possible.

One of the most distinctive features of funk music is the role played by bass guitar. Before soul music, bass was rarely prominent in popular music. Players like the legendary Motown bassist James Jamerson brought bass to the forefront, and funk built on that foundation, with melodic basslines often being the centerpiece of songs. Notable funk bassists include George Porter, Jr., Bootsy Collins, Louis Johnson and Larry Graham of Sly & the Family Stone. Graham is often credited with inventing the percussive "slap bass technique," which became a distinctive element of funk.

Some of the best known and most skillful soloists in funk have jazz backgrounds. Trombonist Fred Wesley and saxophonist Maceo Parker are among the most notable musicians in the funk music genre, both having worked with James Brown and George Clinton. Many funk musicians were directly reacting to the increasingly complex structure of Bebop and Modern Jazz. Modern Jazz was becoming so complicated that there could be 4 chord changes per measure, creating a dizzying rapidfire movement through key centers and themes. Funk virtually abandoned chord changes, creating static single chord vamps with little harmonic movement, but with a complex and driving rhythmic feel. Jazz was, in turn, strongly influenced by funk in the 1970s, beginning with Miles Davis, the founder of the jazz fusion movement, and his former pianist Herbie Hancock.

In funk bands, guitarists typically play in a percussive style. "Dead" or muted notes often are used in riffs to strengthen percussive elements. Jimi Hendrix was a pioneer of funk rock. Hendrix's improvised, other-worldly solos influenced Ernie Isley of The Isley Brothers and Eddie Hazel of Funkadelic. Eddie Hazel, who worked with George Clinton, is one of the most notable guitar soloists in funk. Jimmy Nolen and Phelps Collins are famous funk rhythm guitarists who both worked with James Brown.

Read more at Wikipedia.org