Funk

Funk originated in the mid-1960s as a blend of elements from Rhythm & Blues, Soul, and Jazz. The genre is characterized by strong groove usually laid down by bass guitar and drums, a prominent use of extended chords derived from jazz, and a percussive guitar style. Wah pedal usage, keyboard, and horn parts may also feature. Funk usually focuses less on melody and songwriting than on danceable rhythm and groove. A principal founder of funk was James Brown, who emphasized the downbeat ("the one") and syncopated rhythms alongside an intense, gritty vocal approach. Following Brown's innovations was Sly & The Family Stone, whose early Psychedelic Soul sound grew into increasingly dense funk by the end of the 1960s. George Clinton's influential Parliament-Funkadelic collective would subsequently blend funk with elements from Psychedelic Rock, going on to develop the Funk Rock and commercially-successful P-Funk subgenres. Another pioneering funk act was The Meters, whose early instrumental recordings were rooted in New Orleans R&B and helped define the Deep Funk subgenre.