V. Observations and Analysis of Funk Music Process Thousands of bands have added tremendously to the now seemingly infinite funk vocabulary. Some have sought to preserve the tradition more rigidly than others. Those who expand funk possibilities and therefore its definition, embody the notion of funk as a feel that transcends any direct musical culture. 1 Then there are bands, like Brooklyn New York s Lettuce and the artists who comprise the Royal Family Record Label that have been a catalyst for a funk revival in the current decade. Producing one funk classic after another, Lettuce has captured the essence of the funk sound. A defining example of their style would be Reunion from the Live at Blue Note Tokyo recording 2. I have chosen several excerpts from the song to deconstruct the dense structure of the funk ensemble and demonstrate what ingredients are needed to make funk music. 1. [STAFF 1, RHYTHM GUITAR] Reunion begins with the ostinato provided by the rhythm guitar. An ostinato in music is a short musical idea cycled repeatedly throughout the song or section of 1 George Clinton Foreward, Rickey Vincent, Funk: The Music, The People, and The Rhythm of the One, 2 Lettuce, Live At Blue Note Tokyo, Kufala Recordings, 2003.
it. 3 The idea of a rhythm guitar may seem redundant by the fact that rhythm is integral to making all music, but the term is reserved for guitarists who emphasize repeated cycles of rhythm rather then technical virtuosity. He rarely deviates from this pattern and when he does its subtle, in fact in this excerpt of the song he exercises no deviation. The rhythm guitar part is the most rhythmically dense in Reunion, in that he fills in the most space during the cycle. A critical rhythm is heard happening around beat four of the rhythm guitar. He accents a sixteenth note before and after beat 4. By playing just ahead and behind beat 4, the ostinato has more rhythmic intensity and contrast. Fig. 5 Analysis of Rhythm Guitar Ostinato, Section A 2. [STAFF 2, Trumpet, Alto/Tenor Sax]
Horn arrangements in funk utilize a more percussive dictation of rhythm that in their original orchestral context. 4 The two phrases shared by trumpet, alto saxophone, and tenor saxophone are examples is remarkably angular and sparse. The two bar theme produced receives no variation in this excerpt. Key off beat accents occur in the 1 st bar where the horns begin the theme a sixteenth note before beat 3. 2 nd bar of the theme repeats this idea when the descending line begins a sixteenth note before beat 3. This is one of the many ways in which funk musicians play around the beat. The horns give weight to a rhythm right before the beginning of the next beat, which creates a counter- pulse that pulls against the organizing rhythm or original pulse. Fig 6. Analysis of Horn Motif, Section A m.1 4 Rickey Vincent, Funk: The Music, It s People, and The Rhythm of The One
Fig 6. Analysis of Horn Motif, Section A m.2 3. The bass s purpose, as in many styles of music, gives the song ground with which to work on. Linking the harmony and rhythm, the bass s role is pivotal in a funk groove. Fig 7. Analysis of Bass Line, Section A M. 1-2 The bass line, an eight note chromatic line lasting two beats [see figure 7] is given considerable variation in measures 3-8 One could argue that the bass line not provide enough repetition to be considered a definitive musical idea. Despite variation, he always retains the call and response structure. In all 8 measures, the bass
line leads into the horn melody, allowing them to make a musical statement, and subsequently fills in beat 4 where the horns lay out. A number of his fills play around the beat, in particular the first beat. Sometimes the bass will be right on one, other times as in measures 3 and 7 he works around it, implying it s presence (see figure 8). Fig. 8 Rhythmic Analysis of Bass Line (m.2 beat 4 m.3 beat 1) Fig. 9 Rhythmic Analysis of Bass Line (m.6 beat 4 m.7 beat 1) 4. [2 nd Guitar] provides a contrasting guitar part in the Reunion groove. In this excerpt of the song, the lead guitar role is stunningly reserved, he lays out a considerable duration of the section (m. 1-4), but measures 5-8 are unique for the space he utilizes. Much like the horns, his rhythmic accents are short, punctual, and are place on the off beats. In this short span of musical duration, he provides
an example of how funk musicians create a unified dialogue in motion. 5 Fig 10. Eric Krasno Communicating Musically in the performance of Reunion He introduces a two- note phrase that hits the upbeats on the one of measure 7, sharing the rhythm simultaneously with the bass. Then preceding measure 8, he adds a third note of the phrase after the downbeat of 4, extending the pattern by one. In this minute example, Krasno is reflecting and building on a previous musical 5 Funk thrives on rhythm, and the art of it depends of the level of togetherness between the performers, it is, in essence, togetherness in motion Howard C. Harris, cited by Vincent in Funk: The Music, Rhythm, and People of The One, 15.
idea. This technique can be utilized on any level within the music and it could be argued that a universal component of the music process is the musician s ability to reflect and interpret what he hears around him. 5. Keyboard Pianists performing funk music have come to adopt a particularly family of analog, acoustic, and digital instruments. Therefore funk bands found themselves at a disposal of textures depending on what type of keyboard is used. Neal Evans utilizes Fender Rhodes, Hammond Organ, and Hohner Clavinet. In the excerpt I transcribed, he exclusively plays Rhodes because it is the most suitable for lighter accompaniment. In listening to Evans performance, he organizes his phrases around the melody provided by the horns. Repeatedly, he provides an attack on the beginning of the horn phrase in the 2 nd measure (see fig 11). In between moments of unity, he adds improvised responses when the horn s lay out
Fig. 11 Neal Evans Repeated Accent of Horn Melody, m. 2-4 Fig. 12 Neal Evans Responds where the Horns Rest The keyboards harmonic capability lends itself to an important in the texture of the funk band. The keys player can add staccato phrases in between the beats and ideas of others, as Evans does in the case of Reunion, or he can provide drawn out chords that will add more harmonic movement. 6 Drums Drums are often solely responsible for leading the rhythmic organization of a funk song. They are inherently, the timekeepers of a funk band. In continuous motion, a drummer is required to focus on multiple cycles of rhythms. Drums alone provide an example of multi- linear rhythm and I will deconstruct Adam Deitch s drum part to examine his musical process Fig. 13 Anaylsis of Adam Deitch s Drum Beat, Section A 6
Deitch provides a continuous eight note pattern on the hi- hat cymbal, a piece of the drum kit that is subtle and used in a repetitive manner. The understatement of the hi- hat symbolizes the rhythmic organization of funk as explained before. The organizing pulse is understated so the musicians have freedom to accent in between the beats. The off beat accents are in the bass drum and snare. Two important off beat accents are performed by the bass drum a sixteenth note before beat 3 and beat 1 of the subsequent cycle, reinforcing the horn melody and providing a counter- pulse against these parts of the measure. Because of the infinite division of rhythms, off beats can appear in a different levels or durations of rhythm. If a 4/4 bar is divided into the half note value, then beats 2 and 4 are considered
off beat. (see fig. 14) Multi- linear organizations of rhythm occur at all levels and duration of rhythm. Fig. 14 Beats 2 and 4 as Off Beat Accents Summary From the collection of observations made, it is conclusive that funk music rests on a high level of group interplay. The analysis indicates numerous examples of funk as having a participatory nature, because the musicians are required to maintain an active and constant dialogue amongst each other. Each member must listen to where the others leave space and understanding the moment to enact a new musical phrase. In patterns of multi- linear rhythm present as in Reunion, the musicians must be aware of the density in the musical phrases they present otherwise the music falls into a state that is stagnant and convoluted. When funk is successfully performed, the band
creates a polyphonic texture based on a careful balance of orchestration and improvisation, giving weight to defined themes that were pre- composed but also employing a considerable degree of variation and artistic freedom. Funk is a musical style that rests on many precarious balances in order to be successfully performed. We have seen in an example of funk how musicians hold ground with the original pulse while simultaneously pulling in new rhythmic directions with extensive use of off beat accents. The precarious balance therefore observed is a result of funk s musical heritage. The next chapter is devoted to discussing the technique funk has embodied from the musical past to develop its unique statement within the modern world.