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kwassa

(23,340 posts)
Fri Jun 24, 2016, 09:34 PM Jun 2016

Damn. Bernie Worrell just died.

Mr. PFunk and Talking Heads.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/25/arts/music/bernie-worrell-whose-keyboards-left-an-imprint-on-funk-and-hip-hop-dies-at-72.html?_r=0

Bernie Worrell, the keyboardist whose anarchic solos and Moog synthesizer bass lines with Parliament-Funkadelic indelibly changed the sound of funk and hip-hop, died on Friday at his home in Everson, Wash. He was 72.

His wife, Judie Worrell, confirmed his death. He was told in January that he had late-stage lung cancer.

Mr. Worrell was the kind of sideman who is as influential as some bandleaders. A broadly grounded musician, he grew up playing classical piano and was adept at jazz, rock and R&B.

..................................

His stint in the 1970s as keyboardist and music director in groups led by George Clinton — Parliament, Funkadelic and their eventual merged identity of Parliament-Funkadelic, or P-Funk — taught generations of musicians and listeners that synthetic sounds could be earthy and untamed.

Mr. Worrell reached a new audience in the early 1980s as a member of the expanded Talking Heads, whose 1983 tour was documented in Jonathan Demme’s film “Stop Making Sense.” In the 1990s, Mr. Worrell’s synthesizer lines for P-Funk songs were widely recycled as hip-hop tracks, becoming the foundation for the West Coast rap — sometimes called G-Funk — of Snoop Doggy Dogg and Dr. Dre.

Mr. Worrell was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with Parliament-Funkadelic in 1997.


One of his most famous bass lines in songs, and probably my favorite funk tune:



Edit to add: A relatively recent performance



Edit to add:

Listen to the synth lines in this Talking Heads performance. Bernie.


11 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Damn. Bernie Worrell just died. (Original Post) kwassa Jun 2016 OP
This year is really taking its toll on music. missingthebigdog Jun 2016 #1
This message was self-deleted by its author rjsquirrel Jun 2016 #2
Wizard of Woo RIP Person 2713 Jun 2016 #3
... 2naSalit Jun 2016 #4
A great musician--Saw him last with Jon Baptiste on Colbert a couple of weeks ago librechik Jun 2016 #5
He was in my town JustAnotherGen Jun 2016 #6
"Flashlight" has been one of my favorites since I heard it in a jazz dance class in 1978 betsuni Jun 2016 #7
rip Mr. Worrell lovemydog Jun 2016 #8
RIP Mr Worrell The Polack MSgt Jun 2016 #9
Damn. progressoid Jun 2016 #10
STOP IT, 2016!!! THIS IS TOO MUCH!!! Liberal_Stalwart71 Jun 2016 #11

Response to kwassa (Original post)

librechik

(30,790 posts)
5. A great musician--Saw him last with Jon Baptiste on Colbert a couple of weeks ago
Sat Jun 25, 2016, 12:36 AM
Jun 2016

He didn't look well at all--RIP, beautiful one!

betsuni

(27,300 posts)
7. "Flashlight" has been one of my favorites since I heard it in a jazz dance class in 1978
Sat Jun 25, 2016, 06:24 AM
Jun 2016

as a teenager. Love!

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