Aggregators, connectors , samplers, grooves, licks and threads! What does it all mean? It means that Nile Rodgers guitar playing launched HIP HOP into the New York Underground.
Well, here at last its the post we`ve all been waiting for. It`s the behemoth of influential guitar-production groove genius that is Nile Rodgers!
I`ve previously mentioned the sheer genius of the Sesame Street Band! Well Nile started off there when he was a teenager, moving to the house band at the Apollo theatre – he was therefore always destined for great things. IN the mid 70`s being black meant Nile struggled to get a deal playing rock but in 1977 he put together the band Chic. The songs “Everybody Dance,” “Le Freak,” and “Good Times” are some of the most sampled records EVER and have formed the scratching backbone of a limitless number of electro, breakdance and hip-hop records. If you`re hearing any early DJ scratching and the hook sounds familiar it`s most likely something from Nile`s band Chic.
Yeah! The original Hip Hop opus “Rapper’s Delight” by The Sugarhill Gang and “Another One Bites the Dust” by rock megalith Queen are built on samples lifted from Nile`s Good Times. To say that Rodger’s guitar prowess & playing was understatedly, groovy, tight, and precise would be down playing it somewhat and to say that his production skills weren’t astronomical would be madness.
What`s important with Nile`s guitar playing is the fact that such an economical and rhythmic guitar contribution to these records proves so fundamental, so invigorating and at the same time such a propellant. It`s almost as though he`s playing inside stereophonic area of drums and the beats. It just goes to show that to be a guitarist you dont have to play blues, or rock, you just have to do what`s right at the time and again. Less is so often more….
Here is Nile proving exactly what a Stratocaster`s for, why he`s a living legend, how to play with an infectious groove and exactly how to get so much out of so little – MAN! he makes it look soooooo easy….this is so groovy you can hear the bass and drums and they aren`t even there.
FRESH FRESH FRESH!
The Breaks!
Cheers,
Jake Edwards.
