Jazz-Funk

Jazz-Funk

A style of music with particular characteristics (predictably, these come from jazz music and funk music).

This is a 20th Century style of music that developed from Jazz.

Thinking back to Jazz music (it was one of the styles you covered in your previous learning through the BGE and N5 Music) it was based on a swing rhythm and improvised melodies.

So Jazz-Funk kept the improvisations but instead of using a swing beat (which actually can fit triplet subdivisions nicely) it used a funky "groove" which is more straight, and closer to a rock beat.

Jazz music also uses acoustic instruments, brass and saxophones and clarinets, Double basses, pianos and so on.

Jazz-Funk uses plugged-in instruments. The style is similar to jazz, but instead of a double bass and a piano, there's a bass guitar and a moog synthesiser.

In fact, if you focus in on the bass guitar, it often plays the funky main groove in a way that it wouldn't be doing in Jazz. Jazz bass is usually a walking bass, even and balanced and wandering around the tonality helping to keep the beat for the improvisers. In Jazz-Funk, it will often play a funky bass line where it repeats a pattern that includes some ghost notes and slapping.

The overall effect is something related to jazz, but more driving and pulsey.
I quite enjoy a funky bass line. It's got a wee feel of the 70s about it. Go watch Anchorman! If you want to hear some funky basslines, go listen to Sir Psycho Sexy by the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, but stop it before the singing starts because the content is controversial, or listen to Funkadelic songs.

And here's some ACTUAL Jazz-Funk so you can zone into that bassline, and listen out for the improvisation in the other instruments.
Peace.