Rich Wood gives us his choice selection of funky cuts.  Whether you're revelling with friends or making whoopie (don't be hatin' on that phrase now), a better playlist you'd be hard pushed to find we reckon...

 

Atomic dog – George Clinton

Georgie boy is best known as band leader/principle songwriter with the Parliament-Funkadelic collective, and for being the progenitor of the famous P-Funk sound (the “p” stands for psychedelic). Skipping over his 70s cuts feels heretical, but 'atomic dog' (from his totally brilliant solo album Computer Games) is just too perfect an encapsulation of his funk to not include.

Atlas- Battles

Not a funk act, though undeniably chunky in places. Battle’s swung beat “Atlas” is a study in slow build (though I stress, even at seven minutes, it’s not that slow) and rhythmic interplay. Listen to them reach the riff’s peak, and then spend two minutes in one of the most meticulous deconstructions committed to tape. Disturbingly good.

Forget Me Not’s- Patrice Rushen

Most will immediately recognise this as Will Smith’s M.I.B theme, if that prejudices your ears then listen again. Hear that bassline afresh, does not get funkier than this.


Not on Spotify, so skip over to the 'tube for this number

Root Down and Get It- Jimmy Smith

Jimmy Smith was a gifted and highly respected jazz organist. In the early 70s he joined a funk rhythm section for a one-off concert album, this is the extraordinary title track. Famously sampled by the Beastie Boys for their song “Root Down”, their impeccable taste is once again vindicated. The bass tone is rich and sinewy, the guitar is wah-wah heaven (instantly dating the song- not that this matters) and the organ, well, wait until 1:08... gracious me.

Get On the Good Foot- James Brown

Any list compiling funky things must include the Brown. The man exhaled funk, his speaking voice ran in measures of four. The selection here is lifted from a 1985 live album Live at Chastain Park which is an example of the deeply accomplished live show which remained a fixture of his life right up to the year of his death. The original is almost half the speed of this truly frenetic live cut, resultant of this Brown is almost completely unintelligible, not that this matters: he is another instrument gutturally shouting and directing traffic at the helm of a groovy ship, in a funk storm.

1 thing- Amerie

Just to bring us up to date somewhat. One of the most praised r’n’b singles in recent memory, “1 Thing” is built on a bronzed 70s groove dominated by commanding drum fills and slick silver chords: Amerie mind melds with this atavistic set up superbly, like an old soul diva.

Booty Klap- Yo Majesty

It’s all about the riotous Basement Jaxx production on this one. And fair play to the Yo Majesty girls who accede to the will of Jaxx here, riding the riot with maximum cool.

The Food- Common Feat. Kanye West

From Common’s eminent Be album, 'The Food' is unbelievably chunky, featuring a near-orgasmic pink crush piano hook, salvaged from an old Sam Cooke record. And, unusually for a genre with a poor live reputation, the Chappelle’s Show performance adds an excitable, fizzing atmosphere.

The Cocktail Party- Marc Ribot

Perhaps best known as the guy shredding his veins on Tom Waits albums dating back to 1985’s Rain Dogs, avant-punk Marc Ribot is not considered a funk artist by any stretch. Nevertheless his wonky guitar playing evinces a sour, dissonant grooviness which I find addictive. Check the trumpeting elephantine brass and popping slap bass on this choice cut.

Do the Funky Chicken- Rufus Thomas

Excepting perhaps metal, funk is the genre of kitsch. And, opening a song called “Do the funky chicken” by impersonating said chicken is the height of sillyness, yet also cool. The brass hook on this choice features a deadly bass saxophone: kickin’.

Thou Shalt Always Kill- De La Edit

I’ve long thought this cult hit had an exquisitely juicy beat, full of pace and pleasing electric squiggles. It’s co-option by De La Soul for a version which exceeds the original in terms of humour and flowing interplay more than warrants inclusion.

Gronlandic Edit- Of Montreal

This is tremendously sophisticated stuff, vocal lines paying no heed to conventions. It’s funk lies in the circular bass hook and the wacky-stacked harmonies and falsetto of band leader Kevin Barnes. Worth it for the line “physics makes us all its’ bitches”.

It’s Gonna Be A Beautiful Night- Prince

From one weirdo with a crystal falsetto to, well, it’s Prince. Like Brown before him, Mr Rogers-Nelson has a glut, a whole glut, of terribly fabulous funk tunes in his catalogue, usually tinged with, or bludgeoned by, his distinctive weirdness, my selection here is no exception. It opens with a backing-vocal quote of the Wizard of Oz (remember “oh-we-oh, we-ohh-oh”?) and ends on the shout “Confusion!” before imploding in a glorious cataclysm and filling the intervening eight minutes with at least a thousand funky oddities.

Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’- Michael Jackson

Well, after the nine minutes of Prince, Jackson’s six minute stomper seems the height of tight-focused restraint. In fact for a six minute pop song it is remarkably so. The Thriller opener would be a hulking great quality outlier on any other album. Michael rarely seemed so off the hook as he does here, both vocally and lyrically- “you’re a vegetable” etc.

Church- Outkast

Fusing gospel and P-funk to a staccato groove based around a trebly, spring-loaded clavichord, Outkast’s 'Church' is a thing to behold. Big Boi handles the rhyming, Andre applies his talents to producing, infusing the whole thing with an unhinged élan.


GO PLAY- RICH'S FUNKY PEOPLE/ CHUNKY CUTS PLAYLIST



1: George Clinton- Atomic Dog
2: Battles- Atlas
3: Patrick Rushen- Forget Me Not's
4: Jimmy Smith- Root Down and Get It (Live)
5: Janes Brown- Get On The Good Foot
6: Amerie- 1 Thing
7:Yo Majesty- Booty Klap
8: The Food- Common feat: Kanye West
9: The Cocktail Party- Marc Ribot
10: Rufus Thomas- Do The Funky Chicken
11: De La Edit- Thou Shalt Always Kill
12: Of Montreal- Gronladic Edit
13: Prince- It's Gonna Be a Beautiful Night
14: Michael Jackson- Wanna Be Startin' Something
15: Outkast- Church
 

Posted In Gobify, Dec 17 2010. Words - Richard