The Rhythm Method

unk is not an easily defined commodity. Sure, your handy-dandy dictionary may offer a few explanations for funk or funky: “having a musty smell,” “earthy and uncomplicated,” or “relating to music that has an earthy quality reminiscent of the blues.” But do these phrases get anywhere near the crux of the biscuit?

The two latter definitions certainly aren’t wrong, but that “earthy” qualityneeds to be coupled with a danceable beat to qualify as “funk.” Add “sensual” and “syncopated” to our definition, and we’re starting to get a little warmer—though maybe the dictionary would best serve its readers by just reproducing a photo of Nile Rodgers next to the f-word. ® ® ®

When it comes to defining funk rhythms for the guitar, there are several schools of thought: Rodgers’ slick chordmoves, the salty grooves laid down by Funkadelic’s many guitarists (including Tawl Ross and Phelps “Catfish” Collins), the skin-tight chanks of James Brown vet Jimmy
Ex. 1
= 70-90 etc. 1 1 1 2 2 2

Nolen, and Prince’s downright nasty strumming. And these days, funk is almost inescapable—it permeates rock (dig the Red Hot Chili Peppers), folk (check out Ani DiFranco), jazz ( John Scofield), andjam bands (Galactic), and launches all sorts of hyphenated, hybrid musical strains. So if you’re looking to put a little funk in whatever style of music you play, we’re here to throw down a few essential tips on funkification with a little help from Avi Bortnick, who has been working in San Francisco funk bands since the

genre’s late-’70s heyday. Early last year, his profile was raisedconsiderably when he began touring with John Scofield’s band in support of the leader’s groovacious Bump [Verve]. “Initially, I hired Avi to cover the rhythm parts I overdubbed on Bump,” says Scofield, who has never before toured with a rhythm guitarist. “I wasn’t looking for another soloist, but someone who lives in the rhythm guitar world. Avi does—he has that perfect, snapping groove with arelentless pulse, and he’s funky. He also understands how

4 4
T A B

3 3 3

( ) ( )

4 4 4

5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5

6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6

7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8

7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7

6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6HEAVY HITTERS
With funk—as with any other style of music—one of the best ways to develop your craft is to transcribe things off records and figure out what your favorite players are up to. “Even without transcribing, per se,” says Avi Bortnick, “it’s important to listen to records that feature funky rhythm guitar.
•NILE RODGERS :“Rodgers’ flawless rhythm playing gave an immediately identifiablebounce to Chic hits of the 1970s and early ’80s. Most well known is the hit ‘Le Freak,’ on which he employed triads, single-note lines, and double-stops. His feel and direct-to-theboard tone on ‘Le Freak’ are elusive— as evidenced by the difficulty most cover-band guitarists have at truly capturing the supreme groovaciousness of the original track.” •AL MCKAY “Earth, Wind & Fire’s superhappeningAl McKay helped set the standard for what guitar could mean for the groove of a tune. Check out how seamlessly his part locks with the percussion on ‘Getaway’ [from Spirit]. He was also masterful at creating dualguitar funk grooves, as heard on the intro to ‘Shining Star’ [That’s the Way of the World].” •TONY MAIDEN AND AL CINER “With his deep-in-the-pocket rhythms, Tony Maiden had an inspiredfreedom and spirit in his playing. Check out his super-funky

That helps you internalize the sounds, the common voicings and riff vocabulary, the rhythmic feel, and so on.” So who should you listen to? That’s a subjective question. “It’s pointless to try to say who’s ‘the best,’” Bortnick offers. “There are so many great players and several different strains of funk.” Still, you’ve got to start...