Funk standards, is there a list?

[ossyrocks]

I had a very enjoyable evening at the monthly Jazz Jam in Lancaster last night. Got up and played on five tunes, which was rather good.

 

Anyway, got chatting with two guys who run a monthly funk jam, who on occasion are short of a house bass player, and they asked if I would like do it when required. Absolutely I said.

 

Now, with Jazz Jam, there’s a pad of tunes provided, 95% of it from the Real Books. Is there a funk equivalent? I’d like to get some funky grooves really nailed on, stuff people can recognise and relate to, and most of all jam to. I don’t want to learn exact bass lines from exact songs as such, but just provide a comfy platform upon which people can express themselves. Failing that, I’ll just be riffing the odd tune I know, or improvising on the spot, and emphasising the one.

 

Rob

[Reggaebass]

Good thread rob, I enjoy playing a bit of funk, anything by Chic, kool and the gang, earth wind and fire, James Brown, I think people will know, there might be a few suggestions here from a few years back that are of some use to you 

 

[TheGreek]

I've got some good funky CDs in the car with classic tracks like Superstition,  Brickhouse, Papa was a rolling stone on.

 

I'll dig out the packaging and post

[Old Man Riva]

If there is then hopefully this is on it…

 

 

[paul_5]

Bring down the birds - herbie Hancock 

 

chameleon - herbie Hancock 

 

are two that I’d consider essential.

Edited July 29, 2023 by paul_5

[BassBunny]

I've done a couple a while back. IIRC

these figured in them.

Cissy Strut - The Meters

Cantaloup Island - Herbie Hancock

Watermelon Man - Herbie Hancock

Chameleon - Herbie Hancock

[ossyrocks]

1 hour ago, Reggaebass said:

Good thread rob, I enjoy playing a bit of funk, anything by Chic, kool and the gang, earth wind and fire, James Brown, I think people will know, there might be a few suggestions here from a few years back that are of some use to you 

 

Nice one Tony, I'll have a look at that thread.

[ossyrocks]

50 minutes ago, BassBunny said:

I've done a couple a while back. IIRC

these figured in them.

Cissy Strut - The Meters

Cantaloup Island - Herbie Hancock

Watermelon Man - Herbie Hancock

Chameleon - Herbie Hancock

These are tunes that I wouldn't necessarily consider to be funk in their original form, except maybe Cissy Strut. In fact three of these are tunes in the pad for Jazz Jam, and three of them are in the setlist for my own band (not Cantaloupe Island). My band do a funky version of Watermelon Man, based on one I found on Youtube "Studio Jams"

 

I think I need some education on what is defined as funk. I already play Superstition, I Wish, Cissy Strut etc. I'm thinking there's more funk than this. Deep funk, out there funk, serious stinky poo. 

 

 

 

[ossyrocks]

Ha ha, I love how this forum auto corrects my stinky poo !

[Reggaebass]

Good Bassline on this 

 

[Boodang]

So, are we talking Billy Cobham / Herbie Hancock or more Stevie Wonder / EW&F?

I was in a trio where we did the Cobham style material which I consider more jazz/groove tv theme tune music rather than funk, but although the audience mostly didn't know it would get them on their feet. So is EW&F more the thing your thinking of?

[BassBunny]

2 hours ago, ossyrocks said:

These are tunes that I wouldn't necessarily consider to be funk in their original form, except maybe Cissy Strut.

 

Yep,I tend to agree. The jams were more Jazz/Funk jams which is where the HH material crept in. 

One jam night I used to go to wasn't funk specific but there used to be some great horn players turning up occasionally and then you'd get some good funk fodder.

Shake everything you got - Maceo Parker

Pick Up the Pieces - AWB

Cut the Cake - AWB

Memphis Soul Steve - King Curtis

Tell Me Something Good - Rufus

Low Rider - War

 

Love Studio Jams.

Edited July 29, 2023 by BassBunny

[BassBunny]

1 hour ago, BassBunny said:

 

 

Edited July 29, 2023 by BassBunny

[ossyrocks]

2 hours ago, Boodang said:

So, are we talking Billy Cobham / Herbie Hancock or more Stevie Wonder / EW&F?

I was in a trio where we did the Cobham style material which I consider more jazz/groove tv theme tune music rather than funk, but although the audience mostly didn't know it would get them on their feet. So is EW&F more the thing your thinking of?

I don’t know! It’s why I’m asking really. I suppose I was naively hoping for a guaranteed gold plated top 30 tunes of funk, in a book, with lead sheets. Someone here should publish one. I’d buy it. 

[Leonard Smalls]

You'll need to know some Parliament/Funkadelic/Bootsy'sRubberBand!

 

 

 

 

[JoeEvans]

There are half a dozen James Brown tunes, mostly with Bootsy Collins playing,that ought to be on the funk curriculum. Also Sly and the Family Stone and the Commodores...

[meterman]

Funk is a broad church but there’s some stuff that people classify as funk, that is definitely too smooth or slick to be properly dirty and funky. I’d take the raw stuff every time. Poets Of Rhythm for instance:

or The Fabulous Counts:

or Mickey & The Soul Generation:

or The Wax Preachers:

maybe Jungle Fire:

or Cymande:

 

or Leo Nocentelli from The Meters:

...and the obvious J.B’s, Sly & The Family Stone, early Parliament, Maceo & The Macks, Marva Whitney, Lyn Collins etc. I used to DJ in funk and soul clubs and things like Placebo (the 70s band) might be just on the right side of the jazz-funk thing and keep the dancers dancing but something like Steely Dan would clear the dance floor and you’d lose the crowd. Same thing with Prince or Cameo or something like that. But you could easy bring them back again with an Ike & Tina Turner 45...

The bass on a lot of these kinds of records is often distorted and hard to cop exactly right without headphones on. And whether or not they’d make it into a “Funk Classics” study book, I couldn’t say. But they’re all funky AF.

Edited July 30, 2023 by meterman

[itu]

Tower of Power?

 

(George Benson, Prince, Jamiroquai, Level 42... are these too modern?)

Edited July 30, 2023 by itu

[Fishfacefour]

This book is highly recommended 

https://www.alfred.com/the-funkmasters-the-great-james-brown-rhythm-sections-1960-1973/p/00-MMBK0061CD/

James brown classics with bass drums and guitars notated 

[ossyrocks]

Chaps, I’m unbelievably grateful for this input. I’ll be curating a YouTube playlist of all the above very soon. I’ve found these playlists a great resource. I just run my laptop into my little Phil Jones practice amp, and groove the evening away playing along. By all means keep ‘em coming.

 

Rob

[ossyrocks]

1 hour ago, itu said:

Tower of Power?

 

(George Benson, Prince, Jamiroquai, Level 42... are these too modern?)

Tower of Power popped up in my Recommendations on YouTube last night. Wow, I’m embarrassed to say I’ve not listened to them before!

[ossyrocks]

2 hours ago, meterman said:

Funk is a broad church but there’s some stuff that people classify as funk, that is definitely too smooth or slick to be properly dirty and funky. I’d take the raw stuff every time. Poets Of Rhythm for instance:

or The Fabulous Counts:

or Mickey & The Soul Generation:

or The Wax Preachers:

maybe Jungle Fire:

or Cymande:

 

or Leo Nocentelli from The Meters:

...and the obvious J.B’s, Sly & The Family Stone, early Parliament, Maceo & The Macks, Marva Whitney, Lyn Collins etc. I used to DJ in funk and soul clubs and things like Placebo (the 70s band) might be just on the right side of the jazz-funk thing and keep the dancers dancing but something like Steely Dan would clear the dance floor and you’d lose the crowd. Same thing with Prince or Cameo or something like that. But you could easy bring them back again with an Ike & Tina Turner 45...

The bass on a lot of these kinds of records is often distorted and hard to cop exactly right without headphones on. And whether or not they’d make it into a “Funk Classics” study book, I couldn’t say. But they’re all funky AF.

That’s this evenings viewing sorted! Cheers

[Reggaebass]

Not sure if you’ve had a look but there’s some serious funk in the ,Soul funk and groove thread, might take you a while there’s about 49 pages, but probably worth skimming it and save the ones you like 

[Old Man Riva]

… and you could definitely lose yourself in this. It’s in E. Just E.
 

 

[Reggaebass]

24 minutes ago, Old Man Riva said:

… and you could definitely lose yourself in this. It’s in E. Just E.
 

 

That’s a really good one to play , I used MarloweDK’s video when I was learning it , he breaks it down well