RonKat Spearman Serves Up Some Piping Hot Funk On “Funky Dance Transformer”

RonKat Spearman graced the funk world with this wicked groove back in 2009.  It’s a deliciously funky cut in which the multitalented musician displayed his versatility in the studio. RonKat wrote, produced and arranged the track, as well as played all the instruments.

 

"Funky Dance Transformer" boasts a powerful beat and an irresistible chorus delivered by the soulful female backup singers. RonKat augments the funk with some cool talkbox work and mechanized vocal effects. Additionally, he serves up a scorching guitar solo and a smooth rap performance. The song touches on the power of funk--and by extension the power of music in general--and how it can be used as a weapon to eradicate hate and racism. This is a groove that any true funk lover can appreciate, and it still sounds just as funky and fresh after many repeated plays.

RonKat is a P-Funk veteran. He toured with George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic as a P-Funk All-Star for 10 years. In 2010, he took a hiatus from touring with the legendary funk outfit to focus all of his energies on his own band, Katdelic, one of the hottest funk acts in the Bay Area.

Visit Katdelic’s website to keep up with all of the band's performance dates and new music releases.

 Check out my interview with RonKat: RonKat Spearman's Katdelic Ignites a New Funk Revolution Across the Bay Area

Acclaimed Songwriter Rod Temperton Dies at 66

British songwriter, producer and musician Rod Temperton died today following a battle with cancer. He was 66. Temperton was best known for penning the Michael Jackson classics “Off The Wall,” “Rock With You” and “Thriller,” which is one of Jackson’s most iconic tracks and a worldwide Halloween anthem. The gifted songwriter also wrote the gems “The Lady in My Life” and “Burn This Disco Out” for MJ.

In addition to his work with Jackson, Temperton was the keyboardist and primary songwriter for the popular disco/funk band Heatwave, where he penned the ‘70s dance-floor hits “Boogie Nights" and “The Groove Line.”  He also wrote the classic soul ballad “Always and Forever” with Heatwave.

Temperton was a prolific and sought-after songwriter/producer and had written tracks for celebrated artists such as Herbie Hancock, George Benson, Patti Austin, Donna Summer, Mariah Carey, Aretha Franklin, the Brothers Johnson and James Ingram, among many others.

He was also nominated for the Best Original Song Oscar in 1986 for "Miss Celie's Blues," which he co-wrote with Quincy Jones and Lionel Richie for The Color Purple (1985).