Groundbreaking jazz icon Herbie Hancock fully integrated funk into his sound in 1973 with his landmark album Head Hunters. He had flirted with funk in earlier recordings, but it became an essential ingredient in his sonic stew with Head Hunters, widely considered the greatest and most definitive jazz-funk album of all time.
The 1975 track “Steppin’ In It” shows Herbie continuing his funky journey. He brings the funk with maximum force on this explosive instrumental. This extra-nasty groove is the rhythmic and spiritual sequel to his jazz-funk classic “Chameleon.” It features funky guitar riffs, a ferocious beat, and super-tight horn volleys. Paul Jackson lays down an absolutely filthy synth bass line, played on an ARP Odyssey synthesizer. Stevie Wonder makes the most of his guest spot with a sizzling chromatic harmonica solo. The track also features some smooth Fender Rhodes electric piano work from Herbie, who also plays clavinet, synthesizers, and acoustic piano.
“Steppin’ In It” is a track on Herbie’s fifteenth studio album Man-Child, a sterling offering of jazz-funk grooves served up in the multitalented musician's inimitable fashion. Herbie and David Rubinson produced the six-song collection, which was released on Columbia Records August 22, 1975. Herbie was the sole writer of “Steppin In It” and “Sun Touch” and cowrote the other four tracks.
The players on “Steppin In It” include DeWayne “Blackbird” McKnight (guitar), Mike Clark (drums), Bernie Maupin (saxophone), Melvin “Wah Wah Watson” Ragin (guitar), Bud Brisbois (trumpet), Herbie Hancock (keyboards), Wayne Shorter (saxophone), Paul Jackson (synth bass), David T. Walker (guitar), Jay DaVersa (trumpet), Garnett Brown (trombone), and Stevie Wonder (harmonica).
“Steppin’ In It” is a favorite among true funk lovers and one of Herbie’s funkiest grooves.
Herbie and his funky crew performing "Steppin' In It" live in 1975
Acclaimed vocal quintet the Dramatics released the irresistible soul-dance track "Shake It Well” in 1977. The deep-simmering groove opens with a funky pluckin’ bass line followed by Larry “Squirrel” Demps’ sick intro: “My name is Squirrel, best shaker in the world.” His delivery is pimp-level smooth, effectively setting the track’s dope, soulful vibe. The song also features strong vocal contributions from L.J. Reynolds and Ron Banks, with the other group members–Lenny Mayes and Willie Ford–adding gritty backing vocals. The song is about the therapeutic power of dance, how it can relieve stress, reduce anxiety, and alleviate depression. The instrumentation and production on this cut are first-rate.
“Shake It Well” was written by Eddie Robinson and Don Davis, who also produced it. It's the title track of the Dramatics’ album Shake It Well, released in July 1977 on ABC Records. The song peaked at #4 on Billboard’s R&B singles chart and #74 on the Billboard Hot 100.
R&B and jazz fusion guitarist Cornell Dupree recorded an instrumental cover of “Shake It Well” for his 1977 album Cornell Dupree’s Saturday Night Fever.
The musicians who played on the Dramatics’ Shake It Well album included bassists Eddie Watkins, James Jamerson, Roderick Chandler, and Ray Parker Jr., who played bass on the title track; guitarists Bruce Nazarian, Dennis Coffey, Robert White, Don Davis, and Jay Joseph Graydon; keyboardists Rudy Robinson, Reginald Burke, and George Roundtree; drummers Edward Greene and Quentin Dennard; and Lorenzo “Bag Of Tricks” Brown on percussion and congas.
“Blue Morning, Blue Day” was the third single from British-American rock band Foreigner’s 7x platinum second album, Double Vision (1978). The track’s dramatic intro features a menacing guitar riff that sets a dark tone of dread and impending disaster. This gives the opening a thrilling, cinematic feel. The song is expertly produced, arranged, and performed, boasting a terrific bass line and dynamic piano. It also features an indelible chorus and a cracking guitar solo. Frontman Lou Gramm delivers an impassioned vocal performance that’s filled with great anguish and desparation. The song explores a couple’s crumbling relationship and the emotional toll it has taken on the narrator. He is in a constant state of turmoil, anxiety, and despair, causing him many sleepless nights. The word “blue” in the song is used as a metaphor for sadness and emotional distress.
“Blue Morning, Blue Day” was co-written by Gramm and Foreigner’s lead guitarist, Mick Jones. Keith Olsen, Jones, and band member Ian McDonald produced it. The song wasn’t originally intended as a single, said Gramm in a 2018 interview with AXS. “It came about a little later in the sessions,” he said. “It was a dark horse track, and the mood of it was dark, but the story was so cool that it ended up being the third single from the album.”
Jones has said that he was inspired by progressive rock band Procol Harum when he and Gramm wrote “Blue Morning, Blue Day.” He discussed Procol Harum's influence on the song in a 2021 video interview with AXS TV: “Blue Morning' was one of my favorite tracks that we wrote,” Jones said. “I think I was going through a little phase of really digging Procol Harum, kind of almost semi-tragic, sad, blue. Blue morning, blue day.”
During an interview on the radio show In the Studio with Redbeard, Jones further elaborated on Procol Harum's influence on “Blue Morning, Blue Day”:
That was a little Procol Harum coming out in me, the period with the big orchestra and ‘Conquistador.’ It was that mood. I felt very strongly that it was an inspiration in that song. And I was starting to experiment; I was getting clever (composing) on the piano! (chuckles).
“Blue Morning, Blue Day” was released on Atlantic Records in December 1978 in the U.S. and in February 1979 in the U.K. It peaked at #15 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #45 on the U.K. charts. It climbed to #21 in Canada. It was the third hit from the band’s iconic Double Vision album. The other two singles from the collection, ”Hot Blooded” and “Double Vision,” were even bigger hits, peaking at #3 and #2, respectively, on the Billboard Hot 100.
“Blue Morning, Blue Day” was sampled on “Purple Weed” (2006) by Mondo Marcia and “Steppin On Toes” (2007) by The Away Team. And it was featured on the soundtrack of the documentary film Sound City (2013).
Foreigner was formed in 1976 in New York City. The original lineup consisted of vocalist Lou Gramm, guitarist Mick Jones, bassist Ed Gagliardi, drummer Dennis Elliott, keyboardist Al Greenwood, and multi-instrumentalist Ian McDonald. This was the band lineup for the Double Vision album.
Foreigner is one of the most successful and best-selling rock bands of all time, with sales of more than 80 million records worldwide and 10 multi-platinum albums. They scored nine top-10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, as well as 14 top-20 hits and 16 top-30 hits on that chart. Their first eight consecutive singles all cracked the top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100. The Beatles were the only other band to achieve this milestone. Foreigner was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2024.
Foreigner performing "Blue Morning, Blue Day" at Deer Creek Music Center in Noblesville, Indiana, 1993
Celebrated New Orleans soul singer King Floyd released the infectious and massively funky track “Baby Let Me Kiss You” in March 1971. It was his follow-up to the crossover smash “Groove Me.” The syncopation on this powerful groove is tremendous. It moves at a sexy, funky strut and features a bodacious bassline, a killer horn arrangement, and extra-nasty guitar licks. Floyd delivers a dynamic, fervent vocal performance. The narrator expresses his intense desire and physical attraction for a woman who has completely captivated him.
“Baby Let Me Kiss You” was written by King Floyd and produced by Elijah Walker. Renowned New Orleans producer, arranger, bandleader, and composer Wardell Quezergue was the song’s arranger. It was a single from Floyd’s self-titled second album, released in May 1971 on Cotillion Records, a subsidiary of Atlantic Records. The song performed well on the charts, peaking at #5 on Billboard’s R&B singles chart and #29 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The musicians who played on “Baby Let Me Kiss You” included Vernie Robbins (bass), Wardell Quezergue (organ), James Stroud (drums), Jerry Puckett (guitar), Jimmy Honeycutt (saxophone), and Bob Chessman (trumpet).
“Baby Let Me Kiss You” has been sampled on 18 songs, including “Bombastic” (Shaggy) and “Shoot ‘Em Up” (Cypress Hill). R&B and disco singer Fern Kinney’s cover of the track was featured in an episode of the three-time Emmy-winning Netflix series GLOW (season 3, episode 2, 2019). “Baby Let Me Kiss You” was Floyd’s last song to make the Billboard Hot 100’s Top 40.
War released their seventh studio album, Why Can’t We Be Friends?, on June 16, 1975. The influential Long Beach, CA-born ensemble serves up its delicious stew of funk, soul, jazz, and Latin rhythms on this superb collection. It’s one of the band’s most successful albums, critically and commercially. It showcases their impeccable musicianship and stellar songwriting.
The album opens with the radiant “Don’t Let No One Get You Down.” The track has a soothing, tranquil flow and is exquisitely arranged. Lonnie Jordan delivers a smooth, soulful vocal performance. The song's reassuring narrator encourages a close friend (or possibly a romantic partner) to remain strong in the face of hard times, and promises them loyalty, comfort, and companionship. The instrumentation is first-class, with lulling Latin percussion rhythms and a mellow bass line. And Charles Miller contributes a marvelous saxophone solo.
B.B. Dickerson ably handles lead vocals on the tender soul ballad “Lotus Blossom.” This gorgeous track is about a man’s deep devotion and love for a woman who has been hurt and mistreated in the past. The lotus flower symbolizes her delicate beauty and strength to endure difficulties and harsh conditions. Lonnie Jordan's understated, calming keyboard work and the warm background harmonies enhance the song’s gentle tone.
War serves up some deep funk on “Heartbeat.” Drummer Harold Brown fires up the groove with a massive beat, bolstered by B.B.’s filthy bass line. The track features dynamic percussion, cold horns, and nasty rhythm guitar. And Brown delivers a raw gutbucket lead vocal performance.
"Leroy's Latin Lament (Medley)" is an incredible sonic odyssey consisting of four distinct parts: Lonnie Dreams, The Way We Feel, La Fiesta, and Lament. It features clear stylistic and tonal shifts, flawlessly navigating Latin jazz, Afro-Cuban funk, soul, jazz samba, and atmospheric balladry. The track showcases the band’s superlative musicianship, with Lee Oskar delivering a hauntingly soulful harmonica solo, and Lonnie Jordan raising the temperature with his scorching Latin-tinged piano work. The percussion on this cut is also top-flight.
“Smile Happy” is a beautiful, uplifting instrumental. The infectious, Latin-laced funk groove is masterfully arranged and performed, slowly building to a rapturous crescendo. The track features a splendid bass line, smashing percussion, melodic guitar licks, and some brilliant sax work from Charles Miller.
Lonnie Jordan delivers an aching, heartfelt vocal performance on “So.” The plaintive ballad touches on the confusion, heartbreak, and deep emotional pain one feels after being left by someone they love. Lee Oskar lights up the track with his wistful harmonica work.
“Low Rider” is one of War’s most recognized songs. This funky classic celebrates the Chicano car culture and cruising in Southern California. (A lowrider is a vintage customized car designed to ride extremely close to the ground and features specialized hydraulic or airbag suspensions that allow drivers to raise, lower, bounce, or tilt the car at the flip of a switch.) This song has become the definitive lowrider anthem, recognizing both the car-oriented cruising lifestyle and the vibrant culture of the Southern California Chicano community. The track percolates with energy and funk, featuring bumpin’ percussion and an irresistible hook played jointly by Charles Miller on alto sax and Lee Oskar on harmonica. B.B. Dickerson drives the groove with a fearsome bass line, and Miller delivers a raspy, low-pitched lead vocal performance. The song sonically conveys the image of a tricked-out lowrider slowly rollin’ down the block.
“In Mazatlan” is a majestic ode to the picturesque coastal resort cityMazatlán, locatedin Sinaloa, Mexico. The song boasts an immaculate arrangement, featuring a smooth, elegant bass line and exquisite percussion work. The haunting background harmonies are a great complement to Lonnie Jordan’s impassioned lead vocals.
The album closes out with the title track “Why Can’t We Be Friends?,” a timeless anthem for racial unity and global peace. This feel-good classic struck a chord with a huge cross-section of listeners and became one of War’s biggest hits. The song’s message of hope, unity, and human connection remains highly relevant today. The track is an uplifting blend of funk, reggae, soul, and pop, featuring an infectious sing-along chorus. Each band member sings his own verse, reinforcing the song’s message of unity. The song was played in outer space during the historic Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in July 1975. It was the first joint space mission between the United States and the Soviet Union. NASA fittingly beamed the song to the linking Soviet cosmonauts and American astronauts. The mission marked a symbolic end to the Space Race and the first international handshake in space.
Why Can’t We Be Friends? was produced by Jerry Goldstein, Howard Scott, and Lonnie Jordan. It was released on United Artists Records. It topped Billboard’s R&B album chart and peaked at #8 on the Billboard 200. It rose to #8 on the Canadian album charts and peaked at #81 in Australia. The album has sold more than two million copies worldwide. It received high marks from critics and love from funk, R&B, Latin, and soul music fans.
The album’s two singles, “Low Rider” and “Why Can’t We Be Friends?,”enjoyed significant chart action. “Low Rider” topped Billboard’s R&B singles chart and rose to #7 on the Billboard Hot 100. It peaked at #8 on the Canadian charts and #12 in the UK. It was certified Gold by the RIAA with more than 500,000 copies sold in the U.S., and it sold 200,000 copies in the UK and 30,000 in New Zealand. “Low Rider” was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2014.
“Why Can’t We Be Friends?” peaked at #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #9 on Billboard’s R&B singles chart. It rose to #6 on the Canadian singles chart. It was certified Gold by the RIAA with a million copies sold in the United States.
Here’s the full personnel forthe album: Charles Miller (clarinet, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone, percussion and vocals); B.B. Dickerson (bass, percussion, vocals); Lonnie Jordan (organ, piano, timabales, percussion, vocals); Papa Dee Allen (congas, bongos, percussion, vocals); Lee Oskar (harmonica, percussion, vocals); Howard Scott (guitar, percussion, vocals); and Harold Brown (drums, percussion, vocals). All seven band members collectively wrote seven of the album’s nine tracks. The band co-wrote “Don’t Let No One Get You Down,” “Low Rider,” and “Why Can’t We Be Friends?” with Jerry Goldstein. Keri Oskar penned the lyrics to “The Way We Feel.”
Artist Howard Miller created the album’s great cover art, which was based on Lee Oskar’s design concept.
“Spellbound” is an amazing track by legendary Memphis band the Bar-Kays. It immediately locks you in with its laidback funky vibe. James “Knuck” Alexander anchors this smooth groove with a badass prowling bass line. The song features an awesome horn arrangement, funky clavinet, and shimmering synths. Also, it boasts some sweet electric piano and nasty guitar licks. Larry Dodson delivers a raw, soulful vocal performance. The track is about a confident, self-assured man telling his hesitant partner to stop denying her feelings for him and surrender to the powerful bond that they share; he lets her know that she would immediately regret breaking up because he has what “sets her soul on fire.”
“Spellbound” was co-written by songwriters James Banks and Henderson Thigpen. It was a single from the Bar-Kays’ sixth studio album, Too Hot To Stop, released in 1976 on Mercury Records and produced by Allen A. Jones. The collection was the band’s first album release on Mercury. They had previously been with Stax Records for nine years before the famed Memphis-born soul label folded in 1975. The funky LP spurred George Clinton to invite the Bar-Kays to be one of the opening acts on Parliament-Funkadelic’s legendary Earth Tour (1976-77).
“Spellbound” was a modest hit on Billboard’s R&B singles chart, peaking at #29. It has been sampled on two songs: “Whatever U Want” by Christina Milian, featuring Joe Budden (2004) and “Three Views Concerning Human Knowledge” (remix) by Bakers of the Holy Bread (1995).
Here’s the full personnel for the Too Hot To Stop album: Michael “Buckboard” Beard (drums, percussion, vocals), James “Knuck” Alexander (bass, vocals), Lloyd “Lucious Lloyd” Smith (lead guitar, acoustic guitar, 12-string guitar), Larry Dodson (lead vocals, harmonica), Winston “Winnie” Stewart (piano, clavinet, synthesizer, organ, synthesizer [ARP String Ensemble]), Harvey “Joe” Henderson (tenor saxophone, flute, percussion), Frank “Capt. Disaster” Thompson (trombone, bass trumpet, percussion) and Charles “Scoop” Allen (trumpet, vocals, guitar, percussion).
Phoenix, Arizona-born bassist, singer, and songwriter Nik West just released her resplendent rendition of Musiq Soulchild’s 2000 hit “Just Friends (Sunny).” She brings her rich, lush sound to the neo-soul/R&B classic and delivers an exquisite vocal performance. She effortlessly infuses her vocals with soothing, sultry soul. The song is finely arranged and performed, elevated by West’s superb bass work.
On her Instagram and Facebook pages, West recounts how her cover of “Just Friends (Sunny)” came into being. She said that ten years ago, she posted a video of herself playing the song in her room. It's a simple, unadorned video of just her playing the bass and singing the song. She explained that she had been in Australia the day before, where she spent time with Prince during his 2016 Piano & a Microphone tour. Before she left, Prince gave her his beanie, which she wore while recording the “Just Friends (Sunny)” video in her room.
A little while later, Prince messaged me to tell me how much he loved it. I’ll never forget that. When I posted it, millions of people watched it. Thousands of you danced to it, shared it, and kept asking me the same questions: “When are you going to release this?” Then life changed. After Prince passed, I found it difficult to come back to this song. Every time I heard it, it brought me right back to that moment in time. But some songs wait until the right time. Ten years later, “Just Friends” is finally yours….Thank you for waiting.
It was definitely worth the wait. Her cover of the classic is sublime, bringing a whole new vibe and energy to the song. Over the years, West has continued to grow as a singer, songwriter, musician, and performer, showing that Prince could always recognize real talent when he saw it. He discovered West on YouTube after coming across her videos and soon became her friend and mentor. He worked closely with her for several years, helping her hone her natural gifts as a music artist. She has said that Prince is one of the greatest mentors she’s ever had.West is currently touring across eight countries and has 11 upcoming concerts, with the next one scheduled for July 25 in Jena, Germany. Visit her official website for her full tour schedule.
Video of Nik West performing "Just Friends (Sunny)" in her room in 2016
