I like the funk groove. We play funk now, but we have 5 people. It just gets kind of clunky getting 5 people to do one thing. We do ok at it, but I would like to, i.e. all go in one car to a show. Agree on less well paid but close to the heart shows more easily, etc.

I am looking at starting a 3 piece with bass/drums/sax. The sax is the lead singer also. Just think it might be too thin. Guitar seems most versatile for a lead/rhythm instrument. Just trying to formulate ideas.

I'll check it out

Yeah, we have drums/guitar/bass/sax/vox, like I was saying in the other thread. For this band would like keys and trumpet also. Sounds great, but just for practice/booking/ mutual train of thought I am considering down sizing. 3 people just seems so manageable.

I like the Isleys.

Yah, I booked us around here for 3 years until I had the bass player do it. I don't have time or want to listen to his nagging. Now he realizes what I was doing, and that he sucks at it. Oh well, have fun. I still get to play gigs.

We make $300-$700 for most shows.

Any reunion, private party, wedding starts at $800. Usually $1,000 for a wedding.

What I'm saying is I would like to play a local radio station fund raiser for my friend that works there for free every once in a while, but some people are all about the money. We play 2-4 shows a month at $3-700. Not like 1-we'll ever get rich at this 2-throwing in that type of show will hurt us.

I don't want to worry about $ when my good friend has a birthday, I want us to be able to just play him or her.

Good point about the bass and drums. It was a challenge for me to "unbusy" my style when I started playing with people, so the dynamics could be heard better. In a three piece I might be able to be more Mitch Mitchell about it.

I used to like to do a lot of fills, etc. Now I think thats boring if it doesn't lead somewhere.

Enjoying this echange. Seemed like no one was uncool enough to talk for a while. This is why I joined, to get ideas and feedback. I know my opnion well. I like to hear other people's opnions

My favorite drummer is Carter Beauford.

My favorite songs to play are We Want the Funk- P Funk, Hard To Handle- Ottis Redding, Treat me Right- Grace Potter, Lets Straighten it Out- Etta James, Tell me Something Good- Chalka Kahn, Dancing Nancies- Dave Mathews Band, and Cold Sweat- James Brown.

Thanks a bunch! I couldn't watch this video (blocked in the US apparently) but I looked up some other vids on youtube. This is very much the kind of thing I was looking for.

George Michael is the polar opposite of soul.

Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings?

Cake? haha

I'm assuming by the name "Violent & Funky" that you are already familiar with Infectious Grooves. If not, check them out. Incubus' first album, "Fungus Amongus," is a great piece of funk metal. Other bands you might like are Primus (try the albums "Frizzle Fry" and "Sailing the Seas of Cheese" for a funky 3-member outfit), Firehose (also 3 members), Rage Against the Machine, I Mother Earth and Praxis (featuring Bootsy Collins, Bernie Worrell, Buckethead and Brain). I would wait until you dive into Praxis, though. It's some of the strangest music I've ever heard.

This is not a reply to any request, just a general recommendation.

Jarle Bernhoft. A great Norwegian soul/funk artist, a multi-instrumentalist and songwriter with a characteristic voice. He has released one studio album and a double live album as a solo artist. You'll have a hard time finding his albums if you're outside of Norway, but check out his solo album on Spotify. It's actually called Ceramik City Chronicles, but unfortunately mistagged as Ceramic City Chronicles on Spotify.

He's supposedly a great live artist, too, though I can't say that as I haven't seen him. ):

You should try quoting next time. This is difficult to find and I'm lucky to have found it. :)

I'm already a fan of Infectious Grooves, Primus, and Rage. I've heard of Firehose and Praxis, but not I Mother Earth. I'll have to check those bands out...