Musical Origins Social Conditions contributing to Funk Key artists Sub-genres Impact on future music

1. Funk Music Origins & Key Playas

2. Star Wars
Loves Funk

4. Where does the word Funk come from?
 The word funk basically refers to a strong, generally offensive
odor.
 Both jazzmen and Africans use funky and lu-fuki to praise
persons for the integrity of their art, for having 'worked out' to
achieve their aims ... This sign of exertion is identified with the
irradiation of positive energy of a person.
 Hence 'funk' in American jazz can mean earthiness, a return to
fundamentals.”
 In early jam sessions, musicians would encourage one another
to "get down" by telling one another, "Now, put some stank on
it!”
 New Orleans born drummer Earl Palmer was the first to use the
word 'funky' to explain to other musicians that their music
should be made more syncopated and danceable.”

7. Funk is a music genre that
originated in the mid-late
1960s when African American
musicians blended soul music,
jazz and R&B into a rhythmic,
danceable new form of music.
 So in what kind(s) of music do you hear its tradition of
Saaaay Whaaaa…??

8. Funk Music Instruments
 Like much African-inspired music, funk typically consists
of a complex groove with rhythm instruments such as:
 Electric guitar
 Electric bass
 Hammond organ
 Drums
 Horn section of several saxophones, trumpets and in
some cases, a trombone.

10. Funk Music Origins
 Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a
strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the
foreground.
 It's characterized by syncopated rhythms (unexpected
sounds/beats), distinctive grooves, melodic basslines and
thoughtful lyrics often expressing political views or social
commentaries.
 Funk creates an intense groove by using strong bass guitar
riffs and bass lines. Technique called the Bass Slap
 Funk songs used bass lines as the centerpiece of songs…
Like Motown recordings. (Aretha Franklin, Dianna Ross)
 Along with R&B/Soul, right before, and Rap/Hip-Hop, right
after, Funk is one of the most enduring new popular music
forms to emerge out of the American black community.

11. The Bass Slap

12. The Bass Slap
 Slap bass is a mixture of thumb-slapped low notes and
finger "popped" (or plucked) high notes to create a drum-
like rhythmic role that emphasizes the intensity of the
beat, particularly the 1st beat.
 Seinfeld TV Opening is an example of slap bass:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epb5HCZNBZQ
 Larry Graham: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-vPM-
MlCLs
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipjTvRe7-Zg

13. RECALL with elbow partner…

14. - the ability to create new music
spontaneously. A technique embraced and
spearheaded by Jazz musicians that remains as one of
the 2 fundamental impacts on modern music forms,
particularly in live performance.…think of
improvisation as the soloist speaking a sentence
- the uneven beats in jazz music. Jazz
musicians take apart even, regular patterns and break
them up, making them uneven. They also put accents
in unexpected places.

15. Artist Spotlight: Red Hot
Chili Peppers
 Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American alternative
rock band, formed in Los Angeles in 1983.
 The group's musical style primarily consists of rock
with an emphasis on funk, as well as elements from
other genres such as punk rock, hip hop, and
psychedelic rock.
 “Look Around”:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnisBb2rVOg&ob
=av3e

16. The word funky will probably
never disappear from common
slang…O-G to Newbie all use it

17. Artist Spotlight: Stevie Wonder
 Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-
instrumentalist, record producer and activist.
 Blind since shortly after birth, Wonder signed with Motown's
Tamla label at the age of eleven and continues to perform and
record for Motown to this day.
 “Superstition”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDZFf0pm0SE
Look at your Music Tree and consider what genre of
music he must have begun his career in and grown
up listening to?

18. Artist Spotlight: Sly and
The Family Stone
 Sly and the Family Stone were an American rock, funk, and
soul band from San Francisco, California.
 Active from 1966 to 1983, the band was pivotal in the
development of soul, funk, and psychedelic music.
 Headed by singer, songwriter, record producer, and multi-
instrumentalist Sly Stone, and containing several of his family
members and friends, the band was the first major American
rock band to have an "integrated, multi-gender" lineup.
 Family:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ptrc2cWRxU&feature=relat
ed

19. Music Affects Culture…
Culture Affects Music…
Civil Rights Movement
Civil Rights Act of 1964
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr speeches
Black Power Movement
What was happening during the 1960s that would inspire
Black communities in particular?

20. Black Power Movement

21. Funk and Black Power
Movement
 “Funk is probably the most positive expression that we have had in a long time, not only
about our music…but ourselves as a people. Funk epitomizes the successful end to the
civil rights struggles of the 1960’s and signaled the dawning of a new beginning for Black
folks in the 1970’s.”
 The upbeat and rich sounds of funk produced a feeling of positive strength, power and
humanity in the black community.
 The sounds of funk began emerging in the 1960’s. It was a sign of the times. The 60’s
were a revolutionary era with a very unsettled feel. It was then that the Vietnam War was
being fought, and black leaders were pushing the idea of civil rights.
 The first funk record to be released was called “Outta Sight” by James Brown in 1956. He
moved music in the funky direction and soon became known as the “Godfather of Funk
and Soul.” His music moved people to dance and to listen to his message.
 He recorded a song that supported the Black Power movement called “Say It Loud (I’m
Black And I’m Proud)”. The song became very popular in the Black Power movement. It
was an anthem that showed black pride and defiance
 “I’m Black and I’m Proud” by James Brown:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VRSAVDlpDI

22. Artist Spotlight: James Brown
 James Brown is the undisputed "Godfather of Funk." The "Hardest
Working Man in Show Business" demonstrated the use of scratching
rhythm guitar on the influential hit “Papa's Got a Brand New Bag”.
 Over the years James continued to produce more rhythmically
sophisticated Funk recordings, and he spread the gospel of Funk in his
wild stage shows.
 James Brown was the man with the groove. James had the most
outspoken voice in soul music and had a groove that would be proven to
be the future of Funk music. His outspoken voice had a theme song…
 “Say It Loud (I’m Black and I’m Proud):
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VRSAVDlpDI
James Brown was one of the first artists that began to develop the genre of Funk. Look
at your Music Tree and tell what genre of music he must have begun his career in and
grown up in before becoming the “Godfather of Funk”

24. Artist Spotlight: George
Clinton/Parliament
 In the 1970's, George Clinton emerged as the leaders of the
Parliament-Funkadelic conglomeration of bands. They brought
Funk forward as a powerful force in popular music. Tear the
Roof Off the Sucker (Give Up the Funk) and Flashlight brought
Funk to the attention of mainstream audiences. Through most
of the 1970's, Funk was rarely heard in discos.
 George Clinton had created two new funk bands, one called
Parliament (formerly The Parliaments) and the other called
Funkadelic. Parliament had emphasis on horns and Funkadelic
had emphasis on guitars, but both had a deep, rhythm filled
groove.
 Parliament “Flash Light”
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbYKFbD1Ysc

25. “One Nation Under a Groove” Funk Documentary
You watched part of this documentary last Friday.
Recall the main points made in the film regarding
the fundamentals of Funk music & culture
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_dXS8UMrxE
“P-Funk” (Parliament & Funkadelic) under the
leadership of George Clinton impacted African American
communities and music at the time and future
Listen to how Funk in the 60s & 70s spread a message
of hope and liberation to Black people in this country

26.  The documentary you have now watched in its entirety (1st
Friday Funk was covered and the rest now) is named after
one of the most famous Funk songs of all time!
 Funkadelic “One Nation Under a Groove”
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WOZwwRH6XU

27. Bootsy Collins
 William Earl "Bootsy" Collins (born October 26, 1951)
is an American funk bassist, singer, and songwriter.
 Rising to prominence with James Brown in the late
1960s, and with Parliament-Funkadelic in the '70s,
Collins's driving bass guitar and humorous vocals
established him as one of the leading names in funk.
Collins is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame,
inducted in 1997 with fifteen other members of
Parliament-Funkadelic.
 “Stretchin Out”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIHrdLwa_y8

30. Artist Spotlight: Prince
 One of the most influential artist to all people in regards to funk and dance music.
 Prince released his first full-length record in 1978, titled "For You", and from there
would go on to blend many styles of music together into a danceable and soulful
presentation of art.
 His self-titled release "Prince" was funky and sexy, but without talk of drug use or
"sexploitation". The album artwork featured him riding nude on a white horse, which
was very controversial to the media.
 Prince was the only artist to blend all of the previous genres (that contributed to funk)
together with many other genres of music, like disco/dance, European/new romantic,
new wave, folk, techno/electronic, Latin and world music, and hip-hop.
 This new genre of music that emerged from Prince' unique blend was called New
Funk.
 “Kiss”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZQ6e_dv01c

31. Funk Sub Genres
Funk by 1980 began to diversify into a wide range of
sub-genres.
Funk music has influenced an ever increasing range of
music in both popular and underground modern music
genres.
Take notes on the sub-genres of Funk we discuss
moving forward as that is one aspect you will be tested
on.

32. Rockers
Love
Funk

33. Artist Profile: Jimmy Hendrix
 Funk rock: a style of music fusing Funk with heavy Rock influences that began
in the 1960s by artists such as Jimmy Hendrix, Frank Zappa, & Herbie
Hancock in which the emphasis is on the electric guitar as well as the heavy
use of Bass Slap techniques. Originally the fusion was with Psychedelic Rock,
but now continues to be played with more commonly with wah-wah guitar and
Bass Slap with a more straight ahead Rock sound mixed with Funk rhythms.

35. Artist Spotlight: Rick
James
 In the mid to late 70's, Rick James began to funk the
world with his party music. James was known for the
major hit "Superfreak" in the early 80's. Rick James'
fun and sexy style of music, blended with the dance
grooves of the times, was a major influence to many
different races of people.
 “Superfreak”:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYHxGBH6o4M

37. Artist Spotlight: Kool and
the Gang
 Kool & the Gang are an American jazz, R&B soul, and funk
group, originally formed as the Jazziacs in Jersey City, New
Jersey in 1964.
 They went through several musical phases during the course of
their recording career, starting out with a purist jazz sound,
then becoming practitioners of R&B and funk, progressing to a
smooth pop-funk ensemble, and in the post-millennium
creating music with a modern, electro-pop sound.
 “Jungle Boogie”
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57oBC_WLsYA

39. Artist Spotlight: Newcleus
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMBb-VvJS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWe0PxUEVoc
Electro Funk was the original B-Boy & Breakdance music. It helped begin a
culture and tradition that exists across the world today! What a segment video
showing where it has come to nowadays
Boogie: Boogie (or electro-funk) - an electronic music using a minimalism approach that
consisted of synthesizers and keyboards helped to establish funky breaks and house
music. It emphasizes the slapping techniques of bass guitar but also bass synthesizers.
Early artists include Herbie Hancock, Afrika Bambata, Jonzun Crew, & Newcleus

40. Impact on new musical
genres by Funk
 The emphasis Funk put on heavy rhythmic sound made for
dancing has HUGELY influenced almost all dance music and
Top 40 produced today. Funk drew inspiration from the
SYNCHOPATED rhythms of Jazz mixed with tribal patterns, but
accentuated the 1st beat of each measure (4/4 time
signature/meter), which has carried through to this day.
 The largest genre impact Funk has had on music in general
was the direct evolution of Hip Hop out of Funk beginning in
the early 80s. Around the time Hip Hop began separating into a
unique genre, Funk had begun to incorporate spoken word and
rudimentary rap techniques that would be further developed by
Hip Hop genre. Electro-Funk evolved alongside early Hip Hop.
Both of the 2 styles were not differentiated at first. Break-
dancers, or “B-Boys”, most.

41. Artist Spotlight: Warren G
 Warren G (born Warren Griffin III, November 10,
1970) is an American West Coast rapper and hip
hop producer.
 His biggest hit is the song "Regulate" with Nate
Dogg released in 1994.
 “Regulate”:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1plPyJdXKIY&ob=
av2e
G-funk: G-funk is a fusion genre of music which combines gangsta rap and funk. It is
generally considered to have been invented by west coast rappers, made famous by
Warren G.

43. Artist Spotlight…tba in EDM Unit
 Funky House/Funky Breaks: a hybrid of electronic music and funk. It
essentially follows the same form as funk, and retains funk's characteristics,
but is made entirely (or partially) with a use of electronic instruments and
computers. Often it samples original Funk songs or elements used in early
Funk like wah wah guitars or horns.
 It is a sub-genre of EDM or House Music that has gained significant
popularity over the years, and often has club nights or special events strictly
dedicated to the style.

45. Funk Documentaries
 George Clinton:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itejCyGICEw
 Funk Music History:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_sO5e5xhfo&fea
ture=related

46. Funk Music Used in
Today’s Class
 “Say It Loud (I’m Black and I’m Proud)" by James Brown
 ”Jungle Boogie” by Kool and the Gang
 ”One Nation Under a Groove” by Funkadelic
 ”Superstition" (album) by Stevie Wonder
 “Superfreak” by Rick James
 “Flashlight” by Parliament
 ”Kiss” by Prince
 “Family” by Sly & The Famly Stone
 “Jam On It” by Newcleus