funk

This is the proposal i put forth to wnyu for a 2-hr weekly show. Comments welcome.

Root Down: Simply Funk

Though Funk music is often used and misused as part of so called “Dance Music” and is also often rightly cited for its influence on hip-hop and rap, most of the time it remains on the sidelines and is not always appreciated for its complexity not to mention its powers to elevate the human spirit. Moreover, one of the sources and origins of Funk what has come to be known as Soul-Jazz is usually shunned upon by Jazz purists and lacking some of the more obvious intensity of Funk, it’s also shunned by the aforementioned Dance scene. That is a shame because artists that helped define it were instrumental in the “creation” of Funk down the road and could also play a mean set. Through Root Down, I aim to explore Soul-Jazz as it developed from the early 60s onwards with artists such Jimmy Smith, Lou Donaldson, Jimmy McGriff, Brother Jack McDuff all the way to its evolution into Funk, best represented by heavyweights such as James Brown (it doesn’t have to be “sex machine”), the JBs, Tower of Power, the Ohio Players etc and also bands such as Cymande, representing different influences from Africa and the Caribbean, all the way to the concept-psychedelic funk of the somewhat obscure Jimmy Castor Bunch. Of course, the show will also deal with the many 70s soundtracks based on the so called blacksploitation genre of film making. The show will stop before we hit the disco scene, not for lack of good music but for the sake of the show’s cohesion.
I believe it’s time for all these brilliant artists to come back into the foreground not only for their musical talents but also for their authenticity as artists and human beings.
Representative Artists

Roy Ayers
Slave
Jimmy Castor Bunch
Bar-Kays
Sir Joe Quarterman and Free Soul
Brothers Johnson
Donald Byrd
Lou Donaldson
“Brother” Jack McDuff
Jimmy McGriff
Commodores
Cymande
The Funk Brothers
Herbie Hancock
Isaac Hayes
Headhunters
Willie Henderson
Ike & Tina
Isley Brothers
Curtis Mayfield
Mandrill
The Meters
The Ohio Players
Maceo Parker
Rufus
Sly and the Family Stone
War
Tower of Power
Dr. Lonnie Smith
Lonnie Liston Smith
Jimmy Smith
Fred Wesley and the Horny Horns
George Clinton
George Benson
Green Grant
Johnny Hammond
Richard “Groove” Holmes
Herbie Mann
Bill Jenings
Wes Montgomery
Big John Patton
Billy Preston
The Spinners
Bobby Bird
Booker T and the MGs
Ripple
James Brown
Brick
Fatback Band
Cameo

Representative Labels

Stax
Motown
Blue Note
King Records
Atlantic
Columbia
Verve
Rhino
Hi Records
CTI
Pacific Jazz
Epic