Professor Longhair - father of funk?

Professor Longhair is still rather unknown and seldom mentioned when truly influential artists or gamechangers are discussed. Of course-among blues scholars he is wellknown and in New Orleans some of his tunes are still massively popular
Longhair didn t make an awful lot of recordings .and often recorded the same song over and over. The best part of the sixties he made a living as a janitor in a recordstore and -as the rumors says-as a gambler.
The point is -that Longhairs style of piano playing, composing and singing -even if it was clearly rooted in earlier artistists - were and still are unique. His rhythm s in many ways predicted the funk that early followers like Allen Toussaint, dr John and others developed. The Meters are one example -there are plenty of others. His delivery also influenced people like Fats Domino whose music in turn was important in early Ska and later reggae . I would go as far as to claim that his way of singing-direct or indirect influenced artists like Elvis Presley.
My point is that-when the truly original and gamnechanging artists are discussed professor Longhair should not be excluded . He is one of the seminal figures in the development of music as we know it today. Listen to records like Big chief or Go to the Mardi Gras for proof.

 

Love Fess he was definitely an original. That funky second line beat was a New Orleans thing. The meeting of African, Latin, Native American and Island influences combined with the French and Anglo instrumentation to make something unique. I don't know that Fess invented it but he did put his own stink on it and release on records.

Like Afro-Pop the combination is powerful.

 

Great New Orleans Professor
I recommend the documentary Piano players.

 

WHO?
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I only have one album by him and that was the one recorded at McCartney's party on the Queen Mary. Good stuff and as you say, his recordings aren't easy to find.

 

The one I have:

'fess - The Professor Longhair Anthology on Rhino. Tis sweet.

 

I can't say if 'Fess is the Father of Funk but I can only second that he was phenomenal. I also second that "Piano Players Rarely Ever Play Together" documentary if you've never seen it.

I saw that Fuel 2000 just released a CD entitled "Sansu Sessions" for him, but apparently it's just a live show (the title implies studio sessions). I also recently picked up a Ric & Ron Records Story (Vol. 1) from Ace UK that has a previously unreleased demo of "Tipitina" on it (recorded in the late 50s).

I think I'll go give Big Chief a spin right now !

 

His best work, at least to my ears, is collected in this Atlantic album:



Most of the tracks are included in the Rhino anthology mentioned in post #6 above.

 

"Tipitina" - Professor Longhair.

 

'Crawfish Fiesta' is also recommended!

pic courtesy of speakerlabfan:

 

Love Fess. I don't know that I'd call him the father of funk. He definitely had that second line rhythm thing going and that rhythm definitely is funky and had an impact on funk. But I don't think second line New Orleans funk is a universal ancestor of funk as a genre. I mean James Brown's music has little to no second line feel in it anywhere.

 

A New Orleans "Supergroup"! Big Chief Live in 1974 with Dr. John, The Meters and Earl King. The entire video is great if you can find it. I had to digitize the out of print Rhino VHS myself.

 

The Rhino collection is a good one. Another good one is a double cd with his complete recordings 1948-1962.

 

love how he made the piano sound like a conga. one of the greats, but funk is james brown.

 

I like his playing and music but this thread is one of a few references I've seen (i.e., Treme) that seem to exaggerate his influence on popular music. He came from and was one small part of a very vibrant and diverse New Orleans music scene. He had a loping rhythm in his playing that is emblematic of his personality but also his background (which is just what good musicians do). That doesn't mean like all funk music wouldn't exist without his two hits or whatever.

 

here's some fess posters I have. I use the tips poster as the background on my phone. my brother got him into the rock and roll hall of fame as an early influence when he was on the committee.

http://rockhall.com/inductees/professor-longhair/bio/

 

Im pretty sure funk would have existed without Professor Longhair. Im also pretty sure his way of syncopation were a huge influence on a generation of players who helors develop funk. That has nothing to do with his two hitrecords norr seeing him play live. Allen Toussaint. Dr John and Art Neville are among those who claimef an almost workship of Longhairs way of playing. Withoyt a doubt those and a few others created music that helped develop funk. The Meters of course but also lot s of other artists . So I stick to mu opnion that Longhair is one of the true innovators/ gamechamgers on music

 

I definitely thought Elvis borrowed from his vocal style when I first picked up a Longhair cd back in the 80's. It sounded just like Elvis!

 

He also recorded under his real name:

"Bald Head" - Roy Byrd.
Lots of info in his Wiki entry.

 

Love Fess, a true original. Don't know who the Fathef Of Funk is, but I'd vote for Eddie Bo! If you aren't familiar with him, 'Check Your Bucket'!

 

Im partial to the record he made with Gatemouth Brown.

 

I'm a huge fan of Fess, and I agree with goombay - Rock n Roll Gumbo is far and away my favorite of his and I have them all. I think his influence on music is giant. Bemagnus is right that he should not be excluded when discussing gamechanging artists. Once I saw Linda Ronstadt on a late night talk show and she went as far as to say that he basically invented rock n roll, when he turned the beat around (or something like that). And thanks Dave for the Nice link. I had only seen that in black and white before. I do a New Orleans music show on the radio, and every time I start with "Tipitina." The weekend before last I saw a great band called Moshka open their set with "Big Chief."

As for the father of funk, I'm with Steve. Eddie Bo.
http://funky16corners.wordpress.com...ts-it-together-behind-his-many-heavy-friends/
I'm so glad I got to see him - one of the greatest days of live music ever for me (4-25-99) started with Eddie Bo, followed by Dr. John, Ray Charles and Fats Domino. And that night I saw the Funky Meters. I was only familiar with a couple of his songs at that time, but I'm still so glad I saw him.

 

Anyone else hear the Fess whistling riff on the Subaru Legacy ad? I think it is a knock off of Fess, just the drums and the whistling.

Can anyone confirm if it is actually Mr Roy Byrd ?

 

He deconstructed Boogie Woogie. A funky Fats Waller.