Funk is a distinct style of music originated by African-Americans ,
e.g., James Brown and his band members (especially Maceo and Melvin Parker ), and groups like The Meters .
Funk best can be recognized by its syncopated rhythms; thick bass line (often based on an "on the one" beat);
razor-sharp rhythm guitars; chanted or hollered vocals (as that of Cameo or the Bar-Kays );
strong, rhythm-oriented horn sections ; prominent percussion ; an upbeat attitude; African tones;
danceability; and strong jazz influences (e.g., as in the music of Herbie Hancock , George Duke , Eddie Harris , and others).

Origin of funk

The word "funk," once formally defined as the smell of sexual intercourse, commonly was regarded as coarse or indecent.
African-American musicians originally applied "funk" to music with a slow, mellow groove,
then later with a hard-driving, insistent rhythm because of the word's association with sexual intercourse.
This early form of the music set the pattern for later musicians. The music was slow, sexy, loose, riff -oriented and danceable.
Funky typically described these qualities. In jam sessions, musicians would encourage one
another to "get down" by telling one another, "Now, put some stank ('stink'/funk) on it!"
At least as early as the 1930s, jazz songs carried titles such as Mezz Mezzrow 's Funky Butt.

The word "funk" commonly was regarded as coarse or indecent.
As late as the 1950s and early 1960s, when "funk" and "funky" were used increasingly in the context of soul music,
the terms still were considered indelicate and inappropriate for use in polite company.

The distinctive characteristics of African-American musical expression are rooted in West African musical traditions,
and find their earliest expression in spirituals, work chants/songs, praise shouts, gospel and blues.
In more contemporary music, gospel, blues and blues extensions often flow together seamlessly.
Funky music is an amalgam of soul music soul jazz and R&B .

1970s and P-Funk

In the 1970s , a new group of musicians further developed the "funk rock" approach innovated by Jimi Hendrix .
George Clinton , with his bands Parliament and, later, Funkadelic ,
produced a new kind of funk sound heavily influenced by jazz and psychedelic music .
The two groups had members in common and often are referred to singly as "Parliament-Funkadelic.
" The breakout popularity of Parliament-Funkadelic gave rise to the term " P-Funk ,"
which both referred to the music by George Clinton's bands and defined a new subgenre. yup that is correct readers

"P-funk" also came to mean something in its quintessence, of superior quality, or sui generis ,
as in the lyrics from "P-Funk," a hit single from Parliament's album "Mothership Connection":

"I want the bomb. I want the P-Funk. I want my funk uncut."

The 1970s was probably the era of highest mainstream visibility for funk music.
Other prominent funk bands of the period included Bootsy's Rubber Band , The Meters ,
Ohio Players , The Commodores , War , Kool & the Gang , Confunkshun , Slave , Cameo ,
Midnight Star , The Bar-Kays , Zapp , and many more.

Already, in late 1960s, many jazz musicians — among them Herbie Hancock (with his Headhunters band),
Grover Washington, Jr. , and Cannonball Adderly , Les McCann and Eddie Harris — had begun to combine jazz and funk.
Sometimes this approach is called " jazz-funk ".

Funk music was exported to Africa in the late 1960s ,
and melded with African singing and rhythms to form Afrobeat .
Disco music owed a great deal to funk. Many early disco songs and performers came directly from funk-oriented backgrounds.

Information from Wikipedia