Posted by Will Benrubi on January 20 2016
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We offer a collection of tracks promoting and highlighting the timeless old school funk that made generations of musicians and listeners GET DOWN!! These tracks have inspired and shaped our favorite electro-soul and future-funk players into the artists they are today. Possessing rhythms and melodies that are synonymous with the All Good Records vision, we outline the progression of the genre with distinct tunes you recognize and some you just need to hear. Our selection is packed with so much funky heat they might give you third degree burns.
Groove #31: War - Low Rider [1975]
Right off of their killer album Why Can't We Be Friends?, 'Low Rider' is one of the funkiest party classics thats been moving feet for the past four decades. According to the All Music Guide review of the song, "The lyric takes the cool image of the low rider — the Chicano culture practice of hydraulically classic cars — and using innuendo, extends the image to a lifestyle".
Groove #30: Longbranch Pennywhistle - Bring Back Funky Women [1969]
We've already lost too many incredible musicians in 2016. Most recently, Glenn Frey of The Eagles passed away due to surgical complications and with that in mind, we went crate digging and found this funky pre-Eagles gem from his time with JD Souther as Longbranch Pennywhistle. Their time together eventually connected him with future bandmate Don Henley and the rest, as they say, is history.
Groove #29: David Bowie - Fame [1975]
The world lost a legend on January 10th of 2015 when David Bowie lost his battle with cancer. The Starman left behind one of the most acclaimed careers and artist could ever hope for, being hailed as an innovator with a laundry list of number one hits. 'Fame' is the result of a 1975 writing session with Paul McCartney in New York following an ugly breakup with his Mainman management team. His first number one single in the US, the iconic guitar riff provides the backbone for one of the most iconic vocal parts of its time.
Groove #28: Ohio Players - Fire [1974]
This iconic jam is a surefire bet to set the dance floor on FIIIIIREEEE. Beginning the track with the OG rap airhorn, this funky bass lick is recognizable anywhere and even proved to be the inspiration behind the worldwide excuse to pull your best/worst dance moves: Play That Funky Music White Boy.
Groove #27: The Clash - Rock the Casbah [1981]
The highest charting single from English punk band The Clash, this iconic 80's jam shot to the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 after being inspired by the ban on Western music in Iran after after the 1979 Islamic Revolution. "The King told the boogie-men 'you have to let that rāga drop.'" and drop this record does.
Groove #26: Brick - Dazz [1976]
Brick could very well be in the discussion for one of the OG electro funk artists when they coined their own term "dazz" to describe the disco-jazz music they made. Literally the fusion of a disco and a jazz band, Brick topped the US R&B Charts and took #2 on the overall singles chart 1976 with the aptly-named jam Dazz.
Groove #25: Cameo - It's Serious!! [1977]
With their eyes set on burning up the dance floor, the 13 piece funk band Cameo crushes it with this 8 minute long jam. You can be sure to thank bassist Aaron Williams for recording the bassline on the Outkast single 'Ms. Jackson' in more recent days.
Groove #24: Zapp - More Bounce To The Ounce [1975]
Let the title of the track say it all. This groove ended up becoming a pioneering track to the electro-funk sound by bringing the genre into the mainstream, and also had a major influence on hip-hop by contributing to the birth to the G-Funk sound.
Groove #23: Donna Summer - Love To Love You Baby [1975]
'Love To Love You Baby' is one of the many brainchild tracks of Donna Summer and the legendary electronic & disco producer Giorgio Moroder. Donna had met Giorgio while she lived in Germany and this track had become her first hit in the US, hitting platinum. Like many true grooves, this track spans over a groovy seventeen minutes.
Groove #22: Indeep - Last Night A DJ Saved My Life [1982]
Here is another track that has all the basic funky essentials, from the heavy drum break and bass line to the hot vocals and hard-hitting guitar riffs that make up an unforgettable groove. This groove hit the charts hard and turned Indeep into a one hit wonder.
Groove #21: James Brown - Papa's Got a Brand New Bag [1965]
This weeks groove has been selected by and is a personal favorite from GRiZ himself! James Brown explained that 'Papa's Got a Brand New Bag' was a track written about an old fellow who was brave enough to get on the dance floor at night club to bust a move because it was his 'new bag'. This groove features Jimmy Nolen on the rhythm guitar with his trademark 'chicken scratch' guitar sound, a horn-heavy backdrop, and of course the God Father of Soul preaching on the mic!
Groove #20: Kool & The Gang - 'Ladies Night' [1979]
Kool & The Gang delivers another funky groove that's dedicated to the ladies! The track packs great vocals, has that classic funky horn section, and contains quotes from the 1848 Seneca Falls Convention, the first women's rights conferance.
Groove #19: Stevie Wonder - 'Superstition' [1972]
As one Stevie's biggest grooves, 'Superstition' hit number one in the Billboard Top 100 in 72' and No. 74 on Rolling Stone Magazine's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. The track was a collaboration between Stevie and legendary guitarist, Jeff Beck, who would go on to release his own version after the initial release.
Groove #18: Roy Ayers - 'Running Away' [1977]
This weeks grooves comes from the 'Godfather of Neo Soul', Roy Ayers who was a true pioneer of fusion jazz/funk. 'Running Away' packs a heavy grooving bass line, backed with very tight drums, percussion, and soulful backing vocals. A Tribe Called Quest would later release their first hit single, 'Description of a Fool' in 1989, sampling Ayer's funky groove.
Groove #17: Queen - 'Another One Bites The Dust' [1980]
Another week another funky bassline; this week's groove comes from British rock band, Queen. Bernard Edwards, bass player and co-founder of CHIC, stated in an interview that John Deacon, Queen's bass player, was hanging with CHIC in the studio, and got inspired from tracks like 'Good Times' which led to the creation of 'Another One Bites The Dust'. The track exploded on the charts as a number one, and won Queen a Grammy.
Groove 16: Funkadelic – One Nation Under A Groove [1978]
Another P-Funk classic catered by George Clinton and the gang, ‘One Nation Under A Groove’ was one of Funkadelic’s first tracks that stepped more towards dance music, versus the more rock and roll sound they were utilizing on prior albums. Clinton later linked up with Ice Cube of N.W.A. in 1994 to create a G-Funk version of the track, check it out here.
Groove #15: David Bowie - Let's Dance [1983]
This week's groove is Bowie's fastest selling hit that was written and composed by funk legend Nile Rogers of CHIC, which also includes a guitar solo by guitar god, Stevie Ray Vaughn. With this combo of talent, how could it not be one of the biggest hits of its decade.
Groove #14: Bee Gees - Stayin' Alive [1977]
Composed of a trio of three British brothers Barry, Maurice, and Robin Gibb, the Bee Gees were easily one of the most iconic disco groups to hit the clubs and radio waves during the 60's and 70's. Stayin' Alive was one of the trio's signature tracks, hitting the #1 spot on Billboards Hot 100 in 79' while also being one of the staple tracks in the film Saturday Night Fever, starring the disco dancing John Travolta.
Groove #13: Bill Withers - Use Me [1972]
Recently inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Bill Withers was one of the greatest R&B singers of his time. 'Use Me' combines a very heavy groove with Wither's smooth voice and lyrics to make a very funky track that charted at #2 in the 1972 Billboard Hot 100.
Groove #12: Herbie Hancock – Chameleon [1973]
As a true pioneer of the groove, Herbie Hancock brought his album 'Head Hunters' to the world in 1973, delivering funky sounds that had barely been heard before. Chameleon is a true jazz standard with an iconic bass line that'll make the feet move.
Groove #11: Michael Jackson - Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough [1979]
This groove marks one of Michael's first collaborations with Quincey Jones, a partnership that would ensue a decade of unforgettable gold and platinum selling dance hits. "Don't Stop 'Till You Get Enough" would also end up being MJ's first track that incorporates his signature vocal tics - grunts, hiccups, 'ohs!' and more; a sound that defined him as the King of Pop.
Groove #10: Earth, Wind & Fire - 'Let's Groove' [1981]
With one of the most well known utilizations of the vocoder in a funk track, Earth, Wind & Fire hits it on the head with this funky, post-disco chart topper. It was produced by the group's eternal lead man Maurice White, who had a goal to make it a groove that could take you to a place of positivity and presence.
Groove #9: James Brown - 'Living in America' [1985]
This weeks groove is a track straight from the boss himself, James Brown. Easily one of the most patriotic funk tracks of all time, the 'God Father of Soul' preaches the gospel about the land of the free right over a 80's slap bass groove and a heavy hitting horn section. We all might not have proper speakers, but on the right sound system, this timeless American groove is a slapper.
Groove #8: Parliament - 'Give Up The Funk (Tear The Roof Off The Sucker)' [1975]
One of the many grooving jams of George Clinton and his gang of funky musicians, this groove was one of the biggest anthems of the P-Funk scene. Parliament's fusion of funk, rock, and soul music were often constructed in a way similar to jazz tracks, creating these amazing dance floor grooves that always got the party bumpin'.
Groove #7: The Whispers - 'And The Beat Goes On' [1979]
Here we have another post-disco killer with one of the funkiest bass lines and some of the grooviest vocals. This release was #1 on the charts in its day and continues to keep the ladies and gents moving.
Groove #6: Rick James - 'Give It To Me Baby' [1981]
Straight out of the one and only Motown Records, Rick 'Slick Rick' James opened up the eighties with this sex-driven dance floor groove that had arguably one of the most iconic horn riffs of its time. As a huge club hit back then, this track still makes people get down and is a product of the post-disco funk era that incorporated a lot of classic 80's synth sounds.
Groove #5: Chic - 'Le Freak' [1978]
Produced by the unmatchable funk duo of bass grooves, king Bernard Edwards and the funky guitar god Nile Rogers, 'Le Freak' presents us with one of the biggest funk/disco sounds of the century. You must have the mental capacity of a rock if this track doesn't make you move your feet. After all, it went four times platinum and was only the beginning of what would be a dynasty of killer tracks released by the very honorable Chic.
Groove #4: The Commodores - 'Brick House' [1977]
Combining Walter Orange's squeaking/growling voice on the lead, and Ronald LaPread's round-tone bassline, results in an absolute funk anthem for the ages! Drop this groove and watch the party erupt (assuming your friends get down like us of course).
Groove #3: Michael Jackson - 'P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)' ]1981]
This essential groove has that classic 80's synthesizer sounding bass line that maintains a very funky and hard hitting sound. 'Pretty Young Thing' has become a staple on dance floors world wide - elements of this groove have even found their way into Kanye West's hit 'The Good Life'.
Groove #2: Patrice Rushen - 'Forget Me Nots' [1982]
Fueled by a funky bass line, this groove has always been known to move people's feet. Add crossover jazz singer and songwriter Patrice Rushen's beautiful voice into the mix and you have yourself some killer dance floor tunes!
Groove #1: Kool & the Gang - 'Get Down On It' [1981]
To kick things off, we selected a track by the legendary Kool & the Gang with a title that fits our agenda perfectly. This track is straight fire. Hard-hitting guitar riffs paired with that signature Oberheim synth creates the ultimate groove, only topped by lead singer J.T. Taylor's smooth R&B vocals, making 'Get Down On It' one of the greatest dance tracks of all time!
Tags: Kool & The Gang, Funk 101, Patric Rushen, Michael Jackson, The Commodores, Chic, Rick James, The Whispers, Parliament, James Brown, Earth Wind and Fire
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