American Roots Music

 

Hello everyone!

    I hope things are going well, and you are able to relax this weekend. The past week we have learned about The Blues, and Jazz music. What really attracted me to The Blues was the sound of the music, the sliding between pitches, and the 12 Bar Blues. I have never really been a fan of Jazz music, but learning about how it started, and the instruments used within it, made me realize how beautiful it was. What really surprised me is that other genres of music were formed from the blues, and that the blues was an experimental stage of music. It absolutely amazes me that so many different types of music were formed from the start of Jazz. Below, in my blog, I talk about Funk music, and how it started as well as the different types of artists and instruments that initially form Funk. Before I dive deep into it, I want to say that I had no educational background about funk music, and that this is why I decided to talk about this genre. I wanted to learn about something different, while in the process of teaching what I have learned. My blog might be a bit all over the place, so stick with me while I do my best. I hope that y’all enjoy the music videos I have provided below and the pictures that show the style used in funk. Let’s do this!! :)

    First I want to start with where it all started. Funk music was first developed in the 1960’s by African American singers and musicians during the time of the Civil Rights Movement. It is dance music that has a mixture of the blues and soul music that puts the emphasis on the rhythm of music (Funk). One of the first artists, James Brown, was a progenitor of funk and a big role model of the 20th century. He was considered the Godfather of Soul music and played a major role in the making of funk. His song,  “Papa’s got a brand new bag” brought the emergence of this genre. Brown was a musician that focused solely on bold, syncopated rhythm. Even though rhythm was the main part of African American genres, Brown’s use was different. It was sharp, disproportionately heavy, and accentuated by his style as well as his performance style (History of Funk). After Brown’s music became popular among the community, other musical bands and musicians started to copy his rhythm and his musical style to create more enjoyable songs. Below are some of James Brown's songs, please enjoy!

    Later along down the road, in the 1980’s, Funk music took a turn and musicians started using electronic instruments. During this time, two different types of funk emerged from the use of electrical instruments, “funk rock” and “funk metal.” Some of the artists and bands that performed funk rock and funk metal include, but are not limited to; Rick James, Queen, Prince, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Jane’s Addiction. The instruments involved within Funk are the electric guitar, drums, keyboard and electronic organs (History of Funk). Horns are also included within Funk bands, such as the saxophone, trumpet, and trombone. Often in other genres during the 1960’s and thereafter, chord progressions were reliant on guitar, piano and vocals, but in funk, the bass players became a prominent part of funk. The bass players used a slap-style of playing, slapping the thumb on the low strings and popping the high notes with the fingers. While the bass players slapped, the guitarists would use strums/ chords from jazz music with a more intricate sound (A Beginners Guide to Funk). Funk typically consists of a complex groove that creates a “hypnotic” and “danceable” feel. The rests between the notes are just as important as the notes being played, and is rhythmically based on a two-celled onbeat/offbeat structure. The harmony within funk uses extended chords found in bebop jazz, but unlike bebop jazz, it uses rapid chord changes, creating static chord vamps. The chords typically used in funk imply Dorian and Mixolydian mode, instead of major or minor chords typically used in popular music.The dorian mode is equivalent to a natural minor scale but with a major sixth and the mixolydian mode is the fifth mode on the major scale, it has a medieval sound to it. Below are some videos of the bands and some pictures of the artists. 

                                                                (Red Hot Chili Peppers)

                                                                            (Queen)

                                                                            (Rick James)

                                                                                (Prince)

    The last thing I want to touch base on is the type of clothing worn. There is not much to say on the topic, so this will not be as long as the other paragraphs. One of many ways that funk music stood out more than other types of music, was the style used to express the artists. Platform shoes, bell bottoms, bright colors, and psychedelic patterns were commonly worn among the artists and bands (Nothing But the Funk). The clothing is just as important as the music because both allude to the individuality and the community of funk. I found that the clothing was very unique and interesting because you can tell that it definitely plays a big part in the influence of funk. I attached some pictures below so that you could see what I am talking about. 

    Thank you for coming to my blog and reading. I know that it was a lot of information to take in, and to process. There is only so much that I can say before things start to mesh together, and y’all become confused. If y’all have any questions about the genre, do not hesitate to ask. I am more than happy to explain more into the topic, and maybe help you understand a bit better. 

 

“Funk.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 21 June 2020, simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Funk.

"History of Funk Music." Study.com, 21 July 2016, study.com/academy/lesson/history-of-funk-music.html

17 Oct, 2020, and 2020 16 Oct. “A Beginners' Guide to Funk Music - How It Was Different to Other Genres at the Time.” Young Post, 2018, www.scmp.com/yp/discover/entertainment/music/article/3072624/beginners-guide-funk-music-how-it-was-different. 

“Funk.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 8 Oct. 2020, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Funk. 

“Nothing But the Funk.” Funk Music - Invisible History, 2018, invisiblehistory.ops.org/StudentProjects/2018StudentProjects/FunkMusic/tabid/326/Default.aspx.