Comments for mellow funk instrumentals

mellow funk instrumentals

2004-02-04T02:45:03Z

Sweet funky instrumentals. There's the Commodore's "Machine Gun", Barry White's "Love's Theme". There's a whole bunch of almost vocal-free tracks, like Average White Band's "Pick Up the Pieces", Kool and the Gang's "Jungle Boogie", or any of the great but brief instrumentals on Public Enemy's "Nation of Millions" and "Fear of a Black Planet". Hell, you could fill an entire album with great funk instrumentals just from James Brown alone. But mellow funky instrumentals are a rarer breed.

Some of the best ones, off the top of my head: "T Plays It Cool" by Marvin Gaye, "Summer Madness" by Kool and the Gang, Maxwell's "Arroz Con Pollo". Hmm, I think there are some more I'm overlooking. Ideas?

Comment from t.rae from fxxxpxxx on 2004-02-04

2004-02-04T06:02:00Z

kool and the gang's summer madness is the greatest almost-mellow instrumental funk jam of all time

Comment from Booga on 2004-02-04

2004-02-04T08:22:33Z

great funk/soul instrumental: LTJ Bukem "sunrain instrumental". he is known as a very melodic and spacy drum & bass producer but this tracks is just easy as blinking.

Comment from Jens Alfke on 2004-02-05

2004-02-05T19:26:25Z

There are some great ones on the Beastie Boys' Ill Communication, like "Sabrosa".

Also, the entire [sub]genre of Acid Jazz seems to fit that description too.

Comment from Paul on 2004-02-11

2004-02-11T18:35:55Z

Some good ones on Unclassified by Robert Randolph and the Family Band (c.f., "Squeeze.")

Comment from James on 2004-02-11

2004-02-11T20:30:55Z

Mellow funk eh? Grover Washington Jr's "Mister Magic" comes to mind. Oh and "Feels So Good" by Chuck Mangione. Some rather tasty licks in "Dance with Me" by Earl Klugh too.

Though it couldn't all be classified as mellow, I'll have to second Jens' Acid Jazz note; The Night Trains' "A Bad Trip" would seem to back this up.

A few vocalised numbers could be added to the mellow collection too: Curtis Mayfield's "Move on Up", Donald Byrd's "Dominoes" come to mind.

What are you talking about, there's plenty of mellocity out there! And plenty more that don't appear in my humble collection...

Take care.

Comment from modofo on 2004-02-20

2004-02-21T02:13:45Z

Here's ten mellow and funky instrumentals.

Comment from battez on 2004-03-23

2004-03-23T15:39:12Z

What about Winter Sadness as well by Kool and the gang? a reworking of SM. Quite good too. Young holt Trio soulful strut is mega too. And some Cymande wouldnt go amiss. chic savoir faire at the more disco boogie end of the spectrum and how can we forget Patrice Rushen - number one!

I have to also bless the suggestion of Mister Magic too - supreme descending guitar riff.

Comment from d'Herblay on 2004-03-29

2004-03-29T20:29:21Z

"City, Country, City" and many other jams by War spring to mind.

Comment from wiz on 2007-02-03

2007-02-03T12:15:42Z

Marc 4 - the best of LP(70s italian instrumental grooves), check: ´Ray Ban´, Candy, etc.

Loads of old downtempo funk Instrumentals The Meters, The Gaturs, entire ¨Legends Of Acid Jazz´series (boogaloo Joe Jone, Idris Muhammed, Lonnie Smith, etc), check Jazzman Records ¨Soulfreedom´comp(especially Nino Nardini´s ´Tropicalia) ...though the number 1 all time human library , bringing up soulful gem after gem, has to be SOULMAN (world of beats) , check his any of his mixtapes/compilations ,ie Soulfully ,Instrumentaly, Crate Classics, from the rock , etc.