Now that the summer solstice has come and gone and heat waves are sizzling across the nation, folks are blasting music at barbecues and picnics. Whether they’re celebrating Juneteenth, observing birthdays and anniversaries, or just plain partying, when people are dancing the musical soundscape is bound to get funky. The musical genre known as funk began in the late 1960s, and much of the music of that era has been sampled by present-day rockers, rappers, and soul bands.
Join me in celebrating funky music and funky bands. I hope this post gets you up and dancing! ”Black Music Sunday” is a weekly series highlighting all things Black music, with over 200 stories covering performers, genres, history, and more, each featuring its own vibrant soundtrack. I hope you’ll find some familiar tunes and perhaps an introduction to something new.
Portia K. Maultsby dove into the origins of funk for Carnegie Hall’s Timeline of African American Music . She cites this quote from Dr.
Rickey Vincent , the author of “ Funk: The Music, the People and the Rhythm of The One ,” which you can read here via the Internet Archives . “Funk is the means by which Black folks confirm identity through rhythm, dance, bodily fluids, and attitude,” Vincent said. “Funkiness in a person’s behavior or attitude can mean anything from an ego trip, to a protest, to escapism.
” Here’s Maultsby’s funk timeline : Funk music, labeled “happy music” by drummer Hamilton Bohannon, reunited Afric.
