John Starks (drummer)
Encyclopedia
John "Jabo" Starks is an American
funk
and blues
drummer
. He is best known for playing with James Brown
. Starks played on many of Brown's biggest hits
, either as the sole drummer or in tandem with Clyde Stubblefield
, including "The Payback", "Sex Machine", "Super Bad
", and "Talking Loud and Saying Nothing". He has also backed many of the artists produced or managed by Brown, most notably Lyn Collins
, The JBs, and Bobby Byrd
. Along with his colleague Stubblefield, Starks ranks as one of the most sampled
drummers on contemporary hip hop
and R&B
recordings.
In his long career, Starks has played with a number of major figures of the blues, including Bobby Blue Bland and B.B. King. Starks appeared on some of Bland's most successful records, among them "I Pity the Fool
" (1961), "Turn On Your Lovelight" and "Stormy Monday Blues". He has continued to work with Stubblefield, with whom he recorded an instructional video and a recent CD as The Funkmasters.
Starks lives in Mobile, Alabama
and performs in Grayton Beach, Florida
. When not touring or recording, he performs five nights a week at the Picolo Restaurant and Red Bar, a local restaurant.
Starks and Stubblefield joined Bootsy Collins
in Covington, Kentucky
on the 22 December 2007 for the first tribute concert for James Brown.
More recently he and Stubblefield completed a CD with Fred Wesley
, which was released in 2008 by Columbia Entertainment Music, Inc. in Tokyo
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
and blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
. He is best known for playing with James Brown
James Brown
James Joseph Brown was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and recording artist. He is the originator of Funk and is recognized as a major figure in the 20th century popular music for both his vocals and dancing. He has been referred to as "The Godfather of Soul," "Mr...
. Starks played on many of Brown's biggest hits
Hit record
A hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
, either as the sole drummer or in tandem with Clyde Stubblefield
Clyde Stubblefield
Clyde Stubblefield is a drummer best known for his work with James Brown.Stubblefield's recordings with James Brown are considered to be some of the standard-bearers for funk drumming, including the singles "Cold Sweat", "There Was A Time", "I Got The Feelin'", "Say It Loud - I'm Black and I'm...
, including "The Payback", "Sex Machine", "Super Bad
Super Bad (song)
"Super Bad" is a 1970 James Brown song. Originally released as a three-part single, it went to number one on the soul singles chart and number 13 on the Hot 100....
", and "Talking Loud and Saying Nothing". He has also backed many of the artists produced or managed by Brown, most notably Lyn Collins
Lyn Collins
Lyn Collins was an African American soul singer best known for working with James Brown in the 1970s. Contrary to some reports, she is not related to Bootsy Collins, nor Catfish Collins....
, The JBs, and Bobby Byrd
Bobby Byrd
Bobby Byrd born Robert Howard Byrd was an American funk/soul/R&B/gospel musician, songwriter and record producer. He was born in Toccoa, Georgia, and is a 1998 winner of the Rhythm and Blues Foundation's prestigious Pioneer Award...
. Along with his colleague Stubblefield, Starks ranks as one of the most sampled
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
drummers on contemporary hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
and R&B
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
recordings.
In his long career, Starks has played with a number of major figures of the blues, including Bobby Blue Bland and B.B. King. Starks appeared on some of Bland's most successful records, among them "I Pity the Fool
I Pity the Fool
"I Pity the Fool" is a song originally recorded by Bobby Bland in 1961 for Duke Records. The song was credited to Deadric Malone, a pseudonym of Duke Records owner Don Robey...
" (1961), "Turn On Your Lovelight" and "Stormy Monday Blues". He has continued to work with Stubblefield, with whom he recorded an instructional video and a recent CD as The Funkmasters.
Starks lives in Mobile, Alabama
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
and performs in Grayton Beach, Florida
Grayton Beach, Florida
Grayton Beach is a small, historic beach village on the Florida Panhandle Gulf coast halfway between Destin and Panama City in Walton County and adjacent to Grayton Beach State Park...
. When not touring or recording, he performs five nights a week at the Picolo Restaurant and Red Bar, a local restaurant.
Starks and Stubblefield joined Bootsy Collins
Bootsy Collins
William Earl "Bootsy" Collins is an American funk bassist, singer, and songwriter.Rising to prominence with James Brown in the late 1960s, and with Parliament-Funkadelic in the '70s, Collins's driving bass guitar and humorous vocals established him as one of the leading names in funk...
in Covington, Kentucky
Covington, Kentucky
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 43,370 people, 18,257 households, and 10,132 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,301.3 people per square mile . There were 20,448 housing units at an average density of 1,556.5 per square mile...
on the 22 December 2007 for the first tribute concert for James Brown.
More recently he and Stubblefield completed a CD with Fred Wesley
Fred Wesley
Fred Wesley is an American jazz and funk trombonist, best known for his work with James Brown in the 1960s and 1970s.-Biography:...
, which was released in 2008 by Columbia Entertainment Music, Inc. in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
.
External links
- The Funkmasters - Jabo's band with Clyde Stubblefield
- Drummerworld: John Jabo Starks - includes sound and video clips.
- John Jabo Starks and Clyde Stubblefield - Meinl Cymbals page