Funk+Music

Funk Music

Funk is an American musical style that originated in the mid to late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, soul jazz, and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk is "a style of aggressive urban dance music driven by hard syncopated bass lines and drumbeats and accented by any number of instruments involved in rhythmic counterplay, all working toward a 'groove.'"

Like much of African-inspired music, funk typically consists of a complex groove with rhythm instruments such as electric guitar, electric bass, Hammond organ, and drums. Funk bands also usually have a horn section of several saxophones, trumpets, and in some cases, a trombone.

Notable 1970s funk bands included Rufus feat. Chaka Khan, Earth, Wind & Fire, Eric Burdon & War, Tower of Power Average White Band, The Ohio Players, The Commodores, Kool & the Gang and Cameo, though many of these most famous bands in the genre also played disco and soul extensively. Funk music was a major influence on the development of 1970s disco music, and funk samples were present in most styles of house music and early hip hop music. It is also the main influence of go-go. Funk also has left its mark on new wave, and its traces are evident in post punk as well.

Popular Funk Songs:
 * Get Up (I Feel LIke Being a Sex Machine) - James Brown
 * Fire - Ohio Players
 * Shining Star - Earth, Wind & Fire

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