George Clinton and P-Funk
George Clinton and Parliament/Funkadelic’s One Nation Under a Groove tour landed the P-Funk mothership in Pala, Ca, to connect with the audience at the Starlight Theatre. Clinton, the quintessential maestro of P-funk, started as a member of the 50’s doo-wop group, The Parliaments. Over the next several decades, throughout name and line-up changes, their music continues to attract listeners from all walks of life with their unique blend of Acid Rock, Soul, R&B, and Jazz.
The Starlight theatre erupted when Clinton and P-Funk ferociously kicked off the show with the soulful pounding rap-infused “Get Low” off Funkadelic’s 2014 Shake the Gate album. The dance vibe flowed, and I’m pretty sure the entire crowd was on its feet. The song ended, and drummer Benjamin “Benzel” Cowan banged out the distinct drum beat of Funkadelic’s psychedelic-rock, funk fusion masterpiece “Cosmic Slop.” Guitarist Michael Hampton, A.K.A “Kid Funkadelic,” punctuated the beat with a splintering guitar solo freckled with searing high notes. Garrett Shider, son of late band member Garry Shider(A.K.A. Diaper Man), slipped perfectly into his father’s shoes delivering smooth, soulful vocals effortlessly moving in and out of falsetto. The horn section added a jazz edge to the genre-bending song, which is a testament to their ability to fuse multiple music stylings into exquisite masterpieces.
Saxaphonist/Singer Greg Thomas
Next up, the band played a trio medley starting with Funkadelic’s 1978 release, “One Nation Under a Groove,” off their album of the same name. Shider again took the lead vocals adding his baritone and falsetto on the funky dance classic, which seamlessly flowed into Parliament’s 1977 hit “Flashlight.” Of course, the phones came out on this one filling up the venue with tiny lights. Several singers lent their voices to this fan favorite while veteran bassist Lige Curry kept the funky bass beat. The horn section took turns soloing. Bennie Cowan on Trumpet, Greg Thomas on Sax, and Greg Boyer on Trombone all showed off their expert chops in the higher register with plenty of lip trills and shakes. Last in the medley was Funkadelic’s 1979 “(Not Just) Knee Deep off their 11th studio album Uncle Jam Wants You. Clinton had a little fun on this one growling the line “I ain’t funkin’ witchu,” then handed the mic over to Thomas, who engaged the audience in a call and answer vocalese scat session. Guitarist Hampton dished out more fiery fretwork at the end of the medley, and the horns wrapped it up with an earth-shattering wail.
About midway through the show, several band members illustrated their musical prowess in a round of solos. The drum played a subtle jazzy backbeat on his ride while the guitarists took turns cutting loose, delivering some high voltage licks. They passed the baton to trombonist Boyer who jazzed it up with amazingly smooth voicing and deep growls. He topped things off by balancing his brass on his forehead. Keyboardist Daniel “Danny” Bedrossian was next, keeping with the mellow vibe tickling out some sweet jangly tones. Another bassist Rodney “Skeet” Curtis, who has played with P-Funk since 1977, soloed on his 5-string bass. I was mesmerized by Curtis’ skills as he worked the entire fretboard. Thomas had fun on his sax solo, weaving in a little of the French composer Georges Bizet’s Carmen, a touch of Hava Nagila (Traditional Jewish Wedding Dance Song), and even a little of Mancini’s Pink Panther.
Singer/Guitarist Garrett Shider
Next up was Parliament’s “P-Funk (Wants to Get Funked Up)” off their 1975 Mothership Connection album. They followed with “Up for the Down Stroke.” Thomas wailed on his Sax again, highlighting his excellent chops and delivering some incredible altissimo. George Clinton engaged with the audience, saying, “If you all don’t know the words, you better turn around and ask somebody cause it’s coming up quick.” The crowd answered his call as their collective voice engulfed the venue and beyond.
On their next song, “Mothership Connection,” they added in a little of the African American spiritual song “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot,” first recorded by the Fisk Jubilee Singers in 1909. Naturally, they added their P-Funk flavor delivering a unique and soulful rendition. Completely shifting the mood, the band sprung into a cover of House of Pain’s song “Jump Around.” The whole place was hopping; even 81-year-old Clinton got airborne on this one.
They finished the night with two of their signature songs. First up was Parliament’s first gold single released in 1975, “Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof off the Sucker).” This iconic song has been heard in several movies, television, and commercials and was performed by Clinton and P-Funk in the 1994 film P.C.U. The pumped-up crowd was chanting the lyrics, “We need the funk, We gotta have that funk,” and you know they meant it. The night’s final number was “Atomic Dog,” off the 1982 George Clinton album Computer Games. The track was the P-Funk collective’s last to reach #1 on the U.S. R&B charts. It was the perfect song to wrap up a night of “Funk” excellence.
Clinton revolutionized R&B during the 70s, transforming soul music into funk by adding the influences from acid rock icons like Jimi Hendrix, Frank Zappa, Sly and the Family Stone, and James Brown. He took funk to new heights by blending elements of Jazz, Rock, Pop, Classical, and even Gospel into his productions, creating a style coined” P-Funk.” He started with The Parliaments in 1956, and in 1967 they had a hit with “(I Wanna) Testify.” Over the next few decades, Clinton recorded with Parliament/Funkadelic and the P-Funk All Stars as well as solo recordings. Throughout the 1970s, Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic had over 40 R&B hit singles (including three number ones) and three platinum albums. He continued to record during the ’80s as a solo artist and as P-Funk All-Stars, with several singles charting in the R&B Top 30.
Parliament/Funkadelic
Clinton, along with 15 other members of Parliament and Funkadelic, were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997. In 2019 they were given a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Clinton has produced albums for Bootsy Collins, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and others. In addition, Clinton has worked with Tupac Shakur, Outkast, and Ice Cube and has appeared in several films and on television. Most recently, in 2021, it was announced that the funk legend would receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
I want to acknowledge several exceptionally talented P-Funk musicians who performed at this superb show.
Michael Hampton, A.K.A “Kid Funkadelic” Lead guitar- Joined Parliament Funkadelic in 1973 at the young age of 17.
Rodney “Skeet” Curtis, bass- Joined Parliament/Funkadelic in 1977. He has recorded with Foxy Brown, Nas, and Dr. Dre, among others.
Lige Curry- Bass guitarist, singer/songwriter- Joined Parliament Funkadelic in 1978 as a backup singer and studied under bassist Bootsy Collins, Billy (Bass), Nelson, and Cordell (Boogie) Mosson.
Greg Boyer- Trombone-Joined Parliament/Funkadelic in 1978 at the age of 19. He has recorded with Sheila E, Bootsy Collins, Gap Band, Buddy Guy, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Kid Rock, David Sanborn, and several other notable artists. He also played in Prince’s N.P.G. band for several years.
Greg Thomas- Saxophonist- Has been with George Clinton and P-Funk for over 40 years. He has performed with Lou Rawls, Al Green, Bootsy Collins, The Gap Band, The Spinners, Snoop Dog, and countless others. He is also a Jazz concert producer and was a member of the Jazz Study Group at Columbia University.
Bennie Cowan- Long-time trumpeter for Parliament/Funkadelic
Garrett Shider- Singer, Guitarist- The son of the late Garry Shider(Star Child, Diaper Man), vocalist/guitarist for Parliament/Funkadelic.
Daniel “Danny” Bedrossian-Keyboardist- Began piano classical training at 4 years. Longtime member of Parliament/Funkadelic.
Benjamin “Benzel” Cowan-Drummer-Studied with Dave Weckl, Pat Petrillo, and Steve Smith and was mentored by drummer Dennis Chambers.
To George Clinton and Parliament/ Funkadelic, along with all members past and present, I thank you for the “P-Funk” I also want to thank Pala Casino and the staff for their kind hospitality and for always hosting great music.
Jen B. / BackStage360