Funk/Reggae/Soul experts needed

I got made the DJ at my brother's engagement party. My brother and I are German and I know what music will want to make the Germans dance and have that covered. My brother's wife is Canadian-Jamaican and her family and friends are coming as well. She has told me to get hold of some funk, reggae and soul so I can play a mix and sorta do requests 'coz that is what people like.

However, the only funk and raggae bands I know are The Commodores and Bob Marley.

I know there some real music lovers out there. Could you suggest bands for me to look up? I'm not trying to get street cred or play a particularly eclectic collection, I just wanna get the grannies going. Therefore the selection needs to have mainstream appeal.

Over to you guys.

Check The Bright Times Thread

However, the only funk and raggae bands I know are The Commodores and Bob Marley.

for some unknown reason this made me snort like a drain.

I'm really sorry dude - creasing loads here. No snobbery going on at all, would be just the same for me if someone asked me to play a good set of metal.

Best advice would be to find a mate of yours who's into it and try and talk them into doing a spot for you, it's a minefield.

Then again... I suppose there are some classics you could hope to get away with.. whether you can put a set together's a different matter, depends how long it's got to be for.

Cheers guys. I have no aspirations for being a great DJ, I'm just gonna be the guy who will work iTunes. This isn't a gonna be music connoisseur festival - just a party with the main goal of keeping people dancing. The main attraction will be the couple not me.

Ahh.. this'll be fun anyway.....so alright, on the funk front - some mainstream ones that'll get your floor rockin..

"Funkin' For Jamaica" by Tom Browne
"Rock Creek Park" by The Blackbyrds
"It's Your Thing" by the Isley Brothers
"It's A New Day" by James Brown
"Bra" Cymande
"Mama Feelgood" Lyn Collins

anyone else wanna help out?

Pretty much anything by Steel Pulse or Eek-A-Mouse is awesome
"Uptown Top Rankin" by Althea & Donna will get people dancin

Curtis Mayfield! Move on up is a must... Any Motown I'd say would be a winner at an engagement or wedding. Martha Reeves and the Vandella's and such like... James Brown. Edwin Starr, Theres a few to be getting on with...

^I was just thinking steel pulse, birmingham represent blap blap. I like a bit of buju banton, see Driver A. (though I'm no connisseur)

Seriously, Look up the track listings on any Trojan records or Soul Jazz records comp and follow it like the bible. It will give you the answer to all your problems. For real!

reggae wise yeah.. soul and funk gets way off mainstream on Soul Jazz though..

get sum Burning Spear on!
also some UB40
:D

for funk...anything by The Meters is essential, James Brown (album: Dead on the Heavy Funk).

for soul... such a wide range of styles but for dancing you can't go wrong with Motown - there are lots of Mod soul albums about with Isley Brothers, Martha Reeves, Marvin Gaye, Temptations, Jimmy Ruffin. Also get some Northern Soul compilations - the DJ Richard Searling does good selections of floorfillers from Wigan Casino and the Twisted Wheel. Check out Kent Records and Goldmine Records.

for reggae...Depends what style again. I don't know much about modern dancehall stuff but for 60s Ska and Rocksteady look for The Skatalites. Try and get the Trojan Records mod reggae boxset (although trojan stuff is deleted now - pm me and you can ftp the audio files)...

In fact pm me and we can sort out transferring all of it...

the drums at 2:40 should hopefully give some inspiration...
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4G861C3J9ms&feature=related"]YouTube
- Sly & The Family Stone Medley[/ame]

How about some War? "Why can't we be friends" is always a good last song. And lets not forget Toots and the Maytals or the almighty Stax records.

I am laughing so much at this thread! Funniest thing I've ever seen on this site.

"Raggae". Love it!

ehren, they're quite a few folk who do know their black music, but hook up with Multi_Grooves
for all your answers. Which black people dance to funk at a wedding? Lordy.

one of the most racist things ever said on this forum..

BS PJS, I'm referring to Funk music....specifically.

I'd easily have recommended Pistanator or BDW as knowing their black music. I've been here long enough to establish at least that.

But Funk music? Which black people dance to that at a wedding? I've never seen it.

specifically funk - you're right, in fact a lot of the proper funk stuff that goes for loads of money can bore the tits off me. But stuff like "Funkin' For Jamaica" and "Just Kissed My Baby"? Guaranteed dude. besides, fried chicken's folks-in-law seem to have asked for funk and soul...so I was listing a few "classics" cos, like I said, it's a minefield.

And where you wanna start with Reggae? Skinhead? Ska? Dancehall? Rocksteady? I agree, "Uptown Rankin" will fill the floor... now what do you put on next...? Fried chicken might go and buy "300% Dynamite" but he won't have a clue that "Under Me Sleng Teng" will both send the Jamaicans wild and confuse the bejebus out of his own side of the family..... for example..

YouTube - Flash Light (Part 1)- Houston 1978

But, if its the grannies you want dancing I'm guessing its gotta be more ABBA and Elvis than Byrd and Bootsy.

You could try this though YouTube - schoolly d saturday night

ehren, I think you need to define age groups.

Grannies won't get up for newer reggae, but will for Lover's Rock.

ehren, I don't know where you live, but a visit to Dub Records, or Red Records and a request for suggestions, will quickly help you.

reggae wise yeah.. soul and funk gets way off mainstream on Soul Jazz though..

Why does it have to be mainstream?

But Funk music? Which black people dance to that at a wedding? I've never seen it.

Nowadays.. None of em. I'm not sure that most young black kids even know what it is. Shame really.

Hit me up if you need some stuff efc, I've got shitloads of stuff mp3'd that I can stick on a DVD for ya... Soul, funk and ska as well as some cheesy wedding disco stuff...

agood place to start would be to tune in to Craig Charles funk and soul show on 6 music, sat nights 7-9, he plays the whole range from great commercial tunes to the most obscure cult singles. fantastic music all the way.

could also just pick up mix c.ds and get the hard work selecting done for you, tons out there,
one I love is DJ KICKS- DADDY FREDDY, rockin all the way through, make my funk the p-funk, I wants to get funked up.....