Make It Funky Soul & Funk in the Sixties
Sam Cooke: A Crossover Artist
Sam Cooke bio B in Mississippi, grew up Chicago Joined popular black gospel quartet The Soul Stirrers in 1950 Records ‘You Send Me’ in 1957, becomes #1 hit After hearing Dylan’s ‘Blowing in the wind’, writes ‘A change is gonna come’, referring to the civil rights movement (recorded in 1964) Shot to death in 1964, 200,000 attend funeral
People Get Ready
Curtis Mayfield B. Chicago 1942, d Lead singer for The Impressions, multi- instrumentalist, major songwriter Later wrote soundtrack for blaxploitation movie Superfly
Motown Records Founded by Berry Gordy in 1960 Brilliant entrepreneur, on of most successful black-owned corporations in history Name from Mo(tor) + Town. Detroit= Motor City, capital of automakers Ground-breaking arrangements by talented unidentified studio musicians, who would influence later developments: funk, jazz-rock etc.
Little Stevie Wonder
Fingertips part 2 N° 1 hit. Little Stevie only 12 Another hit with ‘Uptight’, with narrative about a poor man’s son born on the wrong side of the tracks, trying to make it with a girl of higher social status This social awareness would be more fully expressed in his 1970s albums
The Motown Sound
I got sunshine on a cloudy day
Reach Out
The Supremes (Diana Ross on right)
Stax (Memphis)
Stax Founded by Jim Stewart & sister Estelle Axton, two white business people Center for Southern soul with great integrated team of studio musicians, guitarist Steve Cropper, Booker T Jones & the MGs, Cf. The Blues Brothers
Otis Redding b. Georgia, 1941, father gospel singer Sang in Baptist church choir, infl. by Sam Cooke & Little Richard Recorded for Stax in 1964 Sitting on the Dock of the Bay recorded 3 days before tragic plane crash, Dec. 10, 1967 & became posthumous n° 1 hit
Aretha B. 1942, Memphis, moved to Detroit when 6 Father prominent Baptist minister Began career singing in church Recasts O. Redding’s version of ‘Respect’ affirming woman’s perspective, becomes a symbol of feminist movement. Producer Jerry Wexler: ‘overtones of civil-rights movement and gender equality…an appeal to dignity’ TCB: Taking care of business
Soul Brother N° 1
James Brown b. S. Carolina, 1933, d Sings with gospel group in 50s, records R & B hit ‘Please Please Please’ with Famous Flames, sells > 1 m. in 1956 Commercial breakthrough on pop charts in 60s: Night Train (instrumental), Papa’s Got a Brand new bag 1965 Cold Sweat, 1967, considered early funk classic. Say It Loud… black power anthem
What is it good for?
Sly & the Family Stone San Francisco psychedelic rock, soul, funk band founded in 1967 by brothers Sly & Freddie Stone Everyday People released in late ‘68, became n° 1 hit Famous performance of ‘I Want to Take You Higher’ at Woodstock festival
The Last Poets Formed in East Harlem by black poets in 1968 Rap style, major influence on hip-hop movement