Trouble Funk: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert
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- Опубліковано 15 лип 2024
- May 30, 2018 | Abby O'Neill -- Go-go - Washington D.C.'s regional twist on funk - reigned in the DMV during the 1980s, and one of the scene's signature acts was Trouble Funk. More than 30 years later, the collective, led by Big Tony Fisher, still fills sold-out venues with heavyweight percussion and call-and-response lyrics. Trouble Funk concerts are bona fide jam sessions, so I was determined to squeeze their unrelenting rhythms behind the Tiny Desk.
With 12 members sandwiched into a cramped space, the electricity was almost tangible as they launched into the 1982 banger "Pump Me Up," a song sampled in Public Enemy's protest anthem "Fight the Power" and M/A/R/R/S's dance classic "Pump Up The Volume." The drum breaks here are definitive go-go and it was hard to discern who was having more fun: the band or the audience. On "Grip It," buoyant and staccato horn melodies propelled the song forward, while "Let's Get Small" featured Trouble Funk's classic call-and-response chants. "Drop the Bomb," another notable gem from their lengthy discography, kept the energy level high and "Don't Touch That Stereo" was all raw, unencumbered funk. To conclude the set, they segued into "E Flat Boogie," their first hit in 1979, with Big Tony's vocals front and center.
While the late Chuck Brown is often acknowledged as the godfather of go-go (and you can see why during his Tiny Desk), Trouble Funk was a key part of the sound's second wave. In a city often interrupted by the transient revolving door of government officials and federal staffers, the funky artform is woven into the fabric of this city and inspires a spirit of dance, rhythm and sheer joy.
SET LIST
"Pump Me Up"
"Grip It"
"Let's Get Small"
"Drop The Bomb"
"It's In The mix" (Don't Touch That Stereo)"
"E-Flat Boogie"
MUSICIANS
Big Tony Fisher (bass), Allyson Johnson (keyboards), James Avery (keyboards), Tony Edwards (drums), Chris Allen (percussion), Larry Blake (percussion), Dean Harris (trumpet), Eric Silvan (saxophone), Paul Phifer (trombone), Derrick Ward (vocals), Keith White (vocals), David Gussom (guitar).
CREDITS
Producers: Abby O'Neill, Morgan Noelle Smith; Creative Director: Bob Boilen; Audio Engineers: Josh Rogosin, James Willetts; Videographers: Morgan Noelle Smith, CJ Riculan, Maia Stern, Dani Lyman; Production Assistant: Joshua Bote; Photo: Eslah Attar/NPR.
Wow, PG County kid who grew up and graduated HS in 84’. Grew up on DC Go-Go. Livin in the South now but haven’t forgotten this awesome music. Folks down here jus’ don know…
was locked up there for a
minute !
For those who grew up with this original DC funk groove, this sound feels like Ballou HS, Haines Point and Ben's Chili Bowl all rolling over your ear hole at once!
like 1970s best BLACK music, for me (Eastern Europe)
Very much go go style like Chuck Brown too
SURSUM CORDA
Highland...6th & Atlantic 😏
@@kay_o5868 yes sir🫡”Summer in the Parks” every hood had a dozen or more “go go” bands
I lived in DC and loved this music! Remember the 'punk/funk' shows? Trouble Funk would play with bands like Discord or The Meat Men. The crowds at those shows were amazing, harmonious and everyone got along and danced together. What a time for music.
Most business's don't even last 40 years...It's Amazing to see them putting down this massive sound 40 years later so perfectly ! That can only mean one thing. This is real music !
Word
Oh yes. I hit DC area in 82 and it was all go...as in Go Go. All the way live. DC people are some of the most real people in the world. Represent Trouble Funk.
WOW!! That horn section!!! I commented once but those horns are cranking!!!!!
Big Lee Yeah!!!
The horns are definitely the butter in these grits!!!
No one is taking bout how the drummer plays effortlessly and the precision of the guitarist.
No doubt. But that's mandatory to play Go Go which you know came from Funk, which means it's tight, syncopated, and in the pocket.
@sona amusan
You can't stop there bro, the whole unit is playing like a well oiled, finely tuned machine!
You are.
Mad pocket
Playing the pocket on drums is harder than fast playing solos. Anyone can have a bad night in a band..... Except the drummer.
Dude on the Drum set back there quietly KILLING it!!! I see you Dawg!
I'll tell Tony Edwards that you gave him props
@@emanon704 tell him he kinda looks like pharoahe monch too
When I was little I used to try and imitate gogo drummers using empty peanut cans and buckets. I got pretty good too.😁 Trouble Funk is untouchable 100%!!!
The D.C. legends are here and they go by the name of Trouble Funk. They are doing a show, and they are tight. I highly recommend seeing them live whenever possible. They still play regularly, and they are amazing. At 25 seconds into this show, they drop the go-go bomb, and it sounds like nothing else. Superb.
Trouble Funk was always my favorite Go-Go Band!! Still doin’ it 40 years later!!
🥁 🎹 🎺 🎤
I'm STILL waiting for the day GoGo becomes a searchable music genre.
OG's of Go Go!
Congratulations to the Audio Engineers: Josh Rogosin and James Willetts!!! Amazing work!
god damn snare drum sounding incredible, WOW
Deserves a trillion views.. such incredible groovetastic magic happening here..
How can you not like Trouble Funk?!!! Go-Go Legends!!!
I have Trouble Funk Album for a lonnnnggg time and still play it out loud up the Mountain Clubs in Switzerland!!! Thanks, looking at this make me very Happy and bring a very big Smile. Much Respect To You All
M
Nice! Kick up your feet, eat some Fondu, and groove in the Alps. Sounds good to me.
Ain't nothing like DC's go-go music. It's our own and unique to the DMV. Listening to Trouble Funk has me thinking of the late great Godfather of go-go, the one and only Mr. Chuck Brown. He is missed so much and his memory along with go-go will live on forever.
Drop Tha Bomb
Drop Tha Bomb
1981 Flavor
Trouble Funk
Rock On
I was at Fort Meade, Md(between DC and Baltimore)1982-83 and fell in love with GO GO music that one year I was stationed there. Was a fan of Trouble Funk.
I'm not even from DC but I always loved GoGo. Its kinda the best kept secret.
I've watched this Trouble Funk video so many times now. I love it every time I watch it. It stays on my playlist. Love Trouble Funk! ❤
Trouble Funk was the first band I heard live growing up in Virginia my mom took me to a festival at the beach. Introduced me to gogo music.
Damn, I'm homesick! I remember when you could open your window on a Saturday morning and just hear this music blasting out of folk's cars and stereos. Very D-M-V.
NPR keep on blessing us ♥
Trouble funk is a REAL truly talented bank.Gotta miss these guys!Rap and jazz mixed with Go Go music,you just cant beat this!I miss this!!They bring back the good ol' days!!When you see people show up and make music right there,you know thats some ****!
WHEN I WAS A KID....I USE TO LISTEN TO TROUBLE PRACTICE IN THE BASEMENT ON LANGSTON PLACE IN SOUTH EAST....HARTFORD ST FOR LIFE
Its crazy how the world, people of various nationalities LOVE funk
Tomax , you are so right! Hi from France!
And from Oz
This white boy has loved funk since I was about 15 , saw P Funk first time at 22 and I’m now 48 and still listening. Yabba Funkin’ On Baby! Stretching out in a rubber band.
Funky compliments from Brazil! I invite you to hear Banda Black Rio. The Maria Fumaça album!
@@stonelenny Ok...going to give it a listen...thanks!!
this play is the NON STOP MUSIC! The wave with beat is continuing, continuing.
"Go-Go" because it goes and goes, once that beat drops it don't stop.
I love Big Tony Fischer and Trouble Funk! This is one of the greatest live performances of all time!
Big Tony is sooooo cool.
Mang, they sound great!!! Big Tony is still holding it down! Big up to the sound engineers, they did their JOB! GRIP IT!!!!
Never heard Go Go till I went to Morgan State University and the students for D. C. would be rocking Go Go. The D.C. girls would go wild when they played Go Go at the parties and I made sure I was right in the middle of them......lol lol
I bet them girls hurt you with them moves.
@@DouglasPendletonintherealms Pleasureable pain. lol lol
I Didn’t hear gogo til I went to Bowie loll same situation
I saw Trouble Funk live many times in the 1980s, and it is a real treat to hear them sounding so good in 2018. Thanks NPR, and congratulations all round.
To be in that room. Wow!!! My behavior probably would be unacceptable. NPR IS THE BOMB. ONE ON ONE WITH SOME OF THE BEST.
unacceptable!!!!! (lemongrab)
Lol Rob Allen i feel ya!
Ha ha, with your unacceptable behavior!
Had to come back and listen one more time
I funk with this so much
Talk about a pleasant surprise! 40 plus years for these guys and still jamming!
BLACK don't crack and neither does their funk!!!!
Sho nuff!!!
Givin the culture vultures something to feed on!
THIS IS TOTALLY INSPRIING!!!! Being a DC native, growing up during that 70's, 80's GO-GO we NEVER imagined it going this far!!!! A lot of people never gave Go-Go a chance, nor the respect it deserved!!! To see it STILL GOING STRONG and more importantly, ACROSS THE POND!!!!!! Words CAN'T EXPRESS it enough!!!!!
A white boy from Beltsville. Go Go music and sports brought everyone together. Almost 60 now & still find a smile when I hear trouble funk.
This is what WE grew up on...the 45 plus crew..(age).....FULL BANDS.!!!!
Preach
I remember when Pump me up with come on at Dominion skating rink in Northern Va and we would all get on the floor.
Y'all had some good music alot of the new stuff based of trouble funk eu and essence I'm 42 but I know where it came
PG County kid who graduated in 84. Used to listen to Go Go all the time. Redds and the Boys, Chuck Brown…old school stuff.
But how you get paid?? 😟
This might be one of the best Tiny Desk ever.
oh, so you haven't seen the Chuck Brown one from a few years ago
Davis Davis I saw it. I loved it. That one is up there in the top 5. This TF one is is great also.
You damn right
@@KJon25 Chuck is the father but this Trouble Funk set was far superior.
I agree but you gotta see Chuck and Rakim 🔥🔥 🔥
I always loved Go Go Music ever since my neighborhood friend Eddie Richardson used to bring it from DC to KC every summer when we were in middle school and high school in the late 70’s and early 80’s! Trouble Funk is killing it!
They flow so seamlessly from song to song!
Absolutely! That's why they call it go - go. it keeps GOing.
Man!!!!!!
I use to play trouble funk so much back in the day (1980)
Glad to see them on Tiny Desk
This group inspired me to play when I was like 3 or 4 years old 1540 AM in RVA! Changed my world and taught to hold that pocket on whatever instrument you played!!
Back in the mid 80’s I saw a show with the Beastie Boys, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Trouble Funk. Trouble Funk blew the doors off the place. When the other bands got inducted into the hall of fame, I just remembered how much better Trouble Funk was. Drop the Bomb!
Thanks for that history and knowledge!
you just droped another one
Wow, and that's when RHCP was still Funky!
theyre better than both of those groups
Thé chili peppers have evolved since the 80s
Ahh yess.....visiting my aunt and cousins in va back in the mid 80's! All I heard was this jam, along with "Let's get small" Chesapeake and Norfolk, good memories!
Aaaah this is heaven
Man! I lived in Baltimore for 3 years and LOVE GO-GO and House music. This was live! ❤️❤️❤️
River Terrace Park in the summertime, the battle of the bands at the Coliseum, Malcolm X Park, The Carter Barron, Masonic Temple, Cap Centre, The Atlas and doing the Happy Feet. Big Tony, Funk, Lil Benny, Sugar Bear and the Godfather himself, Chuck. When Chocolate City was REAL. Great memories.
It was and hasn’t been better
C R A N K I N'.......ITS TROUBLE, ITS TROUBLE..........Trouble Funk still sounds GREAT !!!!
Funk is like Punk Rock, Go-go is like Hardcore Punk. the extension of a base great thing. Thank god for DC music.
What these guys are still out there. I remember them from back in the 80's I'm almost 50 so most of these guys are in the mid 50's to early 60's.
They've had numerous members co m e and go under various circumstances ! Reminds me of James Brown's stage shows 🏆
Yeah but Fat Tony been there from the beginning
Still doing it...yes the band is still alive and well. Big Tony and James "Doc" Avery are the only original members. However; we still tour and perform locally from time to time.
Girl!! Where was they goin'???!!! 😊😊😊
@@carolyndarley1045 Tony doesn't like that... Big Tony!!
Miss DC man and the old culture .
I'm here because of the GoGo special on TV One, I'm from Baltimore and DC is next door, i remember hearing Trouble Funk when I was a little shorty, always liked their music 🎶
My GO-GO FUNK - Heroes of the 80`s !!!
Legends I played their tunes back to back on my decks in da 80-90's.... gonna dig them out again and dust of the 12's.We need A DESK IN THE UK PLEASE? NPR reeeespect
I saw these guys at the old 9:30 club all of 30 years ago, I'm a white guy from Boston and I was blown away. 30 years of Gogo later, still diggin it. RIP Chuck Baby! And...PUMP PUMP PUMP ME UP!!!
Still got it! Classic Music! And live music!
Yes, TROUBLE FUNK, DMV we in the house with GOGO!!!!!! I am going nuts, yes this is so mind blowing. People must understand this is our own sound created in D.C. This is historical, The legendary and iconic TROUBLE FUNK!!!!! FATHER CHUCK BROWN created GOGO music in D.C. GoGo music became the sound track for our lives in DMV. NPR thank you, and you understand your audience!!! TROUBLE FUNK is knocking it out the park as ALWAYS!!!!! I am here in 2019.
SALUTE TO THE DC ICONS Trouble Funk!!!!!
I had a couple of their albums back n tha day. They was funky like a loaded diaper.
Trouble Funk was my favorite Go-go band when coming up, sound as good as ever...
That's hot 40 yrs later Trouble still can Funk it up.
Outstanding,holy funk batman ,there's a fever in the funkhouse..I have an unbreakable smile on face.funk not only moves it also removes,the blahs.Get the funk out my face.this is as it should be.....sho nuff!whew!
I LOVE MY CITY! DC STAND UP! GOGO WILL NEVER DIE! #RIPCHUCKBROWN
The Pure sound of Washington DC ....Right Here!
No doubt se right here
This is to D.C. what Tower Of Power is to Oakland. "Let's drop da Bomb" So good.
Watch the Tower of Power Tiny Desk next my man. They just kill it dead.
Fam, we was bangin to Trouble Funk in Philly too, Pump me up was the SHIT!!!!!!!! DJs was playing that joint at all the block parties, and EU Freeze by Experience Unlimited too. This brings back memories for real tho.
@@jonlindsey4114 VA. Too
Chet Davis (lead guitar) for Trouble Funk was like a father to me growing up. Thanks NPR
One of my all time favorites, still sounding tight as always,proud to say they was apart of my teenage years and now, Salute to Trouble Funk!
I lived in Maryland for two years back in the 80s (I'm from Chicago) and I remember this group and had one of their albums. Go Go is to the east coast what house music is to Chicago.
I"m not from D.C. but best believe we were listening and partying to Trouble Funk back in the 80's in Dallas Texas!!!
👍🏾👍🏾👌🏾
rocking and in the groove ...real sound and musicians
Those horns! I didn't know Go Go 5 mins ago, now I love Go Go. I'd get out of my chair, dance and make a damn fool out of my corny ass.
Trouble Funk!!!! Legends. Still Rocking Drop The Bomb after 30 plus years!!! Timeless.
It's In Da Mix!! It's In Da Mix!!!!
Detroit like that go go especially Chuck Brown! The Godfather of go go!
Who needs coffee when you can have Trouble Funk instead!
Nothing but respect!
Grew up with Trouble Funk! YAY!
Grew up in DC and still have never heard anything close to a GoGo groove. Percussion is untouchable. I cannot not move when that percussion kicks in...and Im a 50 year old white dude! Good Gawd y'all!
💪🏿🎯
My favorite Go Go band since my years in high school!!! They're still doing there thing, and sounding good!!! Thanks for posting.
I love it , wish I was there. Outstanding musicianship!!
Great sound!
You got a good ear Steve.
That bass was killing!! From the slide in at the start, he didnt let up! And the tone was so beautiful!
Man I will never get tired of my African ism styled music. The percussions are like heartbeats! PUMP ME UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This performance was so on point, that pump it up is something you can tear the streets of vice city up to.. Best npr concert
Thanks for the love Rich
@@emanon704 AWW MAN I'M TRIPPED OUT MAN!!!!
This IS perfection. I am so glad y’all captured Trouble Funk, Rare Essence & Chuck Brown’s Tink Desk Concerts. Seriously, shoutout to everyone who made these events possible 🥺💖
How can you not like Trouble Funk? Yeah I'm from Bmore but I appreciate a lil Go-Go myself
I want one of those shirts.
I do love the NPR Tiny Desk Concert series. Kudos to ya'll for bringing diverse acts to perform.
Man oh man am I proud of have grown up in DC and had parents who introduced this REAL music to me. Trouble Funk is one of the best of to ever do it!!!!! This was a phenomenal set
I Love you guys! You lift my spirits every time I listen to The TROUBLE FUNK Band. I’m 58 if not for The Tiny Desk concert, I never would have heard of you. I’m singing and dancing with you.
Crankin like crazy! Trouble funk doesn't get the credit that they deserve and has earned! One of the true pioneers of gogo! First gogo band to do a live album back in the day! That "Trouble Funk live from Washington D.C. was the joint! These guys have toured the world and gave gogo a pathway for the other gogo bands! I salute you for your accomplishments, longevity and most of all your originality!
I appreciate your comment Kevin, history has tended to minimize Trouble Funk's stature in go go, but in truth in the early and mid 80s they were THE dominant go go band in DC. Then they took it worldwide. Unless you lived it, sadly you would never know that now.
Absolute Legends 🤜🏾🤜🏾🤜🏾🤜🏾
C’mon Mann
Back in the day, the only funky radio station I had access to use to play "Drop the Bomb" and "Trouble Funk Express". I only knew "They Don't touch that dial" by Captain Sky and "Work That Sucker To Death" by Xavier. Anyways, they sound great live with all that brass!
I like this: Twenty people on stage, this is idealism and dedication because nobody earns a cent
I like it , I like it , I like it , I really really like it!
Trouble Funk, Classic DC GoGo...... Thank you NPR.
Great that you had them one. Making me homesick. I'll have to check out the Chuck Brown set. Thanks NPR!!!
Tight Af
A very Davis music come on give it to Betty Davis music going to
Saw Trouble Funk in the 80's live in Amsterdam. They gave a three hour monster show! This brings back good memories. Thanks for sharing.