Monday, June 20, 2011

Genre Bid: Lounge Funk (Blaxploitation Meets The Umbrella Drink)

In my never ending quest to name a genre, I'll now try my hand at getting some support for Lounge Funk.  To be a Lounge Funk tune, I posit that the proposed track should be funky enough to dance to and/or swanky enough to drink an umbrella drink to, while listening. Lemme know if you think this is a coinable genre or if you have other suggestions. My initial Lounge Funk mixtape focused on swingin' psych and mellower, mostly instrumental funk and you'll see my notations and the mix below. Further down you'll see my proposed Kings of The Genre, Gregory James Edition, who fit nicely into this equation- David Axelrod : Whitesploitation :: Gregory James Edition :Lounge Funk, or this one, Cymande: Afro-Rock :: Gregory James Edition :Lounge Funk. Shaken or Stirred, I'd like to know if you think this dozen is genre worthy.

1. James Reese & The Progressions - Jody's Freeze
Nearing the definition of Lounge Funk: Brassy,classy, and sassy. From the brilliant, but not excessively loungey, Funky 16 Corners comp.

2. Bill Lawrence - Pussy Baby
Adding a touch of psych to your cocktail, with a salacious tune from the In-Kraut scene.

3. Henryk Debich - See You At The Disco Tonight
Flute fueled fuzz funk w/strings from Poland. 

4. Richard Rome - Ghost A Go Go 
A harp is mangled most funkily.

5. Peter King - Mr. Lonely Wolf 
His name might be more reminiscent of an accountant from Sheboygan, or a certain xenophobic congressman from Long Island, but flutes, percussions, and horns drive this mellow funker from the usually raucous Nigerian band leader.

6.The Brothers Johnson - Thunder Thumbs and Lightnin Licks
 With Quincy Jones at the boards smooth and funky is no contradiction.

7. Mystic Moods - Cosmic Sea
 The EL-Lay Studio elite keep it EZ, but with a beat.

8. Phil Upchurch - Cold Sweat
The incredible Chicago session guitarist, associated with the Chess label and others, tears up the JB classic.

9. Gregory James Edition - Changing Things
The leading lights of my genre bid...
 
10. Herbie Hancock  - Fat Mama
A groover from his 70's years at the WB. From the Fat Albert Rotunda LP. 

11. Monk Montgomery -A Place In The Sun
A Motown instrumental from '69 released on Hugh Masekela's Chisa label (they had a deal with Mr.Gordy). Monk played bass for the Crusaders and he is featured to fine effect throughout w/some 'lectric piano and strings.

12. Bobbie Gentry-Sittin' Pretty
Trust me, it works. I was surprised as you might be, but this falls into a Lee Hazelwood stoner-country bag, w/ flutes, strings, and Bobbie's pipes gettin' it done.

If you've made it this far and feel like Lounge Funk is for you, take a gander at this disc...

Thanks to the music loving folks over at Four Brothers Weekly Blog (though it seems to be on hiatus these days) , I got schooled in a back to the future way this week. I had never heard of The Gregory James Edition and their 1973 instrumental album, Prophets of Soul, they hipped me, and it is a knockout.

This Chicago band (Gregory Bibb on keys, James Norris on guitar, Anthony McAllister on drums) cut the album for Dakar Records (a division of Brunswick) and it pretty much went no where at the time. Shuggie Otis' Inspiration/Information is the only record of its era that I can even begin to compare it to, but take a listen and you might find it easier to see how their tunes would fit on a Stereolab, or even a Drum and Bass, record.

Go Get Prophets Of Soul

Prophets of Soul is a genuinely tweaked, original take on soul music, whose tunes (great use of farfisa organ and electric piano) could fit into a number of todays genre's and micro genres (lounge,funk,dn'b,soul,psych). Or perhaps it was the original Lounge Funk record.

The cover is suitable for framing too,no?

Follow that link above and make sure to say hi to Mogger Lafayette when you visit 4 Brothers. My kinda people over there..music junkies (with deep crates) who love to share and chew the fat about tunes.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Do you known about Library Music? That's what this reminds me of. The music that was playing whenever a TV show or movie had a scene in a bar. Library Music covers a broad range so I think you're still eligible to define this particular corner of it.

Try these sites for more:
http://librarymusicrarities.blogspot.com
http://fraykerbreaks.blogspot.com

Cody B said...

Good call there. Yeah, I have some library stuff. Thanks for the links I'll go get after those. There's a bit of a crossover between Lounge Funk and Whitesploitation. Perhaps it's back to the drawing board.

Cody B said...
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Anonymous said...

Have you given up on blogging?

We're coming up to the six-month mark without a post. About the time where I usually drop sites off the sidebar of my blog. I like what you had going, but I understand how difficult it is to find time to feed the blog.

Cody B said...

You could pull me...I'd like to do it, but I'm just not feelin' like it lately. Thanks for the support.

Unknown said...

Lounge Funk....I like it!

Ford Bailey said...

Nice Cody ! I like the idea for the genre.

Have you listened to Charles Bradley and the Menahan St Band ? Not Lounge Funk, just Funk and R & B but good.

Cody B said...

Love charles and the MSB...good calls on those. Stop by the Funk and Soul Cave sometime...you may hear those folks and many others

http://turntable.fm/funk_and_soul_cave

frankai said...

funky library jazzploitation ?

right now nice & groovy for me ,(while taking a bath ,a shave and preparing myself to go out dancing.)

parenting skills said...
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Maddie said...
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