Funky Drummer Challenge

Yes, this is a challenge to my fellow bloggers at Plenty o Swords. I want us to engage in an escalating battle of video/ song posts of the funkiest drummers we can find in our vast histories of music loving. Im talking about those funky beats that get you grooving deep in the pocket. I had a few funky numbers in mind, but decided to go with one of the more classic options, Clyde Stubbfield from James Browns outfit in the Sex Machine era. Sex Machine is a great album, and Clydes drumming is so tight with the bass and driving the entire band forward the whole concert.



If you don't want to listen to the entire awesome track, the funky drumming im talking about starts at about 4:30. James Brown was known for being very strict with his band as a conductor, penalizing them for miscues while they rehearsed and demanding perfection with following the vocal instructions he would give to his band, such as his famous "hit me now" for the horns entering throughout this song. Dude was a nasty dancer, and would choreograph the length of his performances by feeling, having the band rehearse his various cues for new sections or harmony. Clyde is another piece to do his bidding, and at 4:30 he instructs the entire band to drop out except for the congo player. He starts chanting over the simple beat, "clap your hands/ stomp your feet.. in the jungle brother". He brings us back to basics, but before long, he quietly looks back and says "clyde", and clyde enters so smooth with his funky ass shit. Then Bootsy joins in, and the song goes to its outro. So nasty.