Chic - Got Funk?

[daddyo]

I had mentioned in Tomo's rhythm thread that I lake to play along to Chic. 'Tis good practise.

 

[daddyo]

 

[Lucidology]

Love Niels and love the Chic band to za max!

 

[Tomo]

Nile Rogers & Chic brought funk to another level. Love that sound very much.

I was brought up with that sound.

Thank you!

Tomo

 

[chopsley]

Great stuff! Nile Rodgers is amazing, as was Bernard Edwards.

 

[Hamer95USA]

I grew up listening to Chic and when I first started to learn playing funk cover songs, "Good Times", "Le Freak", & "We Are Family" was and is still part of my cover songs repertoire I still play to this day. Nile Rodgers & Bernard Edwards (RIP) showed me that there was a lot more to love & learn in music.

Guitar George

 

[dumbell78]

+A million, Nile is my fav funk player just a badass.

Great stuff! Nile Rodgers is amazing, as was Bernard Edwards.

 

[scelerat]

When I was in fourth grade I thought Madonna was cool. Nile Rodgers has all these super thin plinky guitar parts spattered throughout Like a Virgin, which he produced. Didn't know about Le Freak until later, it was all about KMET and MTV for me.

 

[dunara]

The 'Good Times' vid above was possibly Bernard Edwards' last ever performance. He was dead within days, sadly. Tony Thompson died in 2003 from kidney cancer.
They were the benchmark for funk grooves, but it could all have been so different; Nile and Bernard were much more into heavy rock, but saw disco as a better bet for making a living....

ps - a special mention for Diana Ross's 'I'm coming out'. How many hit productions open with a 30-second drums feature?

 

[chopsley]

ps - a special mention for Diana Ross's 'I'm coming out'. How many hit productions open with a 30-second drums feature?

Yes! That album has some great cuts - "I'm Coming Out", "Upside Down", "My Old Piano."

 

[Poppa Stoppa]

Great grooves! Thanks for posting them.

 

[LIONEL69]

thats funnnnnkay

 

[Jan Folkson]

Amazing guitarist and super nice guy.

 

[Ted Witcher]

Nile, Bernard, and Omar. Can't go wrong with that. Could've left Slash back at the hotel for my taste, but that's okay.

I remember the day Le Freak came home from the record store with my dad. Wore the grooves out of that one.

 

[dunara]

Nile, Bernard, and Omar. Can't go wrong with that.

Looks like Omar; same long face, receding hairline and sledgehammer groove. It is, however, Tony Thompson (RIP).

 

[marcher5877]

Madonna's Like a Virgin is basically a Nile Rogers solo album with Madonna as guest vocalist. I love me some Chic!

 

[Ted Witcher]

Nah, that's Omar. Glasses, braids or dreads he was wearing at the time (can't tell), skinny. I saw Tony in LA a number of years ago and he was really stocky. They do favor one another, though, especially in that picture above.

 

[1kidc]

That's my long-time buddy Bill Holloman on Tenor Sax. Some of you might remember that he played keys & sax on a number of tours with Danny Gatton. I believe he produced one or two of Danny's records as well.

Billy is a road dog - he just played w/ Springsteen @ MSG recently. Not a bad gig... He does losts of jingle work with Nile where he plays all the horns - bone and amazing tpt as well. Plays part-time in Will Lee's Beatles tribute band. He's just a very sick musician and a terrific cat too!

 

[fretless]

The funky as all get out bass playing of Bernard Edwards is probably the number one reason I became a musician. He was a bad mofo. I remember as a kid laying on the floor in front of our home entertainment center (one of those big 60's things) with my ear pressed up against the speakers digging on the groove. As a teenager someone pointed out that it was the bass that I loved hearing so much. Naturally I bought a bass, and it started from there. No bragging, but I have excellent timing and an inate feel for the groove - I credit endless hours of soaking in Bernard Edwards mojo.

 

[jjboogie]

I did a gig in Manhattan a few years ago at BB Kings and right before we hit the stage I was told that Nile Rodgers was in the audience to see our show.

I freaked! Was so self-conscious the entire show!