#1938514 - 05/07/08 08:11 AM
What's the good funk?
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Bejeeber
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I may need to record some funky guitar stuff purty soon, and I could use some inspiring examples to listen to.
Any suggestions?
Fortunately I learned to play some funky stylings in the past, because I'd hate to have to be starting from scratch now...that stuff didn't come easily to me, and took some practice!
As far as classic funk techniquess are concerned, I was more into the "skank" style that Ray what's his name said he pioneered (He's the guy behind the ghost busters theme), where you scratch muted strings simultaneously with your riff notes, for a real muscular, twanging, well....skank!
I wasn't as enamored of the more precise "Freak Out" style of Nile Rogers, which sounded comparatively a bit tame, sterile and polite to me...not to mention I think it was pretty dang disco-ey music.
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#1938523 - 05/07/08 08:25 AM
Re: What's the good funk?
[Re: Bejeeber]
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Mudcat
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"Pick Up the Pieces" by the Average White Band.
I like the guitar riff as well as the rhythm playing. Very funky!
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Mudcat's music on Soundclick "Work hard. Rock hard. Eat hard. Sleep hard. Grow big. Wear glasses if you need 'em."-The Webb Wilder Credo-
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#1938530 - 05/07/08 08:32 AM
Re: What's the good funk?
[Re: Mudcat]
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Michael Patrick
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The Meters!!
Cissy Strut
Look-Ka Py Py
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#1938534 - 05/07/08 08:50 AM
Re: What's the good funk?
[Re: Michael Patrick]
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rickygclef
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Registered: 06/14/07
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Loc: LI, NY
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Yess!!! 
Leo Nocentelli of Meters is a great guitarist!!
http://www.nocentelli.com/LeoFlash/LeoFaceBIO.html
Saw him last week at JazzFest in N.O.
It was with Leo's Rare Funk Gathering.
Bernie Worrell on keys and Doug Wimbish and Will Calhoun from
Living Colour as rhythm section. It was truly mesmerizing.
Obviously also Jimmy Nolen (James Brown) and Eddie Hazel (P-Funk)
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#1938537 - 05/07/08 08:51 AM
Re: What's the good funk?
[Re: Michael Patrick]
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Ed Coury
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Something odd happened the other day. I was listening to one of those Saturday night "70's flashback" programs on the radio. I realized that, despite how much it was reviled at the time, so much of the music (even what was labeled as disco) had some incredible funk grooves!
The contrast has become even greater over the years, given what some would call a definite lack of funk in "top 40" music.
The big funk bands are obvious.....you may want to listen to Prince, who has come up with some extremely funky guitar bits over the years.
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#1938546 - 05/07/08 09:02 AM
Re: What's the good funk?
[Re: Ed Coury]
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RobRose
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oh. man... Ray Parker Jr. pioneered basic funk guitar?!? Ray's vastly deluded...
Start here:
Earth wind and fire -- All n' all or earlier
Parliament Funkadelic
James Brown anything from the 70's
Prince (anything from the 80's)
Disco has a smoother groove than Funk, and certainly helped to evolve funk guitar into the 80's, but the good stuff is pre-disco or retro post-disco...
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Bogner Shiva, Carr Vincent amps
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#1938568 - 05/07/08 09:50 AM
Re: What's the good funk?
[Re: RobRose]
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Bejeeber
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oh. man... Ray Parker Jr. pioneered basic funk guitar?!?
Well I probably dished out some mangled paraphrasing on that one, but the jist of it his claim, I believe, was that as a NY session player before he hit the real big time, he was responsible for conjuring that particular skank technique, which is not so easy for me to describe the tough, punchy sound of.
I think that was him playing the Don Kirshner's funk riff that some old geezers here may remember....or was that a stinger for Midnight Special?, I dunno, probably Don Kirshner...
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#1938594 - 05/07/08 10:34 AM
Re: What's the good funk?
[Re: Bejeeber]
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jeeps
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"Play that Funky Music White Boy" was a favorite from my past. Always gets you movin(IMO). I play it funky (on Bass) and I am white as snow !(no offense intended,white boys) We'd play it over and over endlessly! Theres some real screaming guitar parts in there . I believe AWB wrote that one too.
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#1938622 - 05/07/08 11:13 AM
Re: What's the good funk?
[Re: stamplicker]
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jeeps
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opps, Wild Cherry not AvgWhtBnd .Thanks Stamplicker!
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#1938623 - 05/07/08 11:13 AM
Re: What's the good funk?
[Re: stamplicker]
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stamplicker
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Can't forget a little Funky Chicken
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#1938625 - 05/07/08 11:15 AM
Re: What's the good funk?
[Re: jeeps]
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Jude Gold
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Strong funk playing often involves a bulletproof strumming/picking hand working as 16th-note "flywheel" that never stalls, as in:
--Freddie Stone's break on Sly's "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf...)"
--The last ten or 20 seconds of Michael Jackson's "Don't Stop Till You Get Enough" when the drums and bass drop out (you'll have to crank your speakers because the song will be fading).
--Pretty much any Nile Rodgers (Think Chic's "Good Times" or "Le Freak" or Diana Ross' "Upside Down")
--Tower of Power "What Is Hip"
--Chaka Kahn "You Got The Love"
--Patrice Rushen's "Number One"
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#1938652 - 05/07/08 11:55 AM
Re: What's the good funk?
[Re: Bejeeber]
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Jude Gold
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Oh yeah, can't forget the funkiest 'guitar' lick of all time (played on bass by Anthony Jackson):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4xKlbeHLf4
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Associate Editor
Guitar Player Magazine
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#1938656 - 05/07/08 11:58 AM
Re: What's the good funk?
[Re: Jude Gold]
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stamplicker
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#1938696 - 05/07/08 01:21 PM
Re: What's the good funk?
[Re: Bejeeber]
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Jerf
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I learned a lot of cool funky licks from this song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNIVhz_dW1k
along w/ a lot of James Brown & tower of Power!!
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#1938715 - 05/07/08 01:58 PM
Re: What's the good funk?
[Re: Bejeeber]
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soggybomb
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#1938761 - 05/07/08 03:31 PM
Re: What's the good funk?
[Re: Big Red 67]
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Trucks
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sT2p_O1XUM
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#1938764 - 05/07/08 03:33 PM
Re: What's the good funk?
[Re: Trucks]
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Trucks
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Slow Skank
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjZaXn18kKY
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#1938765 - 05/07/08 03:34 PM
Re: What's the good funk?
[Re: Trucks]
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Trucks
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Or jazzy funk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2RRUVAD9Mc
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"do I see a vacuum there, or am I b-goin' blind.."
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#1938797 - 05/07/08 04:24 PM
Re: What's the good funk?
[Re: Trucks]
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stamplicker
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Jungle Boogie
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#1938807 - 05/07/08 04:45 PM
Re: What's the good funk?
[Re: stamplicker]
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A String
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As Jude alluded to, Tower Of Power have some incredibly funky songs. Along with "What Is Hip", check out "Soul With A Capital S", "Squib Cakes" and quite a few others by that band.
Here's What Is Hip:
Tower Of Power - What Is Hip
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#1938817 - 05/07/08 05:15 PM
Re: What's the good funk?
[Re: Bejeeber]
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splitting hare
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Bejeeber, for some local funk, you may want to check out Here Come The Mummies - they are from Nashville. I have seen their show several times - it is worth catching!
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=H7dUWaTmD0k
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#1938906 - 05/07/08 08:00 PM
Re: What's the good funk?
[Re: Bejeeber]
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Dr. Ellwood
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