ROB FONKSTA BACON - FONKSTA'S GROOVE (PLAYIN' 4 ROGER)
It was the man who discovered gravity, Sir Isaac "Feelin' Heavy Baby" Newton, who famously once said: ‘If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.’
During the intro of Rob Fonksta Bacon’s “Fonksta’s Groove (Playin’ 4 Roger)” featured vocalist T.J. Gibson exclaims “Haaah Yeah!” speaking, it seems, for all of the devoted funkateers that are strutting the planet because from the first notes of the electronic bass & handclap drum program every ounce is bouncin’ - a twist of the tash to the supercharged zapp of the late Roger Troutman’s funk majesty.
As the second release in a series of tributes to the many facets of funk - the first single Cause & E-Funk was an equally monstrous homage to the woo of Bernie Worrell, featuring both Amp Fiddler & The P Funk Horns – Bacon continues to use the classics as a platform from which to view the funk from a new and fresh perspective, teasing the public with another cut from his unreleased labour of love debut, Earth Smells Funny.
Though Fonksta’s Groove (Playin’ 4 Roger) displays Troutman’s trademark talkbox is in full effect (the title itself also a reference to the successful Bacon’s Groove collaborations with west coast G-funk rapper/producer DJ Quik) it's still largely instrumental in form, providing the perfect canvas for Bacon’s expert guitar strokes.
“Most folk think of that “Talkbox” when it comes to Roger,” Says Bacon, taking a brief break from the tour circuit, a day gig that in the last year alone has seen Rob play lead with Chaka Khan, Raphael Saadiq & legendary Prince band The Revolution, “but they forget what a brilliant, inventive & fonky guitarist he was as well.”
Indeed it was Roger himself who highlighted the need for a chunk of maxx axe to give his music its authentic funky bounce.
"Back in the 90's, Roger summoned Quik & myself to his hotel just before a show in California,” remembers Bacon. “After dropping some valuable knowledge to us about life, music and the "Biz", he said ‘Always keep the guitars dancing Rob. People feel good and that’s what makes the Ladies move!"
Just like TJ & Diane “Lady D” Gordon said, “Do it Fonksta. Do it!”