Funk - Patriks soul/funk special

Start Funk

Funk is a part of the soultree with the difference that it is more rebellion and hard. In 1967 the "godfather of funk" James Brown released Cold sweat that has to be considered as the starting point for the musicstyle.

Funk has got strong influences from the rhythmic and complex traditional African music in which the instruments played their own rhythm and like pieces in a puzzle was connected to a lovely and bumpy groove.

The funk has later on changed and developed in different directions. Sometimes is hard to recognize the difference between what's soul and what's funk due to fact that the two have been taking influence from the other. Mostly it is these invisible lines between them that have been creating the best tracks in my opinion. Group like Aurra, Bar-kays, Cameo, Mantra, Fatback, Starpoint, Ozone, Con Funk Shun, Kwick and many more did great albums during the late 70:s and early 80:s

I listen mostly to albums from the 80:s in favor of the ones from the 70:s simply because the are better. On the other hand the ones from the 70:s often got a more genuine and groovy sound than the later recordings, for example "Get the funk out ma´face" with Brothers Johnson from -76. The songwriters choice of lyrics wasn't always that deep and reflecting, but there is some example of that as well like Fatback's "Is this the future" from -83 which is a song about peace, justice and hope. Although the lyrics are not that good all the time the music it self really fulfill its mission.

One reach the best result mixing soul and funk together, then the final result can be incredible 12" maxi like "I am somebody with Glenn Jones" (83), "Love you madly", with Candela (82), "You can doit´ with Voughan Mason (83), "Free and easy" with Plush (82; that originally was released by Rene & Angela 1980. This version is though slower and better), "Put our heads together with O´yays (83), "Keep it comin", with Jones girls (84) and I'm in love" with Melba Moore (81) just to mention a few. And to mention a few even more funkier tracks like, "We can make it" with Starbound (82), "All the way you move" with Klaps (82), "I wanna love you" with Morgan, "Let's do it" with Kadenza (82), "I've been robbed" with Three million (83), "I'm out to catch" with Leon Haywood (83), "Action" with Mantra (81) (see picture above) and many many more.