P-Funk bass lord Bootsy Collins collaborated with young hip-hop artists Phil Adé and Morris Mingo for this nasty funk track. The song is a delicious mix of old-school funk and new-school hip hop. Mingo holds down the keyboards, while Adé serves up a strong rap. And Bootsy delivers a stupidly funky bass line.
The song also boasts some fantastic string work and a sexy, soulful vocal performance from Candi$weetz. And the tight horns help further raise the groove's funk quotient. The track also has an irresistible bridge. With this powerful groove, Bootsy proved that raw, uncut funk was still very much alive and kicking as we entered into the second decade of the 21st century.
“Kool Whip” was co-written by Bootsy, Adé and Mingo and is a track from the funk legend’s 2011 album Tha Funk Capital of the World. The collection offers a highly listenable smorgasbord of funk, rock, hip hop, soul, jazz and gospel. Back when the album was released, Bootsy said he recorded it to pay tribute to some of his musical heroes, such as James Brown, Jimi Hendrix, Thelonious Monk and Miles Davis, as well as late P-Funk vocalist/guitarist/songwriter Garry Shider, who died in 2010.
The album also works as sort of a music history lesson for the young folks. And it features a myriad of celebrity guests, including Bobby Womack, Samuel L. Jackson, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Cornel West, Ron Carter, George Duke, Sheila E., Ice Cube, Buckethead, Chuck D, Béla Fleck, Musiq Soulchild, George Clinton and Rev. Al Sharpton. That sounds like one hell of a house party.
Blues icon B.B. King left behind an extraordinary musical legacy.
The universal outpouring of love for B.B. King over the past several days is a testament to the legendary guitarist’s massive legacy and how many millions he has touched with his music and performances over the years. B.B.—who died last Thursday at 89—was one of most iconic and influential blues artists to ever take the stage; he had an immeasurable impact on modern music and was major influence on a slew of celebrated guitarists, including Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimi Hendrix, Bonnie Raitt, Keith Richards, Mark Knopfler, Carlos Santana, Duane Allman and Buddy Guy, among countless others.
And it wasn’t just his soulful guitar playing, powerful voice and magnetic stage presence that endeared him to so many; it was also his humble and jovial demeanor. His laidback, down-home charm made everyone feel completely at ease in his presence, both onstage and off. He was a true gentleman and a class act in every way. In recognition of the blues legend’s passing, I thought I’d put together a list of my five favorite B.B. King performances. Here they are in no particular order:
B.B. Performing “How Blue Can You Get” at Sing Sing Correctional Facility (1972)
B.B. brought the house down with this electrifying performance of “How Blue Can You Get” (aka “Downhearted”) at the notorious maximum security prison Sing Sing in New York. The revered bluesman brought his patented stage charisma and humor to this powerful performance. The performance was part of a concert that B.B. and famed folk singer Joan Baez put on for Sing Sing’s inmates in 1972.
B.B. Performing “Sweet Little Angel” with James Brown at the Beverly Theater (1983)
James and B.B. lit up the stage with a soul-stirring performance of blues standard “Sweet Little Angel." This was one of the many highlights of the historic concert that B.B. and James put on at the Beverly Theater in Los Angeles in 1983. This was also the same concert in which Prince and Michael Jackson made brief guest appearances onstage.
B.B. Performing “The Thrill is Gone” in Montreux (1993)
B.B. delivered a majestic performance of the timeless blues classic “The Thrill is Gone” at his 1993 concert in Montreux.
B.B. and Gladys Knight performing “Please Send Me Someone To Love” (1987)
B.B. and Gladys Knight set the stage on fire with this show-stopping rendition of Percy Mayfield’s blues ballad “Please Send Me Someone To Love” at Los Angeles' Ebony Showcase Theatre in 1987. Both music legends dazzled the audience with their inimitable musical gifts.
B.B. Performing “Let The Good Times Roll” at the Beverly Theater (1983)
B.B. got the joint jumpin' with a rousing, crowd-pleasing rendition of Louis Jordan’s jump-blues classic during his concert with James Brown at the Beverly Theater in 1983.
Moved by the nationwide demonstrations following the untimely deaths of Freddie Gray and Michael Brown, Prince decided to let his voice be heard. On May 10, he released his new song, “Baltimore,” which honors the memories of Gray and Brown, who both died from injuries sustained during encounters with police officers. Many feel their deaths were two more examples of an ongoing pattern of the police using excessive force when dealing with African Americans. The song is a call for peace and an end to the unrest that has taken hold across the country. It also condemns police brutality and gun violence, which continues to cut short too many young lives in the United States—especially in low-income urban communities. Prince wrote and produced the song as well as played all the instruments. The song has a gorgeous melody and some sterling guitar work from the Purple One. And soul/R&B singer Eryn Allen Kane sweetens the groove with her soulful vocals.
On May 11, the multitalented musician performed alongside his backing band, 3RDEYEGIRL, before a sold-out crowd at Baltimore’s Royal Farms Arena for his second “Dance Rally 4 Peace” concert. Prince debuted “Baltimore” during the show. A portion of the concert’s proceeds will go to Baltimore-based youth charities. According to a statement released by LiveNation, the concert is meant to be a “catalyst for pause” and was done “in the spirit of healing.”
Baltimore resident Freddie Gray died from a spinal injury sustained while he was arrested last month. He fell into a coma while in police custody as he was being transported in a police van. Before falling into a coma, Gray pleaded for medical care but none was given. He died a week later. The 25-year-old's death ignited a new string of protests and riots across the country with people again decrying police misconduct and abuse.
His Royal Badness hosted the first “Dance Rally 4 Peace” concert on May 2 at his Paisley Park Studios in Chanhassen, near Minneapolis. When Prince announced the concert via social media, he asked attendees to wear gray in Freddie Gray’s honor. He and 3RDEYEGIRL treated the audience to 41 minutes of blistering rock and gutbucket funk. Some of the songs on the set list included “Chaos & Disorder,” “Guitar,” “Dreamers,” “Plectrumelectrum” and a cover of Tommy James & The Shondells’ classic “Crimson and Clover.”
And in an uncharacteristic move, Prince shared the entire concert on his new Soundcloud page. He closed out his concert with these parting words: “Do me a favor and take care of each other, all right? It don’t matter the color; we are all family.”
Full "Dance Rally 4 Peace" concert at Paisley Park Studios
The Bee Gees were at their absolute funkiest on this irresistible hard-bumpin’ track, which was released in the U.S. in early 1977. The famed English-Australian trio released a lot of great grooves in their day, but none were quite as funky as this joint. “Boogie Child” is a potent slice of blue-eyed funk. The group’s signature falsetto harmonies bring this track to its maximum groovosity. And Barry Gibb ably holds down the lead vocals, while brother Maurice serves up a dope bass line; the percolating keyboards and the funky guitar licks keep the groove crackling. The track also boasts a terrific bridge and an infectious sing-along chorus. And the tight horns nicely accentuate the groove. It’s one of the top-selling group’s most underrated tracks.
“Boogie Child” was written by all three Bee Gees (Robin, Maurice, and Barry Gibb). It was the third single from their 2x platinum album Children of the World (1976). The song performed well on the charts, peaking at #12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #31 on Billboard's R&B singles chart; however, it was overshadowed by the album’s monster chart-topping disco smash “You Should Be Dancing.”
In addition to singing lead vocals, Barry Gibb played acoustic guitar on “Boogie Child” as well as provided backing vocals. Maurice and Robin also sang background vocals. Other musicians who played on the track included Dennis Bryon (drums), Alan Kendall (electric guitar), Blue Weaver (keyboards, synthesizer), Gary Brown (saxophone), Joe Lala (percussion), and the brass ensemble, the Boneroo horns. The song was produced by the Bee Gees, Karl Richardson, and Albhy Galuten.
The Bee Gees went on to even bigger success with their contributions to the massively successful Saturday Night Fever soundtrack, released in November 1977. The multiplatinum-selling soundtrack shot the group to the stratosphere, making them one of the biggest music acts in the world during the late ‘70s and early ‘80s. However, none of their other releases could get close to the wicked funkiness of “Boogie Child."
New York-bred groove outfit Cameo brought their original brand of funk to the music game with their impressive debut album Cardiac Arrest in 1977. The collection boasts some really strong funk grooves as well as some top-flight ballads. You can definitely hear influences of well-known funk acts of the day sprinkled throughout the album, including Parliament-Funkadelic, Kool & the Gang, and the Commodores. This collection captures Cameo in the process of cultivating their own unique sound and putting their special flavor on the funk, which they dubbed “C-Funk.” And with each subsequent album, the band continued to refine their singular “C-Funk” sound until they became influential trendsetters in their own right. The band had one of the most distinctive funk styles of the 1980s—along with Prince’s famed Minneapolis sound and Roger & Zapp's potent synth-driven electro-funk.
The album kicks off with the bumpin’ high-energy funk groove “Still Feels Good.” The track has a super-tight horn arrangement and some nasty guitar licks. It's followed by “Post Mortem,” another hard-hitting funk track. This nasty groove features some stellar horn work, and bassist William Revis lays down some funky bottom.
“Smile” is a great ballad that has some soothing synth work from Gregory Johnson. And Tomi Jenkins elevates the track with his strong lead vocals.
“Funk Funk” is the album's centerpiece. Revis's supremely funky bassline anchors this mammoth groove, and the horns are on fire. Drummer and bandleader Larry Blackmon is at the helm on this cut and gives the lowdown on the “C-Funk” concept with his trademark eccentric humor. This cut stands apart from the other tracks on the album as a truly original and potent slice of funk. You can hear the band finding their own distinct voice on this funkalicious track.
The irresistible dance-floor rump-shaker “Rigor Mortis” is almost as strong as “Funk Funk.” The powerful groove boasts a badass bassline that lured folks to the dance floor back in the day. The track also has a terrific horn-laden bridge.
“Find My Way” is an infectious disco groove. Jenkins serves up a superb vocal performance on this elegantly arranged dance track. And the song also contains some cool wah-wah guitar licks, further enhancing the track’s disco flavor.
The band keeps the groove momentum going with the upbeat “Good Times.” Revis's sturdy bassline drives this kinetic track, and Johnson provides stellar synth work.
The album closes out on a mellow note with the soulful, heartfelt ballad “Stand By My Side.” The track is highlighted by some top-notch vocal work from Jenkins and vocalist Kurt Jeter.
Cardiac Arrest was produced by Blackmon, who wrote five of the album’s eight tracks on his own. He co-wrote "Post Mortem" with Gregory Johnson and penned "Rigor Mortis" with Nathan Leftenant and Arnett Leftenant. "Find My Way" was written by singer-songwriter Johnny Melfi. The album was released on Chocolate City Records, which was a subsidiary of Casablanca Records. The collection performed well on Billboard's R&B album chart, peaking at #16. It reached #116 on the Billboard 200. Also, three tracks from the collection charted on Billboard's R&B singles chart: “Funk Funk” (#20), Rigor Mortis (#33), and “Post Mortem” (#70). And “Find My Way” shot to #3 on Billboard's Dance Club Songs chart.
Cameo’s full lineup during the recording of Cardiac Arrest was the following: Larry Blackmon (drums, percussions, lead and backing vocals); Eric Durham (guitar); Tomi Jenkins (lead vocals); Gregory Johnson (piano, synthesizer, electric piano, vocals); William Revis (bass); Charles Sampson (acoustic and electric guitar); Nathan Leftenant (trumpet); Kurt Jeter (vocals); Arnett Leftenant (saxophone) and John Kellogg (backing vocals).
Cardiac Arrest was an auspicious debut and put the band on the map in the R&B and funk scene. It's a definite must-have for true funk lovers. The fact that Cameo was able to create such a huge buzz right out the gate in a crowded field of great funk artists was a testament to the band’s exceptional talent and singular style. With this album, the band showed that they were a funky force to be reckoned with. It was the first shot fired in setting off the glorious “C-Funk” era.
Following Cardiac Arrest, the band went on to release a ton of great music in the ensuing years and became one of the most prominent funk acts of the ‘80s. And the anthemic funk classic “Word Up!” catapulted the band to superstar status worldwide in 1986.
The late, great jazz drummer/composer Idris Muhammad had clubs, parties and discos jumpin’ with this bodacious dance-funk track back in the day. This cut hits you right in the bump zone and will have you breaking for the dance floor in record time. Wilbur Bascomb’s percolating bass line drives this kinetic groove, while Muhammad keeps things funky with his tight drumming. And there is no shortage of cowbell on this irresistible cut. Additionally, the track features a scorching solo from late guitarist Hiram Bullock. And the soulful vocals are provided by Frank Floyd, Kenny Williams and Zachary Sanders.
The song is the title track off Muhammad’s fifth studio album, which was released on Kudu Records in 1977. The collection was produced and arranged by David Matthews. The producer co-wrote “Turn This Mutha Out” with Tony Sarafino. The song climbed to #21 on the U.S. Billboard R&B singles chart. The elegantly smooth dance track “Could Heaven Ever Be Like This” is another single from the album that charted, peaking at #68 on the U.S. Billboard R&B singles chart and #76 on the Billboard Hot 100. And it shot to #2 on Billboard’s Hot Dance Club Play chart.
Idris Muhammad was born Leo Morris on November 13, 1939 in New Orleans, Louisiana. He began playing drums at the age eight and was performing with jazz bands by the time he was 16. The talented musician is recognized as one of the most innovative drummers in soul music and had worked with legendary music acts such as Sam Cooke, Jerry Butler, Sonny Stitt, Roberta Flack, George Benson, John Scofield, Grover Washington, Jr. and Curtis Mayfield. And he played on Fats Domino’s Rock ‘n’ Roll classic “Blueberry Hill” when he was just 16. Muhammad also worked extensively with jazz greats Lou Donaldson, Ahmad Jamal and Pharoah Sanders. Also, he was the house drummer at Prestige Records from 1970 through '72.
The famed drummer/composer was quite an eclectic artist. He took on a number of different styles during his long, distinguished musical career, including jazz, funk, R&B, soul, fusion, post-bop, soul-jazz, bebop, dance and jazz-funk. And he played on some of the best soul-jazz tracks ever recorded. In the 1960s, the musician changed his name to Idris Muhammad after converting to Islam. And in the ‘70s, he released a string of stellar albums that are now prized among funk, soul-jazz and R&B fans.
Muhammad’s music was introduced to a new generation via hip hop. A slew of celebrated hip-hop artists have sampled his music for their tracks, including Nas, Eminem, Drake, 2Pac, the Notorious B.I.G. and the Beastie Boys.
The legendary drummer died at the age of 74 on July 29, 2014, leaving behind a wealth of great music and performances. He’s remembered as one of the greatest soul-jazz drummers of all time.
Legendary R&B/funk/jazz band Earth, Wind & Fire were at the peak of their popularity and success when they released their eighth studio album All ‘N All in late November of 1977. They were probably the biggest African-American band in the world at the time, boasting legions of fans of all races and nationalities across the globe. However, the mega-talented outfit didn’t rest on their laurels and broke new sonic ground with this amazing collection. It’s a highly creative work but still very accessible to a wide audience.
The album is chock-full of musical gems and is extremely cohesive; all the songs complement one another, with one song flowing seamlessly to the next. The lead single, “Serpentine Fire,” is a rhythmic masterpiece—fusing funk, African, gospel, soul and Latin in one explosive package. The track has a really unique percussion-laden groove; and it boasts a monstrous bass line and a super-tight horn arrangement. Also, the dynamic intro sounds like the band is bursting out of a volcano. In short, this is massive RHINOCEROS FUNK. The song was a big hit, spending seven weeks atop the U.S. Billboard R&B singles chart and peaking at #13 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The other big hit from the collection is the majestic, uplifting “Fantasy.” The song is superbly arranged and orchestrated, and Philip Bailey delivers a sterling lead vocal performance. It charted at #12 on the U.S. Billboard R&B singles chart and at #32 on the Billboard Hot 100. It’s one of Earth, Wind & Fire’s best-known tracks and still gets a lot of play on the radio.
The hyperkinetic “Magic Mind” is one of the band’s most underrated songs. It’s about striving to achieve your highest potential in all aspects of life, taking risks and not being afraid to fail—as well as not allowing the negativity in the world to consume you. The song’s title refers to how powerful the human mind is and the endless things you can accomplish if you fully utilize it. The potent, hard-driving groove boasts some incredible playing from the celebrated Phenix Horns; and Verdine White keeps things nice and funky with his impeccable bass work.
“I’ll Write A Song for You” is a gorgeous ballad that features an exquisite vocal performance from Bailey. This track illustrates what a truly gifted vocalist he is.
The urgent, high-energy “Jupiter” is about a wise and benevolent extraterrestrial who travels to Earth to spread a message of love and positivity. The band’s flawless musicianship elevates this supersonic groove to the stratosphere. The primitive-sounding “In the Marketplace” interlude is a great lead-in to “Jupiter.” It takes the listener from ancient times to high-velocity futuristic funk. And Maurice White provides some great Kalimba work on the interlude.
The powerful ballad “Be Ever Wonderful” showcases Maurice’s impressive vocal chops. Another track in which he shines on lead vocals is the luminous mellow jam “Love’s Holiday.” And it features a terrific guitar solo from Johnny Graham. “Love’s Holiday” is followed by the irresistible interlude “Brazilian Rhyme,” which has a marvelous vocal arrangement and some splendid bass work from Verdine. Even the interludes are first-rate on this album. This could stand on its own as a full song.
The band flexes its jazz muscles on the fusion-jazz instrumental “Runnin’.” The song features some dazzling keyboard work from Larry Dunn and excellent solos from saxophonist Don Myrick and trumpeter Michael Harris.
All ‘N All was produced solely by Maurice White, who also helped write the majority of the album’s tracks. It’s one of EWF’s most successful albums, both critically and commercially. The collection climbed to the summit of the U.S. Billboard R&B album chart, where it remained for nine weeks; and it peaked at #3 on the Billboard 200 pop album chart. It also charted in the top 20 in several other countries and made the top 10 in Canada and the Netherlands. The collection went triple platinum and was the best-selling R&B album of 1978. And it received high marks from music critics. Additionally, the album won a Grammy for Best R&B Vocal Performance By A Duo, Group or Chorus; and “Runnin’” landed the band another Grammy for Best R&B Instrumental.
Earth, Wind & Fire outdid themselves with All ‘N All—one of the landmark albums of the late ‘70s and a jewel among the band’s acclaimed oeuvre.
