How does one define funk? It's nearly impossible to do. More a feeling or emotion than an ascertainable concept, funk is vague by definition. Nevertheless, funk is an essential part of 20th century music, from funky blues to funky jazz, from '70s disco to today's hip-hop.

But there are a number of musicians who, if you ask them what they play, reply simply, "Funk." These bands and the music they play are the definition of funk, and this collection of records represents the work they've done to define a musical genre.

1. James Brown -- Revolution of the Mind, Live at the Apollo Vol. III (Polydor) Although billed as a soul singer, few would dispute James Brown's importance to funk. His band, led by trombonist Fred Wesley, himself a star in the world of funk, provided much more than back up for Brown's vocal stylings as evidenced by the 13 minute vamp of "Make It Funky." Guitarist Hearlon "Cheese" Martin's rhythmic riffing still defines funk guitar, and his break on "Sex Machine" is on the one.

2. The Meters -- Funkify Your Life (Rhino) (2 cd's) This exceptional 2 disc collection contains Meters material from their entire history prior to a 1977 split including all the Josie singles from the late '60s, the funky instrumentals that are among the most influential to the genre of funk. Born in New Orleans and nurtured on the funky back-beats of jazz and brass bands, the Meters hold an in-the-pocket groove like no other. "Cissy Strut" made it as high as #4 on the Billboard R&B charts and remains a funk anthem for bands today. Zigaboo Modeliste is considered by many to be the definitive funk drummer, and that combined with the gaping holes in the Meters material established them as one of the most important and influential bands in the past and present history of funk.

3. Parliament -- Motor-Booty Affair (Casablanca/Polygram) George Clinton's promise for an underwater concert was never fulfilled, but the record that inspired the idea is the next best thing. Never too political or even serious, Parliament stuck to Clinton's maxim of "fun with a 'k'," and the feeling is contagious. The character Sir Nose D'Voidoffunk resurfaces and the denizens of Downtown Atlantis are committed to making him dance regardless of his resistance; try to keep your booty from shaking while listening. "Liquid Sunshine" is the most psychedelic funk song of all time, and as a whole Motor-Booty Affair is as deep as they come.

4. Herbie Hancock -- Head Hunters (Columbia) What is the best selling jazz record of all time doing on an essential funk list? One listen to "Chameleon" will provide the answer. This record was entirely new to the jazz world upon it's release in 1974, moving away from the dense bop and post-bop that proceeded it. Head Hunters has a lot of open space, and made no qualms about the use of electric instruments to propel the funk anthems "Chameleon" and "Watermelon Man," currently enjoying a rebirth in the samples of today's hip-hoppers.

5. Funkadelic -- Music For Your Mother (Westbound) This two disc anthology is a collection of all Funkadelic singles and b-sides recorded between 1969 and 1976, and should be required listening to any Funkateer. Included on the anthology is the previously unreleased and reverb-infused "As Good As I Can Feel," which may only have missed the press because it was ahead of it's funky time. "Loose Booty" describe the funky foibles of heroin junkies, and along with "Funky Dollar Bill" showcase two of the rare socio-political statements of the P-Funk mob, albeit vague ones. "Stuffs And Things," is just funkin' for fun, and damn funky at that.

6. Sly and the Family Stone -- Stand! (Epic) Decidedly more political than P-Funk (and a few years their senior), Sly and the Family Stone advocated racial equality, self-reliance, and pride. Anthems like "Don't Call Me Nigger, Whitey," "You Can Make It If You Try," and "Everyday People" attest to the band's message, and the whole record establishes the band's place in the history of funk. The instrumental "Sex Machine," clocking in at just under 14 minutes, has all the classic funk elements -- solid beat, heavy bass, talk-box and fuzz guitar, and an irresistible groove. The cut ends with the band laughing, "We blew your mind on that one," perhaps the most true statement ever recorded.

7. James Brown-- The Payback (Polydor) The title track of this record is one of the more well known in the world of funk, and with good reason. The Payback would be worth the price of the record for the one song, but with the exception of two R&B-ish tracks, this is a great collection of deep funk. Recorded only months after the death of James Brown's son Teddy, "The Payback" is an angry song, uncommon to funk, but the hard edge works perfectly. Fred Thomas' bass gives the song plenty of bottom, and the tandem guitar work of Healon "Cheese" Martin and Jimmy Nolen is as slick as Brown's lyric, "I don't know karate, but I know ca-razy."

8. Curtis Mayfield -- Superfly (Curtom) Like Sly and the Family Stone, Curtis Mayfield's message was as important as his music. Superfly, the soundtrack to the Blaxplotation film of the same name, accounts the difficult life of inner-city blacks in the early '70s, forced into a life of drugs and dealing by "the man." But the music Mayfield put around his message was pure funk, the best of which on Superfly is the bongos, deep bass, and wah guitar of "Pusherman."

9. Kool and the Gang -- Best Of (Polydor) Before getting caught up in the disco of the late '70s, Kool and the Gang put out some record cerified gold uncut funk tracks. "Jungle Boogie" and "Funky Stuff" are two of the funkiest songs pressed onto vinyl. Kool's bass and Funky George's drums drive the songs, with electric piano, horns, and riffing guitar accenting the groove. Recently the deep funk of "Jungle Boogie" resurfaced as one of the opening tracks of "Pulp Fiction."

10. Booker T. and the MG's -- The Very Best Of (Rhino) There is no doubting this Memphis-based Stax band's influence on the world of funk. "Green Onions" is an organ funk stand-by, and this collection of instrumentals the band recorded from 1962 and 1971 is a good survey of the 'Memphis Sound' Booker T. and the MG's defined. The band had great success reworking covers of popular songs, as is evidenced on this collection by The Rascal's "Groovin'" and Simon and Garfunkel's "Mrs. Robinson."

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