MUSIC MONDAY: “Keep Dayton Funky: Essential Tracks By Ohio Funk Masters” Playlist (LISTEN)

by Marlon West (FB: marlon.west1 Threads: @stlmarlonwest IG: stlmarlonwest Spotify: marlonwest)

Happy Music Monday, you all. It’s your friend and selector back again with another collection for listening, and this time rump shaking, pleasure.

While Detroit is known as “Hitsville U.S.A.” thanks to Motown, and Memphis is known as the epicenter of “Southern Soul” thanks to Stax Records. Dayton, however, is known as “The Funk Capital of the World.”

When Lakeside dubbed it “The Land of Funk” in its swashbuckling 1980 hit “Fantastic Voyage”, Dayton’s west side was already the birthplace of several of the funkiest groups on the planet.

My lifelong pal, Duane Myers, was the first to hip me to this fact a few years back. He pointed out that Ohio Players, Slave, Faze-O, Heatwave, Lakeside, Shirley Murdock, Zapp, Roger, and others are all from Dayton, Ohio.

This collection features a stable of funk bands whose influence can still be heard in hip-hop, house and other musical forms today.

The Ohio Players, who kicked open the door for them all, have had their tracks sampled or remade by Salt-N-Pepa, Soundgarden, Snoop Dogg, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers to name a few.

They are not alone. 1970s and ‘80s funk is being sampled and provides inspiration for many bands and artists. Please enjoy this playlist for classic funk music from the “Gem City”.  

And as always, stay safe, sane, and kind.