funk – Page 5

Level 42 | The Sleepwalkers

“When (Mark) King formed Level 42 … they were jazz-funk aficionados, deep into Miles Davis, John McLaughlin and Keith Jarrett,” (ClassicPopMag.com). “While this was sonic worlds away from the pop terrain that became their regular stomping ground in the 80s, (bassist) King had been a fan of music of all kinds at eight years old – and his first vinyl purchase was a Cream album … ‘I was only really trying to do what I’d been hearing coming across from America… I’d been listening to Stanley Clarke and Larry Graham … The idiom they were thumping the music in wasn’t as broad a spectrum as pop, so I’d somehow managed to leap the fence with that, and we were straight out into the pop mainstream. It happened to coincide with our first European tour, when we opened for The Police.'”

AllMusic sums up the band’s progression from its inception to its biggest hit-making days: “At the beginning of their career, Level 42 was squarely a jazz-funk fusion band … By the end of the ’80s, however, the band — whose music was instantly recognizable from Mark King’s thumb-slap bass technique and associate member Wally Badarou’s synthesizer flourishes — had crossed over to the point where they were often classified as sophisti-pop and dance-rock, equally likely to be placed in the context of Sade and the Style Council as was any group that made polished, upbeat, danceable pop/rock.”

1987’s “The Sleepwalkers” was a track from Running in the Family, which became a top ten album for the year in Canada, Germany, Switzerland, Australia, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, and New Zealand — with a #2 berth in the UK, as well, although the release only hit #23 in the US. Like so much of the band’s output, the tune is a multi-layered machine, built around a percolating bass line, an up-the-neck funk guitar, several strata of synth sheen, and clock-like drums. After starting in Ab major, the tune makes an unlikely tritone leap to D minor with a syncopated kick of backing vocals at 1:00 for the chorus. At 1:23, we revert to the original key; the pattern is maintained throughout.

David Sanborn | Snakes

Alto saxophonist David Sanborn’s 1992 album Upfront featured a jaw-dropping who’s-who list of some of the best players at that time: Marcus Miller (production, keyboards, lead guitar, bass guitar, bass clarinet), Steve Jordan (drums), Hiram Bullock (guitar), Naná Vasconcelos (percussion), Randy Brecker (trumpet), Ricky Peterson (organ), and many more.

Sanborn’s “R&B crossover” sound, as AllMusic calls it, is clearly in evidence here on the album’s opening track “Snakes.” After a start in G minor, a straight-ahead funk feel drives an extended section built around the tonic; from 1:10-1:27, the bass continues the a pedal point tonic while a procession of compound chords tug at our ears underneath Sanborn’s climbing sax line as it leans into every curve. The pattern continues until 3:24-3:41, where a shift to Eb minor, built around a more Latin-infused feel, makes a vivid appearance. The Eb minor section returns at 3:24-3:40 and again at 4:30, this time to stay.

Roy Lee Johnson and the Villagers | The Dryer

“Despite 40 years in the music business, details about Roy Lee’s life are rather scarce,” (Sir Shambling’s Deep Soul Heaven). Born in 1938, “reportedly in Heard County, Georgia” (current county-wide population: just over 11K), he worked with groups such as the Brassetts, the Ohio Untouchables, and Piano Red, “for whom he wrote and sang ‘Mr. Moonlight’ … Since the Beatles covered Johnson’s song, it’s an easy assumption that this number has brought him the biggest pay checks he’s ever received … Johnson has been an intriguing figure on the southern soul scene for decades, always on the road gigging, and this cult soulman’s records are never less than interesting.”

Of “The Dryer” (1973), contributor JB adds: “While the arrangement of this tune makes it sound like a bog-standard James Brown song, it has a far higher MPM (mods per measure) quotient than any James Brown song I’m aware of.”

After a start in G minor, 0:42 brings a shift to E minor; a jump back to G minor lands at 1:07, another step back to E (this time major) at 1:42. Thereafter, cascading half-step modulations follow in rapid succession: by the time we complete this tune of barely two minutes, we’ve cycled all the way up to A major.

Jonah Nilsson | Diamond Ring

Jonah Nilsson’s management agency, AGI, provides this bio of the Swedish vocalist/keyboardist: Jonah’s “life changed overnight after he and a couple of long-time friends (Dirty Loops) uploaded their own covers of huge pop hits, like Lady Gaga’s ‘Just Dance’ and Justin Bieber’s ‘Baby,’ to YouTube.

The unique funk-pop covers spread like wildfire in the music community, garnered them millions of views, and got them the attention of many acclaimed artists, namely 16x Grammy Award winning producer David Foster … (he) has acquired a significant fan base of high-profile musicians, including music impresario Quincy Jones: ‘He’s different though, he’s got the perfect balance of right brain creativity and left brain music theory. It’s in his blood,’ says Jones. ‘He’s got soul, with one of the biggest ranges I’ve ever heard.’”

Nilsson’s “Diamond Ring” (2021), featuring the legendary Steve Vai playing “Stunt Guitar,” finds Nilsson out from behind the keyboards, thoroughly embracing the role of frontman. After starting in C# minor with a full funk groove, 2:19 brings a quiet interlude in D# major; at 2:43, we’ve climbed to E major. At 3:00, another transtion: the sole accompaniment is the band clapping en masse on beats 2 and 4, along with some beatboxing(?). The cherry on top is Vai’s appearing via green screen for a culminating solo in A Dorian minor as the tune’s volume — but never its intensity — fades.

Tower of Power | Get Yo’ Feet Back On the Ground

“A renowned horn-driven outfit, Tower of Power emerged in the late ’60s playing a dynamic blend of R&B, soul, funk, and AM pop,” according to AllMusic’s collective bio. “Along with the similarly inclined Chicago and Blood, Sweat & Tears, Tower of Power helped push the sound of brass-infused music into the rock era. Led by Detroit-born tenor saxophonist Emilio Castillo, the Oakland, California-based group scored hits like ‘You’re Still a Young Man’ and ‘What Is Hip?’ throughout the ’70s. They also became one of the most sought-after backing ensembles in pop, playing on recordings by Elton John, Santana, Bonnie Raitt, Aerosmith, Josh Groban, Huey Lewis, Little Feat, David Sanborn, Michelle Shocked, Paula Abdul, Aaron Neville, Aerosmith, Public Image Ltd., and many others.”

The band’s origins date back to 1967, Oakland, CA, and a different name, “The Motowns.” In an interview with American Highways, Castillo discussed his relationship to the funk sound that is the foundation of ToP: “Ever since I was a teenager, I have always liked to mess with the rhythm of the music. I used to make up these weird percolator kind of beats and dictate them to my brother, who was the drummer at the time, and make him learn them.” The same process applied to the bassist, guitarist, and keyboardist: “So it’s kind of like when it comes to music, I try to build a little building and make a fabric that breathes.”

From ToP’s self-titled third album (1973) comes “Get Yo’ Feet Back On the Ground.” This multi-tiered funk romp was not a single (unlike “What is Hip” and “So Very Hard to Go” from the same album), yet qualifies as far more than filler. A very late modulation shifts the key up a half-step at 4:26.

Scary Pockets | Man in the Mirror

Scary Pockets is a collaborative team consisting of Jack Conte and Ryan Lerman, in collaboration with the self-described “rotating roster of the best session musicians in the LA area.” Conte and Lerman are accomplished musicians in their own right, and as Scary Pockets, they put an irresistible, funky twist on everything from modern pop tunes to older classics. Their own knack for finding the groove merges with the talent and soul of a rotating musical team to produce tunes which, though cover arrangements, take on a life and energy of their own.

Today’s tune is Scary Pockets’ arrangement of Siedah Garrett and Glen Ballard’s “Man in the Mirror,” made famous by Michael Jackson in 1988. In addition to Conte and Lerman, this tune features the soulful vocals of Rozzi Crane, the inimitable style and talent of MonoNeon on the bass, and the transcendent drum rhythms of Tamir Barzilay. While the original tune certainly wasn’t lacking in the groove category, Conte and Lerman’s arrangement condenses Jackson’s orchestral style into a compact, pulsing funk which compels the listener to dance from beginning to end. The tune begins in G Major, and — similarly to Jackson’s rendition – modulates up a half step as the tune reaches its most climactic energy (at the 2:41 mark).

If this is your first introduction to the Pockets’ music, I recommend listening to this tune around noon, so that you allow yourself enough time. I arguably did not: I discovered it just after dinner time, and found myself still bopping to the Scary Pockets discography on Youtube at an hour that most decent people reserve for sleeping. Hope you enjoy, and embrace the groove.

Berklee Valencia Summit Sessions | Um Dia Mais

A group of students and faculty at Berklee College of Music’s campus in Valencia Spain collaborated on composing, arranging, recording, and engineering the track “Um Dia Mais” (One More Day).

According to the Youtube video posting, “‘Um Dia Mais’ is a song that combines experiential vignettes from different perspectives on the meaning of ‘a new morning.’ It is a song about hope, opportunity to start over, appreciating your surroundings, and seizing your day. The song was composed, recorded, and mixed during a three-day workshop, Summit Sessions: Ready, Set, Record!, which included a songwriting session led by Berklee faculty Viktorija Pilatovic; a production session led by artist, producer, and composer Magda Giannikou; and a recording session led by Giannikou and engineered by recording and mix engineer/audio technician Pablo Schuller.“

Featuring a 4/4 feel rooted in jazz fusion and infused with Brazilian flourishes, the tune begins in C minor but shifts to E minor for the chorus (1:00) before returning to C minor for the second verse (1:19). 1:56 brings a second chorus in E minor, continuing the pattern. An extended bridge begins at 2:34, initially in E minor but shifting to Bb minor at 2:53. At 3:11, we’ve returned to the E minor chorus, but at 3:30, we dive into an outro: a new 5/8 time signature serves as a compelling backdrop for a brief but wide-ranging keyboard solo; the vocal line, centered largely around one note, hovers and darts like a hummingbird.

Earth, Wind + Fire | You

“Earth, Wind & Fire were one of the most musically accomplished, critically acclaimed, and commercially popular funk bands of the ’70s,” proclaims AllMusic. “…EWF’s all-encompassing musical vision used funk as its foundation, but also incorporated jazz, smooth soul, gospel, pop, rock & roll, psychedelia, blues, folk, African music, and, later on, disco … More than just versatility for its own sake, EWF’s eclecticism was part of a broader concept informed by a cosmic, mystical spirituality and an uplifting positivity the likes of which hadn’t been seen since the early days of Sly & the Family Stone … at their best, Earth, Wind & Fire seemingly took all that came before them and wrapped it up into one dizzying, spectacular package.”

After several chart-topping albums in the late 70s, in particular the late-70s smashes All ‘n All (triple platinum) and I Am (double platinum), the band released Faces in 1980. “You,” Faces’ fourth single, reached #10 on the Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart and #30 on the Adult Contemporary Songs chart. Like “After the Love Has Gone,” EWF’s quintessential power ballad, “You” was co-written by David Foster.

After starting in G major, 1:13 brings the chorus in E minor; halfway through the chorus (1:27), the tonality folds in on itself and we’ve landed in G# minor. At 1:45, verse two starts, but we’re now elevated up a whole step (A major) relative to the first verse — likely unnoticed due to the overall harmonic sleight of hand! A 2:40, the chorus arrives again, this time to stay: it morphs into an extended outro. The outro centers around three two-chord pairs (F# minor/B minor; A# minor/D# minor; and D minor/G minor), all compellingly connected by half-steps. The three sets, repeating and fading to the end, essentially form a gigantic hemiola effect over the 4/4 time. Many thanks to our faithful mod sender-inner JB for this tune!

KNOWER feat. WDR Big Band | Gotta Be Another Way

KNOWER, an enigmatic American duo with a sound somewhere between funk, pop, and electronica, is long on action and a bit short in the written bio department. Instead, its online presence features short posts of a few sentences, plenty of videos, and download links. Multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, and songwriter Louis Cole and vocalist and songwriter Genevieve Artadi met while studying jazz in Los Angeles. When they’re not collaborating, they often feature each other on solo projects. The duo has collaborated with Youtube titans Pomplamoose, performed with jazz/rock drummer Nate Wood and jazz/funk standard bearers Snarky Puppy, and opened for the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Knower was presented by legendary producer Quincy Jones as part of a LA-based concert series, whose program attempted to pin down the band’s sound as “an indescribable mix of virtuosic musicianship and pop sensibilities.”

“Gotta Be Another Way,” originally released by Knower in 2011, was arranged for big band for this 2019 performance with the WDR Big Band, whose story AllMusic summarizes: “A top European jazz group, Germany’s WDR Big Band is a sophisticated ensemble, featuring an evolving line-up of some of the country’s best musicians. A function of the German public broadcasting institution Westdeutscher Rundfunk Köln based in Cologne, the WDR Big Band are musical ambassadors charged with promoting jazz and culture at home and around the world … featuring such guest artists as Ron Carter, Paquito D’Rivera, Arturo Sandoval, and others.”

The tune’s original version blossoms out into a lushly orchestrated big band collaboration. But despite the added textures from the expanded orchestration, the frenetic groove remains at the center of both renditions. Starting in B minor underneath Artadi’s opening rap, there’s a change of key mid-phrase between 0:55 and 0:57 as Artadi begins the sung melody. After that, it’s more or less a question of returning to the B minor section or just holding onto your hat for the rest.

Brett Domino Trio | The Pub

The Brett Domino Trio is a British comedy music duo consisting of Rob J. Madin and Steven Peavis. Madin (a comedian with many alter-egos, including the eponymous Brett Domino) and Peavis create their unique style by blending meme humor and awkward comedy with driving pop, disco, and funk beats. From the name of the band (which has no third member) to small Easter eggs interspersed in many of their music videos, Madin and Peavis keep their music light-hearted.

However, the theory and rhythm is often more complex than one would expect from songs which nit-pick marathon runners for being too healthy, or are written entirely with snippets from fly-fishing magazines … to pick just two of the many wonderfully quirky songs produced by the Trio. Madin is a talented musician and writer, proficient in several instruments. These skills ensure that the band’s tunes – whose accompanying videos regularly feature the Trio awkwardly dancing – somehow still achieve maximum groove. The Brett Domino Trio have a loving online community which has co-created two entirely virtual collaborative tunes with the band: the fans submitted recordings of themselves playing their instruments, which Madin and Peavis then edited into a cohesive song.

The Trio’s most recent release, “The Pub,” feels like an introvert’s view of post-pandemic socialization. Over a solid funk/disco groove, Madin excitedly anticipates the prospect of sitting in a pub, with or without friends. The song begins in G major, then modulates to C major at the end of the bridge at the 2:06 mark. Hope you enjoy!