Greta CavedonIl genere musicale funk nasce a metà degli anni sessanta negli Stati Uniti da musicisti afroamericani. L’intento era quello di creare uno stile musicale ritmato e ballabile che prendesse spunto dal soul, dal jazz e dal rhythm ‘n blues.
Strumenti musicali principi del funk sono il basso elettrico e la batteria che caratterizzano numerose Greatest Hits del genere.
Il termine “funk” (ed il suo aggettivo funky) nello slang degli afroamericani indica generalmente un cattivo odore, come l’odore sprigionato dal corpo in uno stato di eccitazione, quindi poteva significare “sexy”, “sporco”, “attraente” ma anche “autentico”, cioè originale e libero da inibizioni.
Ascoltando qualche pezzo funk, noterete anche voi il “groove”; ossia la ripetizione ciclica di una serie ritmica (riff ripetitivi) che contraddistingue i brani del genere.
Pioneri del genere: James Brown, Sly Stone, Joe Tex, Ohio Players, George Clinton, Bootsy Coolins, i gruppi Parliament e Funkadelic (che danno origine al P-Funk). Successivamente con artisti quali Earth, Wind & Fire, Kool & The Gang e Jackson Five, il funk si mescola con la disco music diventando musica di massa nota in tutto il mondo.
Ecco alcune hits che vi faranno apprezzare il funk.
1970
- Get Up Offa That Thing – James Brown
- Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine – James Brown
- Move On Up – Curtis Mayfield
- Groove Me – King Floyd
- Express Yourself – Charles Wright
1971
- Maggot Brain – Funkadelic
- Can You Get to That – Funkadelic
- Theme from “Shaft” – Isaac Hayes
- Clean Up Woman – Betty Wright
- Family Affair – Sly & The Family Stone
- Mr. Big Stuff – Jean Knight
- Lady Day and John Coltrane – Gil Scott-Heron
- Funky Nassau – The Beginning of The End
1972
- Superfly – Curtis Mayfield
- Across 110th Street – Bobby Womack
- I’ll Take You There – The Staple Singers
- Who Is He (And What Is He to You)? – Bill Withers
- Superstition – Stevie Wonder
- Papa Was a Rolling Stone – The Temptations
- Think – Lyn Collins
1973
- If You Want Me to Stay – Sly & The Family Stone
- Jungle Boogie – Kool & The Gang
- Higher Ground – Stevie Wonder
- Fencewalk – Mandrill
1974
- Fire – Ohio Players
- Do It (‘Till You’re Satisfied) – B.T. Express
- Hung Up On My Baby – Isaac Hayes
- Cissy Strut – The Meters
- Just Kissed My Baby – The Meters
- They Say I’m Different – Betty Davis
- People Get Up and Drive Only Your Funky Soul – James Brown
- Brothers On The Slide – Cymande
- Inspiration Information – Shuggie Otis
- Hollywood Swinging – Kool & The Gang
- Tell Me Something Good – Rufus & Chaka Khan
- Pick Up The Pieces – Average White Band
1975
- Love Rollercoaster – Ohio Players
- Low Rider – War
- Shining Star – Earth, Wind & Fire
- Shakey Ground – The Temptations
- The Jam – Graham Central Station
- Do It in Anyway You Wanna – People’s Choice
1976
- Give Up The Funk (Tear the Roof Off the Sucker) – Parliament
- P-Funk (Wants To Get Funked Up) – Parliament
- I’d Rather Be With You – Bootsy Coolins
- Movin’ – Brass Construction
- Dazz – Brick
- Get The Funk Out Ma Face – The Brothers Johnson
- Sir Duke – Stevie Wonder
- I Wish – Stevie Wonder
- Car Wash – Rose Royce
- Play That Funky Music – Wild Cherry
- I Believe In Miracles – Jackson Sisters
- Doin’ It – Herbie Hancock
- Too Hot to Stop – The Bar-Kays
- Boogie Nights – Heatwave
- The Rubberband Man – The Spinners
- You + Me = Love – The Undisputed Truth
1977
- Brick House – The Commodores
- Ffun – Con Funk Shun
- Got To Give It Up – Marvin Gaye
- Strawberry Letter – The Brothers Johnson (vers. originale Shuggie Otis)
- Funk Funk – Cameo
- Till You Take My Love – Harvey Mason
- Galaxy – War
1978
- Got To Be Real – Cheryl Lynn
- Blame It On The Boogie – The Jackson
- The Groove Line – Heatwave
- I Got My Mind Made Up (You Can Get it Girl) – Instant Funk
- Can’t Nobody Love Me Like You Do – General Johnson
- Say a Prayer for Two – Crown Heights Affair
- Watchin’ Out – Split Decision Band
- Boogie Oogie Oogie – A Taste of Honey
1979
- Just a Touch of Love – Slave
- You and I – Delegation
- Put A Little Love on Me – Delegation
- And The Beat Goes On – The Whispers
- Don’t Stop ‘Till You Get Enough – Michael Jackson
- Workin’ Day and Night – Michael Jackson
- September – Earth, Wind & Fire
- Do You Love What You Feel – Rufus & Chaka Khan
- Make Me Feel – Ohio Players
- Firecracker – Mass Production
- You Can Win – Bileo
- Don’t Do That! – The Jimmy Castor Bunch
1980
- Does It Feel Good – B.T. Express
- Watching You – Slave
- Stomp! – The Brothers Johnson
- A Lover’s Holiday – Change
- Give Me The Night – George Benson
- Yearin’ Burnin’ – Pleasure
- We Supply – Stanley Clarke
- Funkin’ for Jamaica – Tom Browne
- Fantastic Voyage – Lakeside
- Everday Man – Lakeside
- I’m Coming Out – Diana Ross
1981
- Super Freak – Rick James
- Give It To Me Baby – Rick James
- She’s a Bad Mama Jama (She’s Built, She’s Stacked) – Carl Carlton
- Me No Pop I – Coati Mundi
- If You Think You’re Lonely Now – Bobby Womack
- Let’s Groove – Earth, Wind & Fire
- Fire – Chaka Khan
- Pull Up To The Bumper – Grace Jones
- Controversy – Prince
- Call Me – Skyy
- Double Dutch Bus – Frankie Smith
1982
- Atomic Dog – George Clinton
- Can You See the Light – Brass Construction
- Outstanding – The Gap Band
- You Dropped a Bomb on Me – The Gap Band
- Knock Me Out – Gary’s Gang
- Act Like You Know – Fat Larry’s Band
- Music and Lights – Imagination
- Shine On – George Duke
- Soup For One – Chic
- I Work for A Livin’ – Fonzi Thornton
- Keep The Fire Burning – Gwen McCrae
- There It Is – Shalamar
- Girl Watching – T-Connection
- A Little Love – Aurra
- Dance Floor – Zapp
- Let It Whip – Dazz Band
- Keep It Up – B.T. Express
- Love Explosion – Donnell Pitman
1983
- I Found Lovin’ – Fatback Band
- Juicy Fruit – Mtume
- Can’t Keep My Love – Freeez
- Reach Out – George Duke
1984
- Change of Heart – Change
- When Doves Cry – Prince
1985
- Computer Love – Zapp
1986
- Big Fun – The Gap Band
- Word Up! – Cameo
- Midas Touch – Midnight Star
1988
- Every Little Step – Bobby Brown
In copertina: Bootsy Coolins.
