Give in to the funk

 Greetings friends, My loyal followers, life has not been good. Evil has repeatedly triumphed over good. The sweet release of summer break cannot come soon enough. As I lay here, growing my depression beard, I think of how the Funk can help us get through hard times. I have submitted myself to the world of Jazz once again. The song Round Midnight has provided much comfort to my woes. I recommend all my loyal followers keep listening to music, and keep practicing. I’m afraid I have not the strength to lead and preach the good word of the Funk in these times. However, you should all listen to Talking Book by Stevie Wonder. It has helped me greatly in becoming closer to the Funk. Good day, Charles Rzany

 Greetings friends! Before I go into today’s soliloquy I want to acknowledge today marks 17 years since the birth of loyal reader Dorian Terbaci. Thank you for your support Dorian! Today something beautiful happened. I saw one of my friends and colleagues surrender to the funk. This person (who shall remain unnamed) played a solo with great precision and admirable restraint. It was beautiful. I want to apologize to my readers, the review of Marvin Gaye’s series of albums will commence shortly.  Good day, Charles Rzany

 Greetings friends! What’s Goin On by Marvin Gaye is such a great album. It has an impeccable flow, phenomenal substance and musicianship that exudes the Funk. It also kicked off a run of albums starting in the 1970s to his death. My next series of blog posts will be reviewing Whats Goin On and his subsequent albums; comparing his albums to what’s goin on and seeing if they have the same cohesion and impact as what’s goin on. Later tonight I will post my review of Whats Goin On. Good day, Charles Rzany

 Greetings friends! I have been enlightened to an integral part of the Funk. The tambourine! A couple weeks ago I watched a video on YouTube, it was on the YouTube channel for the band Vulfpeck (who are themselves masters of the Funk) and it featured band leader Jack Stratton going over his favorite tambourine players. He turned me on to someone who’s tambourine playing I’ve heard all my life, but never really appreciated until now. Mr. Jack Ashford is a percussionist who played with the Motown session band, the Funk Brothers. These men were phenomenal musicians and Mr. Ashford is no exception. The video states how he is the man who made tambourine loud. Listen to his performance on Dancing in the Streets. That tambourine sound is legendary. Listen to Ain’t Too Proud To Beg. What a legendary sound that really colors the groove. Most people would call the tambourine inessential but listening to Jack Ashford play has really made me realize how essential he is. Every player is equally...

 Greetings friends! I wanted to talk about how surrendering ourselves to the Funk can not only increase our musicality, but allow us to connect with the music we play and our instruments. Yesterday, I heard my band director make a comment to a trumpet during my pit orchestra rehearsal. He told this person to play their instrument and not to let their instrument play them. This is a very common musical philosophy but it made me realize I view things in a different way. You need to surrender yourself to your part; give in to the funk. It’s common to say that some songs sound like they’ve just always been there, for example Yesterday by the Beatles. The part already exists, you just need to take it from the great Funk. Surrender yourself to your part and let the music play you.  One of the greatest instances of this is the song Darling Dear by the Jackson 5. Listen to the bassist James Jamerson, also known as god, as he weaves a beautiful countermelody. He has surrendered himself...

 Greetings friends! Yesterday I listened to an album that brought me closer to the Funk. The album’s name was McLemore Avenue. McLemore Avenue is by the legendary soul band Booker T. & the M.G.s, and it is a reinterpretation of the Beatles’ magnum opus Abbey Road.  It isn’t a question that the Funk is present within Booker T. & the M.G.s. They were of course the backing band for Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, and many other artists on the Stax record label in the ‘60s. Members of the M.G.s went on to play for the Blues Brothers as well. They are most definitely one with the Funk. Many may doubt that the Funk is present within the Beatles. The Beatles may be the greatest band of all time, but many would argue that they achieved that by having strong melody work, not through the Funk.  This is wrong. McLemore Avenue has opened my eyes to the Funk within the Beatles. Of course a lot of the Funk in the album is present because of the performances by the band and the th...