make it funky

The Hardest Working Man in Show Business released his funky first single on Polydor Records, which had taken over distribution for his back catalogue. 'Make It Funky' was a two-part single with part 1 on side A and part 2 on side B. Brown produced the song and co-wrote it with Charles Bobitt. It peaked at number twenty two on the Pop chart and made it to number one on the Best Selling Soul Singles chart.

Bandleader and trombonist Fred Wesley remembers: "James Brown had no musical knowledge, he didn't know any music theory at all. So anything he put together came straight out of his mind, out of his heart and that made it different right away. There were no basis in music theory for that. His energy is what made it work. He would give you rhythms that nobody else ever thought of. He would give you patterns that nobody else ever thought of and his energy made it work. That's what's important to know about him. Everything came out of his mind brand new and we had to make it work."

Drummer Jabo Starks recounts: "James' whole thing, when you were playing with him, was the one. Everything had to happen on the one. However your rhythm changes were made or how you played your patterns, you had to distinguish the one and that helped you stay focused on what you were really doing. You could do anything you want as long as you were on the one. You know where it is, you feel it, so you can do anything you want to do as long as everybody who's with you knows where you are. Especially in the rhythm section. If you're playing, got your one established, it's there. You can feel that, even with the horn players, when all of the solo work, they're still listening for that one. You have to stay on that one to let everyone know where you are."








http://www.jamesbrown.com/

James Brown: lead vocal, organ

with the JB's:

Fred Wesley: trombone, vocals

Jerone "Jasaan" Sanford: trumpet, vocals

Russell Crimes: trumpet, vocals

Jimmy Parker: alto saxophone, vocals

St. Clair Pinckney: tenor saxophone, vocals

Hearlon "Cheese" Martin: guitar, vocals

Robert Coleman: guitar, vocals

Fred Thomas: bass, vocals

John "Jabo" Starks: drums, vocals

Bobby Byrd: vocals

Martha Harvin: vocals

"What you gon' play now?"

"I don't know, but whatso'n'ever I play, it's gots to be funky"