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, ...

As funk music evolved in 1969, the genre continued its blend of R&B, soul, jazz, and blues. But instead of emphasizing chord changes and melody, funk accentuated heavily syncopated beats and rhythmic ...