70s FUNK

[T. D.]

I'm reminded of a quote from an old Richard Pryor comedy album (sorry, I forget which one and it's not easy to look up):

"The funk rushed out the house...knocked me to my God-damn knees!"

[KevinP]

Definitely. Most of it is fairly derivative stuff, though, let's admit it. I'd forgotten about this one. It's more than just the Bobby Womack title cut.

Overall a good album, though I think that the JJ Johnson tracks are superior to Womack's, although the title cut holds it own.

Got this one recently but haven't played it yet.
JJ Johnson. Themes And Cues For Movies & Television

Previously Unreleased Cinematic Jazz-Funk for Film & Television by Arranger/Composer J.J. Johnson 21 tracks featuring music from Across 110th Street, Top Of The Heap, The Fuzz Brothers, The Bold Ones. Funky Moog modulations, car chases, moody library cues and a righteous soul sister preaching universal truths all revealed in these recently discovered recordings. Masterful arranging and lush orchestration by one of the giants of the Jazz & Soul/Funk Genres. Cut direct to vinyl from the reference tapes.

[71 dB]

'Lazy funk' is your term, not mine, so I'm reluctant to say, 'Yes, 70s Sly Stone is that lazy funk you don't like', especially as you use it so dismisively.

I will say that Riot was definitely sluggish (and downright drug-addled) in tempo, and the adjective 'lazy' is not entirely inappropriate, though most people would probably say that's what makes it work.

Honestly, don't even bother with Heard Ya Missed Me, Well I'm Back; Back on the Right Track; or Ain't but the One Way. Those are post-heyday attempts at a comeback that failed miserably. I'm a pretty dedicated fan but I very rarely listen to those, and when I do it's mostly to see if I still don't like them.

There is one album you didn't mention, Higher, credited to Sly Stone alone which I quite like.

As for the early albums, you can think of it this way:
A Whole New Thing: Sly Stone making the music he wanted to hear, but which didn't really sell
Dance to the Music: Sly Stone making the music he knew would sell. Massive success.
Life: If the first album was thesis, and the second, antithesis, this is the synthesis where it all comes together.
Stand!: Like the previous album but even better. If I had to pick a favourite album, it'd be this one.
There's a Riot Goin' On: Stone's optimistic hope that we could all live together in harmony came crashing down. A very different music emerges.
The next two albums, Fresh and Small Talk, extend from the previous one.

In order to actually "enjoy" my music exploration journey I need to do it by myself. Whenever I do it "online" publicly, I am being suggested and recomended tons of stuff I feel I am "supposed" to like regardless of what I actually feel myself. It becomes a burden and something I don't enjoy. My participation on this thread will now become near non-existing.

[ando]

Take it easy, 71; it's a celebration and discovery thread, not a mandatory syllabus. Our earlier conversation was merely the jumping off point for some deeper funk exploration. However you want to do it - enjoy!

[ando]

Plenty of funk can be found on "blaxploitation" sound tracks...

How about tv show themes? There were a LOT of funky title tracks. This is the first one I thought of though, for the life of me, I couldn't remember if it actually had a tune! 

[ando]

The theme to Barney Miller is another favorite, the full version of which was never played on air. But it's even better. Didn't know it was the track that inspired Cliff Burton (Metallica) to play bass. Cool.

[BWV 1080]

remember begging my parents to let me stay up to watch the theme song when it came on at 9:00 (they would not let me watch the show itself)

[T. D.]

Paging Quincy Jones...

[ando]

Paging Quincy Jones...

Still bumps! 

[ando]

Looks like a lot these cats were around when they originally recorded Tom Scott's (sax) theme to Starsky & Hutch.  

the actual opening/closing spot:

[KevinP]

I wouldn't normally share something like this here, but since we've veered into the topic of 70s cop show themes, the coincidence (I just finished this piece) is too great not to share it.

[ando]

I wouldn't normally share something like this here, but since we've veered into the topic of 70s cop show themes, the coincidence (I just finished this piece) is too great not to share it.

Love it. Especially the intro. Then about five different campy 70s shows came to mind once the melody dropped . Fun.! Thanks.

[ando]

Jack McDuff  The Heatin' System (1972, Cadet)

Classic double lp. McDuff and his band provide good, hooky funk and vary the grooves for a nice flow.

[ando]

Enjoying this nice live set by the original Meters band doing some of their 70s stuff. I forgot that Art (keys, vocals), one of the Neville Bros, was a part of its founding. I wouldn't call this lazy funk but it IS nicely laid back. 

[T. D.]

I thought the Isley Bros., who recorded quite a few good tunes, were more soul than funk.
But

And to drop another name,

[ando]

I thought the Isley Bros., who recorded quite a few good tunes, were more soul than funk.
But

And to drop another name,

Agreed, The Isley Bros certainly laid some great funk tracks but overall were essentially a great R&B act.

Gil Scott-Heron was not an artist subject to any one label (as few talented people are). To me he was primarily a kind of poet/prophet who used African-American musical forms to support and expand his craft. Anyone doing any serious examination of Hip Hop would certainly reference him and The Last Poets as late 60s/early 70s forbears of that genre. The Bottle is a great track that sounded even better when he did it live (caught a set in a small club back in the 90s).

One of his funkiest:

[T. D.]

Agreed on G S-H! The Revolution... is his calling card.

This one is more soul or R/B than funk but another favorite:

[ando]

Rose Royce fans already know about this one but the group went funk-lite and took advantage of an apportunity to produce a Hollywood soundtrack, one of the more popular of the 70s:

CAR WASH Soundtrack (1976, MCA) full album playlist

[ando]

One of the groups on the Car Wash soundtrack, The Pointer Sisters, despite doing a big 1940s retro act also laid some tight funk based hits during the 70s. The first is an extended version of their Car Wash contribution:

You Gotta Believe

a live version of their hit, Yes We Can Can:

probably their biggest of that decade:

How Long

and my favorite, Goin' Down Slowly:

[ando]

Woke up to this one. No bass line to announce the funk and plenty of electric keyboard work. Prince certainly wasn't the first to do it...

Funkadelic Tales of Kid Funkadelic (Opusdelite Years)