Curated by James Brown’s MD, renowned saxophonist Pee Wee Ellis and singer China Moses, FUNK: A Music Revolution celebrates funk’s influence from its early days to latest sounds.
“From 1967 when Mr. Brown and I wrote "Cold Sweat" until today, Funk has been woven into the DNA of popular music. We want to tell that story.” - Pee Wee Ellis
Originating in the mid ‘60s, funk was a natural permutation of the exhilarating jazz and soul scenes that had flourished over the previous decades. It drew on soul, jazz and R & B, but added bold syncopations and prominent bass lines that were to send the dance floors wild. In James Brown these tantalising musical developments found their perfect manifestation, and with his unique voice, charisma and unapologetic racial pride Brown signified a pivotal point in music. The mantel was taken up by the inimitable George Clinton whose doo wop band the Parliaments morphed into Parliament, adding gospel, rock n roll to the intoxicating mix and solidifying funk as a genre in itself. Through the ‘70s the movement continued via Stevie Wonder, Bill Withers, Le Chic, and many others, a soundtrack to the social evolution of black civil rights and a bridge between music and society. Whilst some – Prince amongst others – continued to progress the music, the earworms of the 70s also became the samples of the late 80s and 90s hip hop artists – think Eminem’s sample of Labi Siffre’s I Got The...
TOUR DATES 2020
29 Feb BRIGHTON
01 Mar LONDON
02 Mar COVENTRY
03 Mar NOTTINGHAM
04 Mar NEWCASTLE
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Image credit: China Moses
