The golden years of hard funk, the JB- styled Cold Sweat funk seem to fall about 68-71. After that, I think electic keyboards changed the game and eventually took it over. Now I'm a fan of both styles, but nothing crackles and snaps like the early raw funk.
I found out about Syl Johnson through his epic 7 minute track, Is it Because I'm Black?, a slow burner, sung with a blues fervor, that is chilling to the bone. When I found a CD with the song, I was initially disappointed cause there was nothing on it like, Is it because...
The rest of the tunes he cut for Chicago's TwinNight label were raw funk burners. Needless to say, my attitude has been adjusted, cause these songs kick.
The sample conscious will recognize Different Strokes, but anybody with feet will recognize the funk appeal, too. Welcome to Friday.
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So Cody, I consider you an authority.
Is this Funk or R&B?
I ask the question because sometimes I have a hard time telling the difference.
Great track BTW. Find this on the Princeton record hunt?
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Now this should have been the theme to Different Strokes
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Lovely way to wake up for a funky friday. I'm strutting it to the kitchen right now.
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@I am- To me Funk is in the mind. To be sure this cut is on the R&B side of funk, but most of what the kids are calling raw funk (Sharon Jones,etc) sounds like this. When all the "rare funk", "raw funk", and "deep funk" started coming out in the early 90's, I was always comparing it to P-Funk, as my standard for what FUNK is. Most folks agree, though, James Brown "invented" funk w/Cold Sweat (1967),and you can talk about syncopation or whatever. So, to answer your question: Both
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love that syl tune. To me thats r&b. also 70s soul gets mistaken by funk sometimes. good post, man.
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Syl Johnson is indeed awesome. You know about his daughter Syleena, right?
And I like to think that I'm cooler than algorithms too.
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@rocket-Let's not argue! I'll buy you a drink!
@Omagus- I've only heard of her, but haven't heard her..Do I need to go there?
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...Groovy...
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putting things in little boxes, I should be ashamed... but I still will accept that drink, heh.
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Syleena does a lot of the hooks for Kanye.
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Cool to know, Thanks O.
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Thanks Cody and soul. I too think this track is on the R&B side.
I was not trying to start an argument.
I like your idea Cody. Funk Is A State Of Mind! Maybe I will get that tattooed on my back.
I have always felt that some genre names are made up by critics to distinguish themselves from the rest of the "critical world". Who knows?