In your chest

What is Funk?

In the words of Rare Gems Odyssey its a tough question.It seems it could be very difficult to define a definition globally that would make it clear to one in all.As much as funk can be an excursion into an unlimited amount of interwined and interrelated music styles(all having elements of "that funk sound")funk is very personal in each person.Everyone is tuned to a frequency and depending feels the funk force where others may not.
Funk originated in the 60s pigbacking soul,gospel,blues,jazz,r&b.Old school funk with the raw earthy sounds in the 60s,synthesizer 70s disco funk,new Old-school funk merging new technology and old funk patterns each have a unique funk identity.

With lots of new recordings and reissues,funk is accessible to new listeners preventing the genre from falling by the wayside.

Funk grew out of the environment of "war and freedom"racial in equality-gil scott heron(godfather of Rap).Funk grew from an expression which later became rap.Where funk was an outward active expressing claim for their interests.Soul was an inward subtle movement desire.Funk has regards of conflict or rebellion a preservation of the joy of life.
Funk can be a great amount of people ready to party.



Generally there is the question of whether funk is a music style or just a pseudo genre added to soul,jazz,blues,latin.

As a message within the music-words or just the groove.

As music where you will find slapping bass,hammond,wah wah guitar.

Or maybe all of these and more!

Funk is performed by the musician reaching the audience and instigating that earthy feel.Solos are strongly connected in the rhythm sometimes almost becoming a rhythm solo.(Fred Wesley trombone)

"How do I recognize a Funk record"Theres no real correct answer.Except the titles usually have an active expression 'Get on Down' 'Groove on Down' 'Shake the thing' 'Move on up'

Meters/Eddie Bo/Bobby Byrd/Mandrill/Blackbyrds/Bar-kays/Gap Band/Brick/Pleasure/Rose Royce/Neville Bros/Cameo/Wild Cherry/Fred Wesley/Barbara Acklin/Etta James/Bill Withers/Pointer Sisters/Lalomie Washburn/Stevie Wonder/Ramsey Lewis/Jack McDuff/Roy Ayers/Oliver Sain/Blue Mitchell..

San Tropicana Resort Mix

Chas Jankel-Boy
Joe Sample- Night Flight
Cottam E.P - 1 (Edit)
The Wild Magnolias-Smoke My Peace Pipe
The Whispers -Keep On Lovin Me
Funkadelic-Oh I
Machine-Is it Love (Edit)
Dr. Bootygrabber-Blind date
James Brown-Hot
The Crusaders-Sweet N Sour
Fertile Ground-Live in the light
Weather Report-Teen Town
White-Unknown??
Isley Brothers-Live it Up (Edit)
Jay-U Experience-Some More

Future Gigs

It's Music Dr.herringbone Dread Jan23
It's Music@Bru Jan 30th Paudie,Sean Galvin & Zsolt 30th

It's Music Presents Maurice Fulton w/Colm K,Mr Rickus 27th Feb
It's Music Presents Linkwood w/Sean Galvin & Boochy Mar 16th
It's Music - Dj Jus'Me Sat April 17th 9.30-

Album Reviews

Peter Brown-Do you Wanna get funky?



Watching Summer of Sam recently inspired this album review.It was only after investigating later that i realised "Do you wanna get funky with me?"-(burning love breakdown-more of an extended dub version of the original title-paradise garage classic) was the first dance record to sell over a millon copies.Not bad for a track too slow to be a typical disco record(102 bpm).More on that later!

I went for "Do You Wanna Get Funky With Me" and "Dance With Me" But fell for "Fantasy Love Affair," "For Your Love (a really good song)," "You Should Do It" and "Singer Becomes a Dancer."

Brown was an early pioneer in dance music,with his versatility he could simulataneously make emotion and movement work.Each track is unique in rhythm & sound.The rhythm in fantasy love stands strong & is very striking with catchy lyrics.Do you wanna get funky shruggs along just enough to move you on the inside.Theres a very raw live feel about this one"

The synth-laden grooves of "You Should Do It" bounce draws you in which could be rinder and lewis/wonder collaboration,maybe!
"The Singer's become a dancer" has tight harmonies and the production is class.
"For Your Love" is a stand out with its simple melody.For the curious, he supposedly has 50% writing credit for Madonna's song "Material Girl."Dance with Me"-Summer of Sam (soundtrack)-You gotta keep on makin me high..hmm!"Without Love" is orchestrated perfectly and is simple in its elegance.This is a timeless album of great quality!

In a genre that was predominantly black Peter Brown went against the grain and proved white boys got soul!


















The Best Of Both Worlds - I want the world to Know



A soul satisfying album...I want the world to know has a true love beat.The harmonies are just right,the blends beautiful...It's funky;it's the best of the NOW Disco sounds today.

The most impressive thing about their use of the 'funky way'is how the love beat,harmonies and strings blend so beautifully to continuously restate the theme..The Naked Truth.The Big Beat and the solo voice of the lead singer are infectious.

There is no distortion,no blaze exaggeration..when this group picks up their instruments..you are taken on a journey into beautiful,moving,and yes!instantly recognizable sounds.

Anyway the Wind Blows



Broad Jumping



I Want the World to Know



Invisible Flowers



Greedy Green



50-50



Lost In a Shuffle of Love



Momma Makes Biscuits



Naked Truth



Theme From I Want the World to Know

Bobby Hutcherson - Montara

Bobby Hutcherson's Montara captures the very core spirit of jazz through fusion,latin and salsa rhythms.There's a subtle warm full bodied sound that could be compared to Roy Ayers.Each track is complex as it is simple bringing a different sound and feeling.
The album opens with camel rise.What struck here was the percussion Harvey Mason (Groovin You).A travelling track if there ever was one.A worldpool of sound that trickles in and out but always complements each musician.
Montara backed by rhodes and bongo let hutcherson off for a full vibe expression with Ernie Watts(Cork Jazz Festival '09) tenor sound putting clarity to the track.
La Manga stands up and takes your full attention for a full salsa shake down.
Little Angel not disimilar to Montara balances expression with hutcherson and Blue Mitchell going head to head.
The bass in yuyo cohesively adds strength or the steaming, burning gasoline orgy of Hutcherson's read of Santana's "Oye Como Va.Montara is one of the feel good jazz album.

Camel Rise


Montara


La Malanga


Love Song


Little Angel


Yuyo


Oye Como Va


Wally Badarou - Echoes

It might be a hard to imagine an all instrumental album capturing a sound still fresh today as it did twenty five years ago.
Wally Badarou's echoes brings you on a journey through soundscapes holding the listener's interest all the way.Its genre bending to say the least.Tracks fade like dreams,but not necessarily having a connected relation to one another.
Hi-Life jumps for joy and eptomises everything that is good with life.
Mambo is a delicately crafted piece.Check the sample in Massive Attack's blue lines.Chief Inspector bounces along right down to the club!Enya meets Kate Bush could best descibe Voices as the rhythm drives right into the sunshine.
The quasi-African rhythms and melodies set echoes apart.Badarou sheen over gives the overall sound a warm elegance that sounds seamless and fresh.

Keys



Hi-Life



Mambo



Voices



Canyons



Endless Race



Chief Inspector



Waltz



Jungle



Rain

The Dude Ranch

Still Going-Still Going theme dfa Yellow Magic Orchestra-Firecracker.Don Blackman-Never Miss a thing.Steve Arringtons Hall Of Fame-Speak with your body.3 Chairs-Misty City.Frederic Galliano-Kanboufo.Jalal Ouissal-Undelivered Poetry.Dfa-Microstructural Characterization.Move D-Workshop 02.The JB'S-Doin it to Death.Bohannon-Dance Your Ass Off!!!Cameo-Its serious.Was(Not Was)-Tell me that Im dreaming.Sexual Harrassment-I need a freak.

Past Gigs

Sir Henrys,Zoes,Streetlife@Redz,Textures@thePavilion Bar,Pav Niteclub,Flux@Half Moon Theatre,Kickback@Everyman Theatre,Boogielicious@Crane Lane Theatre,Velvet Lounge@Blue Angel-Cork Opera House,Corcadorca Wrap Party@Cork County Hall,Jam@Savoy,Woodford Sunday Sessions,Spailpin Fanach,Victoria Hotel,Bodega,City Limits,Loafers,Flux,Roundy bar,Hitthedecks@Lebowskis,The Liquid Lounge,Raging Bull,Outoftowners@Lisgoold,Office Bar,Mrdyke,It's Music@Realt Dearg,Broad Spectrum@HeadoftheRiver,LV,East Village,Strictly 80s@Bob Foxes,Cafedelapaix,Slainte.