P-FUNK FOREVER! Bernie Worrell, fabulous Funkateer , colorful keyboardist
and founding member of the legendary PARLIAMENT FUNKADELIC made transition this
past Friday at the age of 72. Another great gone on to rest. He was originally
in an old do-wop band. You know the kind back in the day with the slicked-back
hair. The Julliard-trained musician was a master of all keyboards and when he
came to the Mothership, he lit it up with George and Bootsie. Once asked what
he thought of today’s rappers and hip-hop artists, and how they sampled his
music, he said he liked them and didn’t mind them sampling. The main thing that
worried the classically-trained musician was that the artists today DO NOT KNOW
HOW TO READ MUSIC! It bothered him that that DID NOT KNOW CHORDS AND
PROGRESSIONS AND SUCH. Plain fact? They did not know how to create music from scratch. And
he wished to his dying day that they would learn. My take? He thought they
should learn their craft or they be doomed to “sample” until their careers
petered out.
His training sustained him for 50 years. So, it goes without
saying that he knew his craft and was still making music on tour with the
“Masters of Funk.” His last film appearance was in "Ricky and the Flash' with Meryl Streep.
I hope a “Flashlight” led the way home for you. Rest in power,
Bernie.
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