Music: Blues/Jazz/Funk

[TootooTrain]

Looking for some artists/songs of these genres that I could get into. Obviously Jazz is a bit different from Funk, but it all depends on the mood you're in when you hit that play button. It can be any time/date of release, but preferably within the last 40-50 years. If there are any current blues/funk bands that are big these days I'd be interested in giving them a listen for sure. I haven't done much searching for new bands of these genres. I know some of them aren't as prevalent these days, but I've always just seemed to stick with what I knew was good.

Here's some of the artists I've listened to in the past just so you can get a feel for the style I'm into. Just to list a few off the top of my head; BB King, James Brown, Bill Withers, Ray Charles, Miles Davis, Sinatra, Blues Brothers, Tribe called quest (more of a r&b/hiphop/jazz combo)

 

[Xelebes]

In terms of modern tradpop, probably the biggest band is Postmodern Jukebox. If that's your thing.

 

[GIN ANTONIC]

40-50 years is a huge time span. For modern stuff (like 2000's and newer) check out Roy Hardgrove, Sean Jones, Vulfpeck, Kamasi Washington, Lucky Chops, Trombone Shorty, D'Angelo, Erykah Badu, Esperanza Spalding, Gary Clark Jr., Snarky Puppy, Lake Street Dive.

Go back each decade there's tons and tons more. I'll put together a list by decade later if that helps.

 

[Jack Straw]

Jazz: Charlie Parker, Thelonius Monk, John Coltrane, Dave Brubeck (some essentials, just for starters)

 

[GIN ANTONIC]

Jazz: Charlie Parker, Thelonius Monk, John Coltrane, Dave Brubeck (some essentials, just for starters)

Well, yeah, I mean those guys are all jazz legends but if he's looking for more modern stuff... Coltrane died in 67, Parker in 1955... Having said that the late Trane stuff from the mid-late 60's is from a different planet and people in 200 years still won't be able to decipher a lot of it. Haha.

You could probably really just go through the careers of Herbie Hancock and Miles Davis decade by decade as they both evolved so much. Wayne Shorter was super versatile having played in Weather Report, Steely Dan. Brecker Brothers did amazing jazz/funk stuff in the 70's and 80's.

It's really just such a broad question when you're spanning that much time and that many genres. I'll get to that decade by decade list later today maybe.

 

[bogart]

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What are some of your favorite Blues artists or albums? Mine are listed above.

 

[kook10]

 

[bogart]

I love the Chicago Blues. I just ended an eight year run where it was the only music I listened to in my car.

 

[PANARIN BREAD FAN]

just type in a google search of funk bass players and go from there. you'll wind up with stuff to listen to for months.

 

[kook10]

 

[bogart]

@kook10 I'm glad you posted Freddie King. Casual fans think BB King is the goat and he's great live. I've never met a serious Blues fan who thought he was one of the top two Blues guitarists named King. The top two Blues guitarists named King are Albert & Freddie.

 

[kook10]

@kook10 I'm glad you posted Freddie King. Casual fans think BB King is the goat and he's great live. I've never met a serious Blues fan who thought he was one of the top two Blues guitarists named King. The top two Blues guitarists named King are Albert & Freddie.

I was going to post some Albert King too.


another guy who played lefty and upside down (didn't restring it)

 

[Stylizer1]

 

[Behn Wilson]

@kook10 I'm glad you posted Freddie King. Casual fans think BB King is the goat and he's great live. I've never met a serious Blues fan who thought he was one of the top two Blues guitarists named King. The top two Blues guitarists named King are Albert & Freddie.

And there is another pretty good Albert in Albert Collins.

Personally the blues artist I enjoy listening to most is Howlin' Wolf. He had a pretty good guitarist too in Hubert Sumlin who was very beloved here in Chicago.

 

[Jack Straw]

Gotta throw in some Jerry Garcia/Merle Saunders funk...

 

[kook10]

Gotta throw in some Jerry Garcia/Merle Saunders funk...

and a little JGB blues!

 

[Jack Straw]

One of the more under-appreciated blues artists, Taj Mahal



(Oh yeah, Ry Cooder isn't bad either)

 

[Jack Straw]

So many great old bluesmen. I used to play in a band and we did this one

 

[Jack Straw]

Old-timey acoustic blues

 

[Jack Straw]

And of course the Dead's version...

 

[bogart]

@kook10 My ten favorite Blues albums that I could find on Spotify are

Are you experienced
Born under a bad sign - Albert King
Buddy Guy & Junior Wells play the Blues
Fandango! - 1975 ZZ Top
Gettin' Ready - Freddie King
The Healer - John Lee Hooker
Moanin' in the Moonlight - Howlin Wolf
2 self-titled - The Paul Butterfield Blues Band & The Rolling Stones
Tres Hombres - 1973 ZZ Top

 

[Jussi]

As a Brit com fan, I'm obligated to post this:

 

[VMBM]

You can't go wrong with Howlin' Wolf, Sonny Boy Williamson II, Muddy Waters, Miles, Coltrane, The Meters, Sly and the Family Stone, Dr. John...

 

[VMBM]

Vis-à-vis the talk about the Kings; I love Albert, B.B. and Freddie, but I also always want to mention a certain unknown King, namely the New Orleans master Earl King.

His obviously best-known song, since e.g. Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan covered it:


One of his later belters:

 

[phrenssoa]