If James Brown was the godfather of soul, then Sly Stone was the wayward genius of a younger brother who followed him into the family trade.

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Sly & The Family Stone were never funkier than on this tune, with Larry Graham’s bass to the forefront of Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin).

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El Michels Affair make impeccably crafted cinematic instrumentals recreating the sound of late-Sixties and early-Seventies funk and soul.

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This funky deep cut comes from one of those niche soul compilations, called Carolina Funk: Funk 45s From The Atlantic Coast. It’s the only known release by Gamith.

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Here is a sultry slice of funk, driven by a killer bassline, with the sweet sibling vocals of The Pointer Sisters from their third album Steppin’ back in 1975.

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I’ve never been a jazz-funk fan and the vibraphone would be very low on my list of favourite instruments, ranking alongside the flute and just above the ukelele. But I’d have to make an exception for Roy Ayers.

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Brass Construction burst out of Brooklyn in the wake of B.T. Express with a similar recipe of supercharged funk with horns blowing up a storm.

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The late Sixties and early Seventies were incendiary times in politics and music – reflected in the fiery brass sections of funk bands like Tower Of Power.

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B.T. Express were pioneers of the funky early-1970s Brooklyn Sound with their proto-disco classic Express.

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Betty Davis is so hot you might need to stand back. And so is the funky groove of Your Mama Wants Ya Back.

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