Brick was an Atlanta band that created a successful merger of funk and jazz in the '70s they called "dazz." Brick's roster included lead vocalist/saxophonist/flutist Jimmy Brown; guitarist/bassist/vocalist Regi Hargis Hickman; lead singer Ray Ransom, who doubled as a bassist/keyboardist/percussionist; and Eddie Irons, who did lead vocals and... [+] Read More

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Con Funk Shun was formed by high-school classmates Michael Cooper and Louis "Tony" McCall, along with Karl Fuller, Paul "Maceo" Harrell, Dennis Johnson, Cedric Martin, and Danny "Sweet Man" Thomas. All of them had been playing together since their high-school days in Vallejo, CA. Felton Pilate, also from Vallejo, joined the group after his band,... [+] Read More

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Completely cosmopolitan with international grooves to spare, Heatwave emerged as one of the disco era's funkiest dance groups. American serviceman brothers Johnnie Wilder and his brother Keith Wilder were based in Germany when they first began performing, and upon their discharge from the Army, the duo stayed in that country. Both singers, the... [+] Read More

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Formed as a jazz ensemble in the mid-'60s, Kool & the Gang became one of the most inspired and influential funk units during the '70s, and one of the most popular R&B groups of the '80s after their breakout hit "Celebration" in 1979. Just as funky as James Brown or Parliament (and sampled almost as frequently), Kool & the Gang relied on their... [+] Read More

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Long-running funk outfit L.T.D. -- Love, Togetherness and Devotion -- was formed in Greensboro, NC in 1968 by keyboardist Jimmie "J.D." Davis and bassist Abraham "Onion" Miller, both former backing musicians for the great Sam and Dave. Upon relocating to New York City, the twosome recruited guitarist Johnny McGhee, horn player Carle Vickers,... [+] Read More

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Inspired by Motown's assembly line of sound, George Clinton gradually put together a collective of over 50 musicians and recorded the ensemble during the '70s both as Parliament and Funkadelic. While Funkadelic pursued band-format psychedelic rock, Parliament engaged in a funk free-for-all, blending influences from the godfathers (James Brown... [+] Read More

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Best known as the leader, founder, songwriter, singer, and guitarist of early-'80s funk masters Zapp, Roger Troutman (better known simply as "Roger") also forged a successful solo career. Born November 29, 1951, in Hamilton, OH, Troutman was the fourth child in a family of nine kids, and gravitated toward music at an extremely early age; he was... [+] Read More

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Arguably the hottest of the '70s Ohio funk bands, Slave had a great run in the late '70s and early '80s. Trumpeter Steve Washington formed the group in Dayton in 1975. Vocalist Floyd Miller teamed with Tom Lockett Jr, Charlie Bradley, Mark Adams, Mark Hicks, Danny Webster, Orion Wilhoite, and Tim Dozier. Vocalists Steve Arrington and Starleana... [+] Read More

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A nine-member funk and soul aggregation co-led by Kaiya Matthews and Michael Judkins, the ADC Band recorded for Cotillion in the late '70s and early '80s. At their best, the cuts utilized the funk touches of Parliament/Funkadelic and Slave. The biggest hit was 1978's "Long Stroke," which made it to number six on the R&B charts. ~ Ron Wynn, All... [+] Read More

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One of the most underrated funk groups of the 1980s, Zapp revolutionized the computer pop of electro with their trademark vocoder talk boxes and bumping grooves, emulating the earthier side of Prince and Cameo, with a leader in Roger Troutman who was more than efficient at polished production. The family group, with brothers Roger, Lester,... [+] Read More

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