Funk

music genre · rhythm · dance · African-American culture

Born in the 1960s. Funk music started in African-American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians mixed jazz, blues, and other popular styles to create something totally new and different.

All about the groove. Instead of focusing on pretty melodies like pop songs, funk music is all about creating an irresistible rhythmic groove, like a hypnotic pattern that makes your body want to move.

The electric bass rules. The electric bass player and drummer work together to create interlocking grooves that feel danceable and hypnotic, often played at slower tempos than other popular music styles.

James Brown's influence. Early funk pioneer James Brown fused jazz and blues together and added syncopated drum grooves that became the foundation for this exciting new sound.

Complex and layered. Funk uses many rhythm instruments playing together in complicated patterns, which creates that special feel that makes people want to get up and dance.