Broad Spectrum was a weekly music event organised by Justin and I on a sunday afternoon.The basic idea was to play records we loved (which was perfect for lounging).There was no set style,anything was played (as long as it had groove and soul!) We didn't have any real ambition at this point except for a couple of heads to come along and listen to the music.The head of the river was the perfect intimate venue to showcase the music.Peter behind the bar was always accomodating & payed us dearly with bottles of corona! The above picture here is of a paddys day party the same year '05 with John Daly on the decks a year before he broke with the bird ep.I remember him saying over a smoke outside that '06 was going to be a big year for him.
It was close to forty eight hours after Wang had left Cork but his music still lingered on strongly.The tune whirled around the kasm breaking in and out.Never once pondering to ask the question what could this be?Though sub consiously the answer was already there.Could this sound have resulted from the trauma of the music within now intended for the universe.A seizure was coming on(helped greatly with the excessive amounts of JD&Coke!)that exhibits strange, unnatural powers, including levitation and great strength-maybe! A 12" ive never thought about in great detail, now ive given all my undivided attention to salsoul,there was no other way!Everytime time the music finished i was possessed to play it again,and again and again on and on and on-there truely was a message in the message-this isn't a coincidence,no way!-when would this ever end?It must have been over two dozen times-are the symptoms a psychosomatic result of a belief in demonic possession!?
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'
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
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-
Hey!Im a dancer/promoter & a vinyl collector from cork city.At fifteen I started organising parties in my home surburb of Grange.In the late nineties I had a flutter into music production featuring in the first Southern Fried cd which featured a collective of local Cork producers.Collecting vinyl has always been my first love.I play a mix of funk and groovy tunes with some standards thrown in for good measure.Genre and year has never been important.Its basically displacing categorizations by choosing selections that feel right together,even though they may not be associated with one another by connecting the most cutting edge tunes from a diverse range of genres by their collective, soulful essence. Ive played records in most bars & clubs around town at some time or another.I also presented weekly shows on now defunct Radio Friendly and Sub Fm.You can catch me every Saturday nite playing records in Bru Bar,57McCurtain St.
