70s Funk

[Ten Ninety]

Having managed to reach my fortieth year without ever really listening to or knowing anything about the whole 70s funk genre, I stumbled across 'Skin Tight' by The Ohio Players last week and instantly wished I'd spent more of my youth seeking out this kind of thing instead of the sttily obscure industrial nonsense that I obsessed over as a callow young metalhead.

I've tracked down a bit of Parliament, mainly because I knew vaguely of Bootsy Collins via Praxis, and I guess some early Stevie might fall into the funk category, but where else should I be looking for a bit of quality super-tight bass action, 70s-style? Recommendations and suggestions for a genuine ignoramus of this entire scene would be greatly appreciated.

[B Huey]

Any Curtis Mayfield album from before 1976.

Anything by Sly and the Family Stone.

Gil Scott Heron.

Isaac Hayes.

[Joyrider1]

'Renegades of Funk' album by Cymande is awesome.

Especially the song 'Dove': http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kzJ3aXSo48


A few other favourites of mine are:

Hercules - Aaron Neville http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3mz52S5ulk

Funkier Than A Mosquitos Tweeter - Nina Simone: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zwk7DWq_E3s

Make Me Believe In You - Patti Jo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TX87SBDDCFY

Save Their Souls - Hamilton Bohannon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwqUjkjxmLU

[DinkyToy-boy]

A different shade of 70's funk maybe.. my taste in the genre is on the rockier side of thangs I suppose, but give the two the once over..

'Rufusized' by Rufus (Chaka Khan)
and
'Awakening' by Narada Michael Walden (disco/rock with proper steamin' guitar solo's!)

[ad551]

Have a listen to the Craig Charles Funk and Soul show on iPlayer - the tracklistings are available online as well so when you here something you like, look it up. It's a great radio show. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0072ky7

[maniac0796]

Parliament and Funkadelic.

Very much the same band, but completely different sounds IMO

[NDA]

Cameo
Johnny Guitar Watson (try 'Aint That A bh)
KC & Sunshine Band? Maybe a bit too soft.
Roger Troutman and Zapp
Early Commodores
Grand Funk Railroad
Ohio Players
Leon Haywood
The Bar-Keys
Yarbrough and Peoples
Con Funk Shun

.....and many, many more!

[Miguel Alvarez]

This is the sort of stuff I grew up on. Adding a slight twist to it. You have the funk/jazz fusion side of things. Think...

Tom Browne
Bernard Wright
Stanley Clarke
Wilton Felder
Benny Golson
Grover Washington Jnr
Eumir Deodato

Back to regular funk.

Fred Wesley - From memory he played horn for James Brown.
Average White Band
The Meters
The Gap Band

I find alot of the above artists have a range of music that can cover soul, rnb, jazz and funk for example The Commodores. I personally wouldn't class them as a funk act but they've definitely got some funky tunes. Millie Jackson is another one. A soul singer but with some funky music.

[maniac0796]

Tower of Power can be pretty funky

[Ten Ninety]

Thank you all so much! Loads there to get my ears round... I've started working my way through your suggestions - currently loving Curtis Mayfield and Sly & the Family Stone, who obviously I had heard of, but never really heard. Sheesh, I may even have to buy some of this stuff, it's that good!
Cheers all

[Funk]

I think my username says it all.

Welcome to the funk fold!

[madbadger]

Jackie Dee - Love You Wholeheartedly: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33OEGOs6S68

GENE ANDERSON - THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMkrdY-yN_s

Letta Mbulu - What's Wrong With Groovin' : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YOoG5cvBq8

So much Funk out there! The Funk will enrich your life!

[MrV]

Few more to give a try

Kleeer

Slave

Fatback band

Womack and Womack

The Jones girls
Surface

Unlimited touch

Will add more later when I get the time

[Zad]

I guess you would call this synth funk: Johnny Harris - Odyssey (Pt.2) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nobprV5tr-g


My repertoire doesn't have a lot of funk in it, but I love some of Deodato's stuff. His version of Rhapsody in Blue http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVUlGj1J0L4

If that was never used in a 1970s New York blaxploitation movie then it should have been!

Also Sprach Zarathustra: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5Rn7S2zLWE
Super Strut: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caionMVy-Mw

[Miguel Alvarez]

MrV said:

Few more to give a try

Kleeer

Slave

Fatback band

Womack and Womack

The Jones girls
Surface

Unlimited touch

Will add more later when I get the time

The exact sort of stuff I listen to when I'm chilling at home.

[dudleybloke]

incredible bongo band.

[CraigVmax]

deodato track keep on movin is great

[Hoover.]

some of my favs, along with the sound track to SuperFly by Curtis Mayfield

Well Red http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5SQwrSJ3Ns

General Caine http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJ4Ig601qf8

Xavier http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4MC-izHi5w

Slave http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQ_v6eIdkA4

Fred Wesley and the Horny Horns http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p439jEufNo8&fea...


George Clinton http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97bNKW5i0rE

[Miguel Alvarez]

Hoover. said:

some of my favs, along with the sound track to SuperFly by Curtis Mayfield

Well Red http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5SQwrSJ3Ns

General Caine http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJ4Ig601qf8

Xavier http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4MC-izHi5w

Slave http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQ_v6eIdkA4

Fred Wesley and the Horny Horns http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p439jEufNo8&fea...


George Clinton http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97bNKW5i0rE

I never knew who the General Caine track was by. One of those things I've heard for years. Got to love the Fred Wesley tune as well. I remember my dad playing me that song as I used to rinse this song to death when I was younger.

Gangstarr Step in the Arena

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNj-m_s0ngA

[NDA]

Just listening to this... I used to love it.

Frankie Smith

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fK9hK82r-AM