Artist	Song
The James Gang	Funk #48
Blues Traveler	Escaping
Desert Rose Band	In Another Lifetime
Warren Haynes	Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye
Jimmy Rip	Cold Comfort
Edwin McCain	Alive
Blood Oranges	Shadows of You
The Brandos	Light of Day
The Black Crowes	Kicking My Heart Around
R.E.M.	Crush With Eyeliner
Lightning Hopkins	Mojo Hand
Maria Muldaur	Louisiana Love Call
Robert Palmer	Sneakin' Sally Through The Alley
Dwight Yoakam	Truckin'
Christy McWilson	Someday
Gregg Allman	Rendezvous With The Blues
The James Gang	Funk #49

Comment:

The James Gang was a unit that began in the '60s in Cleveland, Ohio, and their second album Rides Again featured the Funks #48 and 49 found on this mix. After playing that album recently, I began to think about those songs and whether or not they fit the description of "funk music," unclear as that may be. Funk, as I understand it, relies on vamps and a strong rhythmic groove rather than melody and harmony and often is based upon a single chord rather than traditional chord changes. By this description, the songs of The James Gang hardly qualify.

Funk rock, on the other hand, is a different animal, where the guitars may be influenced by both funk and rock while the rhythm section remains funk-oriented. This is much closer to how the James Gang played.

Of course, the early meaning of funk referred to sexual intercourse, particularly the odor of the act. The hard-driving, insistent rhythms of the music became associative with sex, or vice-versa. At any rate, this mix was built around the funk of the James Gang and other tracks that seemed to fit the feel and mood. Funk music or not, you can always get down to it.
Quiz: For a copy of the mix delivered to your door, answer the following: We all should know that Joe Walsh (Eagles) was the primary guitarist for The James Gang. But others who played in well-known groups were James Gang guitarists at one time or another. Three come to mind. Name two of them and the other bands they were in.

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