35 – FUNK AND THE NEW R&B

FunkAs the century matured, black music gradually purged itself of white influences becoming noticeably much more African in style and by the 1970's, Southern soul as a major black music form was in decline, replaced by a more urgent, more rhythmic style labelled funk. Although the vocals still retained the emotional intensity of gospel and the blues, the previously formulaic accompaniment of southern soul had given way to complex dance rhythms.

Funk can be easily traced directly back to one remarkable artist - "The Godfather Of Soul" James Brown. He not only pioneered the style but helped popularize the term (e.g. "Make It Funky" - 1971). Actually, the word funk goes back several decades (Wilson Pickett's "Funky Broadway" in 1967 was one of its earliest appearances in a title) yet no one did more to bring it into the mainstream than Brown.

During the 1970's, most black factions were seeking out something a little more heady than southern soul or the smooth stylings of Motown or Gamble & Huff. However, the emergence of the likes of George Clinton, Earth Wind And Fire and Rick James and their gutsy chunky rhythm patterns gave R&B audiences something juicier to sink their teeth into. Even Motown artists such as Stevie Wonder crossed over from formulated commercial R&B into more adventurous territory. By the end of the 1970's, the groove was the most important aspect of the music and funk progressed and evolved to eventually encompass rap, house and hip hop.

ELEMENTS OF FUNK

FUNK PIONEERS

JAMES BROWN

THE STAPLE SINGERS

THE WHISPERS

THE STYLISTICS

MILLIE JACKSON

CURTIS MAYFIELD

THE O'JAYS

MANU DIBANGO

ASHFORD & SIMPSON

PARLIAMENT/FUNKADELIC/GEORGE CLINTON/BOOTSY'S RUBBER BAND

BOBBY WOMACK

COMMODORES

THE POINTER SISTERS

KOOL & THE GANG

LaBELLE

RUFUS/CHAKA KHAN

MAJOR FUNK GROUPS

WAR

THE OHIO PLAYERS

AVERAGE WHITE BAND

EARTH WIND & FIRE

HOT CHOCOLATE

CAMEO

CON FUNK SHUN

RAY PARKER JR. & RAYDIO

L.T.D.

THE DAZZ BAND

NEW EDITION

A SELECTED LISTING OF OTHER FUNK GROUPS

MALE FUNK/R&B ARTISTS

RICK JAMES

BILLY PRESTON

TEDDY PENDERGRASS

LUTHER VANDROSS

JAMES INGRAM

JEFFREY OSBORNE

PEABO BRYSON

BILLY OCEAN

TERENCE TRENT D'ARBY

BOBBY BROWN

JELLYBEAN

FEMALE FUNK/R&B ARTISTS

PATTI LaBELLE

BETTY WRIGHT

NATALIE COLE

MELBA MOORE

DENIECE WILLIAMS

BRENDA RUSSELL

JANET JACKSON

STEPHANIE MILLS

JENNIFER HOLLIDAY

WHITNEY HOUSTON

SADE

JODY WATLEY

A SELECTED LISTING OF RECORDINGS BY OTHER FUNK/R&B FEMALES

THE PRINCE STABLE OF ARTISTS

PRINCE

THE TIME

SHEILA E.

VANITY

APOLLONIA

ALSO SEE

BIBLIOGRAPHY