Jam Funk Rock
tagStarted 1989Peak 1994-2004Last big hit still active
Located in 1 route
Extended, improvisation-driven funk rock: elastic slap-bass vamps and clavinet-soaked grooves stretched over long, exploratory jams with wah guitar, organ runs and rolling polyrhythmic drums. Built for live segues and crowd movement, it values pocket, dynamics and spontaneity over tight three-minute songcraft.
History
Rose from the '90s jam-band circuit as groups extended P-Funk and Meters grooves into improvisational sets, led by Galactic's New Orleans funk and the deep-pocket vamps of Soulive and Karl Denson. Festival culture and the Phish-era touring scene sustained it, keeping live funk-rock improvisation thriving into the 2000s.
Defining artists
Essential listening
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jam_band
- https://www.allmusic.com/style/jam-bands-ma0000011919
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galactic