FUNK & BOOGALOO

Boogaloo, R&B, Hammond Grooves, we are talking about the mid-sxities, it wasn't strictly funk, these were the formative years, tracks such as "JB's Latin" Spitting Image, "Soul Brothers Testify" Chester Randle's Soul Sender's, "Soul City" Ray Johnson, "The Wig" Lorenzo Holden," Crabcakes" Gunga Din, "The Champ" The Mahawks, "Harlem Train" Dick Leslie, "Soulful" The Apostles, "Thread the Needle" Al-White & The Hi-Liters, The Hot Tamales "Soul Power" L'IL Ray, Big Bow Thomas and the Arrows "How About It," and lastly the more soulful "Papas Got A Brand New Bag" James Brown and Motown's Junior Walker's All Stars with " Shotgun".

In February 1965, James Brown's "Papas Got A Brand New Bag" was recorded in less than hour on the way to a gig. The single was massive hit and just the beginning for JB. This single was soon followed by a freshly minted version of "I got You" now subtitled "(I Feel Good)."JB went on a roll, at that time, appearing on pop TV programs that had previously shunned him. He built up his orchestra, a combination of jazz and blues players that included Waymond Reed, Levi Rasbury, Alfred "Pee Wee" Ellis, Clyde Stubblefield, and John "Jabo" Starks. He was also winning awards - and striding into a suddenly open-ended future.

In the late 60s & early 70s the beat started to get heavier progressing to a fully-blown Funk. James Brown by this time was real star with hit singles such as "Sex Machine", "Super Bad", "Give it up or turn it loose","Soul Power" etc. James was not just a singer, he was producer and run the record label "King". He produced singles for Lyn Collins, Vicky Anderson, Bobby Byrd, Marva Whitney, Beau Dollar and amongst others. But there was much more to funk than just James Brown. The lesser known artists, rarities, on the more obscure labels such as, "Let's Work a While" Bobby Williams, Sweet Thing" Milton Cambell & The R-D-M Band, Rolesia & the Kenyattas "Kenyatta in Your Town", "Everything's Gonna' Be All Right" Robert Moore, "Kickin" The Kickin Mustangs, "I'm a Carpenter" David Robinson, "Help Your Brothers" Cross Bronx Expressway, "Hot Pants Breakdown" The Soul Tornadoes, "Dap Walk" Ernie & the Topnotes," Kick the Habit" Prophet Soul and last of all but not least "Cissy Popcorn" Preston Love.

In 2001, Coast to Coast had moved on from the Cask & Glass days to the now trendy part of town - Old Street, E2. Eventually it became a weekly night, which was indicative of the growing success Coast to Coast was having at the time. Funk had played a major part in the early years at On the Rocks. Eddie Piller's Acid Jazz label was the in thing which included bands such as James Taylor Quartet, Band New Heavies and Jamiroquai. Keb Darge's "Deep Funk" (Club night) had reached the big time, in which I was honoured to support him as a guest DJ on a few occasions. So the 60s Boogaloo and early 70s Funk and Soul went down really well at C2C. But as the years went on the ska, rocksteady and early reggae became even more predominant through it's popularity and helped the club reach it's heights. 'Packed out with all types, enjoying rare black music from the 60s in an atmosphere more like your best friend's birthday party'... and that's the best way to describe it, it really was a truly special event in London Town. There is no Funk played at today's Coast to Coast @ the Fiddlers Elbow, which is now a predominantly a ska, rocksteady and early reggae night with a little bit of this and that from the old C2C days. But as well as C2C, I do plan to do a different night in which it will include it all, plus some Latin and Tropical sounds.

LATIN