On February 9, 2022, Betty Mabry aka Betty Davis died aged 77. She was singer and songwriter, recorded with Hugh Masekela and Miles Davis (she was his second wife), and had a solo career, performing in soul and funk genre. As leader she released four albums.
Tag Archives: funk
Curtis Ousley
On August 13, 1971, Curtis Ousley (born Curtis Montgomery) aka King Curtis died aged 37. He was music director, record producer, and musician (soprano, alto and tenor saxophone, trumpet), worked in various music genres, rhythm, and blues, rock and roll, soul, blues, funk, and soul-jazz. He performed and recorded with numerous musicians and bands including Aretha Franklin, Nat Adderley, Wynton Kelly, ]Buddy Holly, Waylon Jennings, Andy Williams, The Coasters, LaVern Baker, Joe South, John Lennon, the Rimshots, Champion Jack Dupree, Jerry Jemmott, Oliver Jackson, King Pins, Bernard Purdie, The Shirelles, The Noble Band, Cornell Dupree, and Duane Allman. At the 1970 “Grammy Awards”, Curtis won the “Best R&B Instrumental Performance Grammy” for “Games People Play”. In March 2000, he was posthumously inducted into the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame”.
Hillel Slovak
On June 25, 1988, Hillel Slovak died aged 26. He was musician (guitar) and singer, member of bands Anthem and What Is This?, best known as founding member and guitarist of Red Hot Chili Peppers. His guitar work primarily rooted in funk and hard rock is considered to have been a major influence on the Red Hot Chili Pepper’s early sound.
Little Richard
On May 9, 2020, Richard Wayne Penniman aka Little Richard died aged 87. He was singer, songwriter and musician (piano), one of the most important and influential persons in the popular music. His charismatic showmanship and dynamic music, characterized by frenetic piano playing, pounding back beat and raspy shouted vocals, laid the foundation for rock and roll, but also had important role in formation of other music genres such as soul and funk. For his work Little Richard received numerous awards and was honored by many institutions. In 1986, he was inducted into the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame”; in 1993 he received “Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award”, he was inducted into the “Songwriters Hall of Fame”, received “Lifetime Achievement Award” from the “Recording Academy”; “Lifetime Achievement Award” from the “Rhythm and Blues Foundation”, and received a “Rhapsody & Rhythm Award” from the “National Museum of African American Music”. In 2012, his song “Tutti Frutti” was included in the “National Recording Registry” of the “Library of Congress”, stated that his “unique vocalizing over the irresistible beat announced a new era in music”. Three of his songs “Tutti Frutti,” “Lucille” and “Long Tall Sally” are inducted into the “Grammy Hall of Fame”.
Manu Dibango
On March 24, 2020, Emmanuel N’Djoké Dibango aka Manu Dibango died aged 86. He was musician (saxophone and vibraphone), developed a musical style fusing jazz, funk, and traditional Cameroonian music. He was a member of the seminal Congolese rumba group, African Jazz, and has collaborated with many musicians, including Fania All Stars, Fela Kuti, Herbie Hancock, Bill Laswell, Bernie Worrell, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, King Sunny Adé, Don Cherry, and Sly and Robbie. He was best known for his 1972 single “Soul Makossa”.
Johnny Guitar Watson
On May 17, 1996, John Watson Jr. aka Johnny “Guitar” Watson died aged 61. He was musician (guitar), singer and songwriter, known as the pioneer of guitar feedback and reverb. His recording career spanned forty years, with biggest success in his funk era, with the albums “Ain’t That a Bitch” (1976), “A Real Mother for Ya” (1977), and “Funk Beyond the Call of Duty” (1977). Watson died of a heart attack while on tour in Yokohama, Japan, collapsing mid guitar solo.
James Brown
On December 25, 2006, James Joseph Brown died aged 73. He was singer, songwriter, producer and bandleader, regarded as the creator of funk music, and one of the most important artists in the history of the modern music. Named the “Godfather of Soul” and the “Hardest Working Man in the Show Business”, for all the achievements in his six decades long career, Brown received many honors including” inductions into the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame”; “Songwriters Hall of Fame”; “Lifetime Achievement Award” at the 34th annual “Grammy Awards”; “Lifetime Achievement Award” at the 4th annual “Rhythm & Blues Foundation Pioneer Awards”; a star on the “Hollywood Walk of Fame”; inductee to the “New York Songwriters Hall of Fame”; honored as the first “BMI Urban Icon” at the “BMI Urban Awards”, “Lifetime Achievement Award” at the “BET Awards”, and induction into the “UK Music Hall of Fame”.Magazine “Rolling Stone” ranked him at number seven on its list of the “100 Greatest Artists of All Time”; in Joel Whitburn’s analysis of the “Billboard R&B” charts from 1942 to 2010, Brown was ranked as number one in “The Top 500 Artists”.list, magazine “Rolling Stone” cited him as the most sampled artist of all time, and In an article for the same magazine, critic Robert Christgau cited Brown as “The Greatest Musician of the Rock Era”. Brown is also one of the best sold artist of all times.
Zapp: Same
On July 28, 1980, “Warner Bros” label released the self-titled debut Zapp album. It was recorded 1979-1980, in Detroit, Michigan, and was produced by Roger Troutman and Bootsy Collins. The album has been regarded as one of the definitive albums of early 80’s electronic funk, bringing the genre into mainstream attention.
Personnel:
- Roger Troytman – vocals, guitars, keyboards, talking box, bass, harmonica, vibes
- Greg Jackson, Terry Troutman, Bobby Glover, Jannetta Boyce, Marchelle Smith, Delores Smith – vocal
- Bootsy Collins – guitars
- Greg Jackson – keyboards
- Terry Troutman – bass
- Larry Troutman – conga drums
- Lester Troutman – trap drums
- Larry Troutman, Lester Troutman – percussion
- Randy Wallace – saxophone
Track listing:
- More Bounce to the Ounce
- Freedom
- Brand New Player
- Funky Bounce
- Be Alright
- Coming Home
Louis Johnson
On May 21, 2015, Louis Johnson died aged 60. He was musician (bass), founding member of funk band the “Brothers Johnson” and one of the most demanded bass players. Johnson performed on Quncy Jones albums “Body Heat” and “Mellow Madness”, Michael Jackson’s “Off the Wall”, “Thriller” and “Dangerous” and hit songs “Billie Jean” and “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough”. Johnson also performed on George Benson’s album “Give Me the Night”.
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