funk | Musicosity

funk

Booker T. Jones

Booker T. Jones (born November 12, 1944) is a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, record producer and arranger, best known for fronting the band, Booker T. and the MGs. Born in South Memphis, Tennessee, Jones was a child prodigy, playing the oboe, saxophone, trombone, and piano at school and serving as organist at his church. He attended Booker T. Washington High School, the alma mater of Rufus Thomas and shared the hallowed halls with future stars like Isaac Hayes's writing partner David Porter; saxophonist Andrew Love of The Memphis Horns; soul singer/songwriter William Bell and Earth...

Artist Type: 

Leon Thomas

Amos Leon Thomas Jr (born 1937, died May 8, 1999) was an American avant garde jazz singer from East St. Louis, Illinois. He changed his name to Leone in 1974. Thomas is best known for his work with Pharoah Sanders, particularly the 1969 song "The Creator Has a Master Plan" from Sanders' Karma album. Thomas's most distinctive device was that he often broke out into yodeling in the middle of a vocal. This style has influenced singers James Moody and Tim Buckley,among others.

Artist Type: 

Space Invadas

Space Invadas is duo from Australia: Katalyst - a Sydney-based award winning producer signed to BBE & Invada Records, and from the UK, Steve Spacek - the acclaimed voice behind the ground-breaking genre-pushing group Spacek (championed by everyone from Entertainment Weekly to Mos Def). Their award winning collaboration, "How Bout Us" was one of Gilles Peterson's top 20 tracks of 2008. Their forthcoming album is entitled "Soul-Fi".

Artist Type: 

Dam Funk

Known as Los Angeles' "Ambassador of Boogie Funk," dãm-funk represents the citizens of the Funkmosphere. Headquartered in the Culver City section of L.A., dãm (pronounced: 'Dame' as in Damon) spent the last few years cultivating a musical renaissance rooted in the early-'80s styles known as Boogie, Modern Soul and Electro-Funk. As a DJ/selector, dãm attracts the most discerning Boogie Funk afficionados within driving distance of his storied Monday-night Funkmosphere parties. But it's not just collectors at the bar toasting to the melodic sounds.

Artist Type: 

Direct Influence

Direct Influence is one of Australia’s premier reggae acts. Described as a mixture of the deep rooted reggae of the Wailers, the sounds of Che Fu and a little Damian Marley, Direct Influence create a fusion of Hip Hop and Roots Reggae whilst also encompassing the hearty soulful music carrying messages of peace and hope. An electrifying combination of sweet reggae licks, a monstrous rhythm section and a multi-talented vocalist who can both sing and rap, Direct Influence create exciting and energised live shows that leave audiences across the country wanting more.

Artist Type: 

Jimmy Haslip

Jimmy Haslip played on the Brother to Brother album of Gino Vannelli. He is a founding member of the Yellowjackets and made 2 solo albums; Arc (1993) and Red Heat (2000).

Artist Type: 

Cee-Lo

Cee Lo Green (born Thomas Calloway on May 30, 1974) is an American hip-hop/funk/soul and R&B musician. He is a singer, rapper, songwriter and record producer, best known as a member of Gnarls Barkley, Goodie Mob, and Dungeon Family. He has also recorded two successful solo LPs, Cee-Lo Green and His Perfect Imperfections, (2002) Cee-Lo Green... Is The Soul Machine, (2004) and is completing a follow-up album Lady Killer, due for release in fall 2010. Among Cee-Lo's solo hits are the singles "Closet Freak" (2002) and "I'll Be Around" (2003), produced by and featuring Timbaland.

Artist Type: 

Rebirth Brass Band

The Rebirth Brass Band is a New Orleans brass band. The group was founded in 1983 by tuba player Philip Frazier, his brother Keith Frazier and trumpeter Kermit Ruffins, along with other musicians with them at the Joseph S. Clark Sr. High School in the Treme neighborhood of New Orleans. Rebirth is known for combining traditional New Orleans brass band music, including the New Orleans tradition of second line with funk, jazz, and soul influences. In 1992, Ruffins and Rebirth split amicably after Ruffins decided not to accompany the band on a trip to Africa.

Artist Type: 

G. Love

Garrett Dutton III (born October 3, 1972), better known as G. Love, is the front man for the band, G. Love & Special Sauce. Dutton, born in Philadelphia, began playing guitar at age 8. He wrote his first song by the time he was in the 9th grade and began playing harmonica in a wire rack. Dutton credits Bob Dylan and John Hammond Jr., as well as then-contemporary "old school" hip-hop sounds of Run-DMC, the Beastie Boys, and Philadelphia's own Schooly D as influences.

Artist Type: