Out of my element but would like info

[noddin0ff]

A few years ago when I lived in the Bay Area I would listen to KALX on weekends. They periodically played these long (10+minutes) funk songs that were great and just meandered/jammed all over the place. Funk/Acid/Jazz??? I could never figure out who/what they were. I was alway in my car stuck in traffic. I don't know if they were old or were stuff from current bands. They were so varied I guessed they were current. I remain fairly ignorant of the genre but would like any hints as where to look for something like this. Sorry for the the lack of informative detail.

[ForeverAutumn]

A few years ago when I lived in the Bay Area I would listen to KALX on weekends. They periodically played these long (10+minutes) funk songs that were great and just meandered/jammed all over the place. Funk/Acid/Jazz??? I could never figure out who/what they were. I was alway in my car stuck in traffic. I don't know if they were old or were stuff from current bands. They were so varied I guessed they were current. I remain fairly ignorant of the genre but would like any hints as where to look for something like this. Sorry for the the lack of informative detail.

Hi noddinOff. Have you contacted KALX directly? They're probably your best source to help track down this music since that's where you heard it.

[Finch Platte]

http://kalx.berkeley.edu/

fp

[noddin0ff]

Yes, thanks. I did think about that. Its just been enough years that the staff would've rolled over by now. I realize my above post was pretty lame.

Maybe I should just ask if anyone has any recommendations for me in this genre. What I'm looking for is probably a more contemporary take on funk. Extended sets bordering on jazz, horns, larger ensemble.... Like I said, I'm ignorant in the funk genre.

But, for example...Liquid Soul mixed jazz, hip hop, and soul.
I also might liken what I'm looking for to John Scofields "Uberjam" but that album, although fun, just seems a little sterile.

I guess I'm looking for a funk/fusion analog. Well recorded, live or studio.

Any suggestions?

[Olivertmc]

Give a listen to Soulive, Galactic and John Scofields "a go-go" (with members of Medeski Martin and Wood). Also, Blue Note puts out some great compilations - one is entitled "Blue Break Beats" and the other is "Rare Grooves". A lot of the stuff on the Blue Note albums are used as samples in many modern hip hop tunes. Karl Denson's Tiny Universe is another great jam/funk band. On the more experimental side, MMW's album "A Friday Afternoon in the Universe" is chock full of heavy grooves. Hope this helps.

[noddin0ff]

Thanks, Olivertmc,

I'm a fan of MMW but haven't yet hear AFAITU, I'll have to check that one out.

Your suggestions sent me searching Amazon and iTunes for some samples. Soulive was a little too laid back. I'll call it Lounge/HipHop...nice though, very musical. I couldn't get too much of a feel for their jams from a 30sec clip. Seems like most start out slow and build energy?

Tiny Universe eventually led me to Galactic. I think I'm going to have to check out Galactics 'Crazyhorse Mongoose' and 'Ruckus'. I'm finding if there's too much that slow bedroom hip hop influence, I don't care for it. I'm more into the funk with the wah-wah guitar and the cheezy organ jams. The New Orleans blues touch of Galactic I liked. It added a little smoulder and sin to the funk.

Also ran across Kif (David Fiuczynski) and Screaming Headless Torsos. I hadn't heard of him before but found it pretty cool. Anyone comment on SHT's 'Live' vs any others?

Pretty fun and enlightening searching though. Thanks for the tips!

[Davey]

Pretty fun and enlightening searching though. Thanks for the tips!

If you like the long funky jams and don't know his afro-beat music yet, check out something from the late great Fela Kuti. Look for some old copies if you like it cause some of the new remastered stuff is unfortunately very compressed.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/profiles/kutifela.shtml