The foundations of funk were laid down in the mid-1960s, when James Brown began to emphasize the first beat of each measure in his stage-tested and frenzy-inducing R&B songs. Before the decade’s end, ...

Instead of emphasizing chord changes and melody, funk accentuated heavily syncopated beats and rhythmic and repetitive bass lines.

When we hear modern music echoing the 1970s, we often describe it as retro. But pulling classic sounds into a new era is easier when the music you borrow from is groundbreaking funk. Funk and soul ...