98% Funky Stuff

Maceo Parker became the linchpin of James Brown’s band when he and his brother Melvin joined the Hardest Working Man in Show Business in 1964. His signature style helped define Brown’s brand of funk, and the phrase “Maceo, I want you to blow!” became part of the lexicon of black music. He took time off from Brown’s band to play with George Clinton’s P-Funk collective; he also formed his own group, Maceo and All the King’s Men, whose records are cult favorites among funk aficionados. Prince refers to him as “The Teacher,” and Maceo has put his musical autograph on a huge variety of recordings. His music remains a major source of inspiration from jazz to hip-hop.

Here Maceo tells his own warm and astonishing story, from his Southern upbringing to his career touring the world and playing to adoring fans. Maceo coined the phrase “2% jazz, 98% funky stuff” to describe his live shows. Celebrating seventy years on Planet Groove and close to sixty on the road, here is the definitive story of one of the funkiest musicians alive.