No time for a full Friday Night Jazz — off to watch the fireworks if the rain holds off — but here’s a funk tune you should check out: James Brown (Part 1 & 2) Buckshot LeFonque : Music Evolution.
Buckshot LeFonque was a group Branford Marsalis formed in his post Sting days (1994 & 97). The goal was to meld classical jazz with rock, rap, R&B and hip-hop. Its really all over the place, with no defining sound.
Except this song. Its got a great groove, with a pure funk first half. Its hip-hop meets be-bop. It manages to meld in some rap in the second half, in a harmonic way that works, and pays an homage to JB at the same time.
You don’t need to buy the whole album — just find this song somewhere and buy it.
UPDATE: I found an embeddable version on imeem.com
Hey Branford, here’s an idea — do an entire funk album. You don’t have to channel James Brown on every track (2 or 3 would be fine). But a song with this powerful of a groove is calling out for more . . .
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Previously:
Soul Man
http://bigpicture.typepad.com/comments/2007/01/soul_man.html
James Brown, Godfather of Soul: RIP
http://bigpicture.typepad.com/comments/2006/12/james_brown_rip.html
Reflections on James Brown
http://bigpicture.typepad.com/writing/2006/12/reflections_on_.html
anybody here a fan of the dj premier remix of “music evolution?” (track 2)
Back on topic. Barry, time for me to do something for you. Check out Republc of Loose
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNBKaPcHFWM.
Hear the first bar of this funk, soul jazz masterpiece and be addicted
How can you not love that groove and lyrics like
“It must be so hard when you not makin’ money
I don’t know what you’re talkin’ about miss
Let me assure of this
I like moosik
Do you like moosik”
Great blog! Cheers from San Francisco.