In the beginning, there was jazz. Before African-American innovators gave birth to musical styles like rock’n’roll, soul, and funk, they filled several decades with innovations on jazz- everything from bebop to free jazz. For our first lesson on the Complete History of Future Funk, we’re gonna take a quick listen to some soulful roots by the way of hard bop and post-bop, before focusing on the jazz-funk styles that are clear influences on the music that we listen to today.

I’ve included everything from Herbie Hancock funk jams, to Bobby Broom’s early smooth jazz sounds, plus goodies like Ornette Coleman (and bassist Charlie Haden) basically inventing the filter bassline in the free jazz insanity of “Rock The Clock”.

This, kids, is where to start your homework.

TRACKLISTING:

Early Summer - Ryo Fukui Trio (1975, post bop)

Un Poco Loco - Bud Powell (1955, bebop) The Witch Doctor - Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers (1967, hard bop) The Kicker - Horace Silver (1964, hard bop) Funk in Deep Freeze - Chet Baker (1974, cool jazz) Take Me To The Mardi Gras - Bob James (1975, jazz-funk) People Make The World Go Round - Milt Jackson (1972, jazz-funk) Music Is My Sanctuary - Gary Bartz (1977, jazz-funk) Book of Slim - The Three Sounds (1968, soul jazz) John McLaughlin - Miles Davis (1970, jazz fusion) Rock the Clock - Ornette Coleman (1972, free jazz)

Teen Town - Weather Report (1977, jazz fusion) Kuru/Speak Like A Child - Jaco Pastorius (1976, jazz-funk) Spank-a-Lee - Herbie Hancock (1974, jazz-funk) You & The Music - Donald Byrd (1975, jazz-funk) Clean Sweep - Bobby Broom (1981, smooth jazz)





Further Recommended Listening: (coming soon)