Jazz Funk · Genres
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What is jazz funk?

Jazz-funk is a sub-genre of jazz music characterized by a strong back beat (groove), electrified sounds, and often, the presence of the first electronic analog synthesizers. The integration of Funk, Soul, and R&B music and styles into jazz resulted in the creation of a genre whose spectrum is indeed quite wide and ranges from strong jazz improvisation to soul, funk or disco with jazz arrangements, jazz riffs, and jazz solos, and sometimes soul vocals.

Artists to start with

  1. Lonnie Liston Smith
  2. Idris Muhammad
  3. O'Donel Levy
  4. The Poets of Rhythm
  5. Lettuce
  6. Ronnie Laws
  7. Light of the World
  8. The New Mastersounds
  9. Corduroy
  10. The Baker Brothers

Albums to hear first

  • Thrust by Herbie HancockThrustHerbie Hancock
  • The Vault - Old Friends 4 Sale by PrinceThe Vault - Old Friends 4 SalePrince
  • Play by Alain CaronPlayAlain Caron
  • Master of the Game by George DukeMaster of the GameGeorge Duke
  • Anthology by Grover Washington, Jr.AnthologyGrover Washington, Jr.
  • Everything Must Go by Steely DanEverything Must GoSteely Dan
  • Visions by Grant GreenVisionsGrant Green
  • Elastic by Joshua RedmanElasticJoshua Redman

Jazz Funk songs

  1. Could Heaven Ever Be Like This by Idris Muhammad
  2. Dominoes by Donald Byrd
  3. Watermelon Man by Herbie Hancock
  4. Lady Day and John Coltrane by Gil Scott-Heron
  5. Save the Children by Gil Scott-Heron
  6. Expansions by Lonnie Liston Smith
  7. Dear Limmertz by Azymuth
  8. Running Away by Roy Ayers
  9. I Thought It Was You by Herbie Hancock
  10. Home Is Where the Hatred Is by Gil Scott-Heron

Jazz Funk on Risocast

  • Masterpiece by Special EFXMasterpieceSpecial EFX · 1999
  • Love Story by O'Donel LevyLove StoryO'Donel Levy

Neighbouring genres

In the soul & r&b family. All genres

alternative r&bdiscocontemporary r&bdeep funkcontemporary gospelfunk rockfuture funkitalo disconu-discouk funkyg-funkblue-eyed soul

Questions

What is jazz funk?
Jazz-funk is a sub-genre of jazz music characterized by a strong back beat (groove), electrified sounds, and often, the presence of the first electronic analog synthesizers. The integration of Funk, Soul, and R&B music and styles into jazz resulted in the creation of a genre whose spectrum is indeed quite wide and ranges from strong jazz improvisation to soul, funk or disco with jazz arrangements, jazz riffs, and jazz solos, and sometimes soul vocals.
Who are the best-known jazz funk artists?
By Last.fm listening: Lonnie Liston Smith, Idris Muhammad, O'Donel Levy, The Poets of Rhythm, Lettuce and Ronnie Laws.
What genres are similar to jazz funk?
On Risocast it sits with alternative r&b, disco, contemporary r&b, deep funk, contemporary gospel and funk rock.

Risocast is free. Install it once and it logs everything you play.

Download for WindowsFree · v4.0.9Open RisocastRight here · Spotify or Last.fm

Updated 6 October 2026

Risocast Help

A music log that fills itself in. It records the songs you play on your computer and your phone, turns them into your top songs, stats and a public profile, and finds people whose taste overlaps with yours.

Yes. The app and the website are free.

A song counts once half of it has played, or four minutes — whichever comes first. Songs of 30 seconds or less, and videos or podcasts over 20 minutes, never count.

On Windows, anything that shows up in Windows' media controls: Spotify, YouTube Music, Apple Music, Deezer, browsers, foobar2000, Windows Media Player and more (VLC, iTunes and MusicBee through their free media-controls plugin). On Android, any music app — it reads the same now-playing info your lock screen shows. You can also connect Spotify or import from Last.fm.

Yes. Plays are counted on your device and sent when you're back online, and the phone app opens without a connection.

It does the same core job — scrobbling, automatically — without plugins per player, and adds taste matching: see who listens like you and how much your taste overlaps.

Your profile and listening are public so people with similar taste can find you, unless you make your profile private (then only your buddies see it); your email never is. Nothing is sold and there are no ads; anonymous usage analytics (Microsoft Clarity, Google Analytics) show what to improve. See the privacy policy for the details.

More in Help, the guides and the privacy policy.

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A small player that sits in your tray, writes down every song you play, and shows you who listens like you.

243 songs logged today

Download for WindowsFree · v4.0.9Open RisocastRight here · Spotify or Last.fm

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How logging works

On Windows, Risocast reads the system media controls, so any player counts: Spotify, YouTube Music, Apple Music, Deezer, browsers, foobar2000. No plugins.

On Android the app reads what any music app is playing (it's coming to Google Play). Anywhere else, connect Spotify or a Last.fm username.

When a song countsAfter half its length, or four minutes, whichever comes first.Tracks under 30 seconds are ignored.Offline plays are counted on the device and sent later.

More on automatic logging · Risocast vs Last.fm

Taste twins

See how much your taste overlaps with anyone's, and find the people who listen most like you. The match comes from what you both actually play, not a list of favourites.

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How the match works

Weekly Disc and Taste Map

Every week becomes a disc of your top songs. Every record you play goes on a map, grouped by genre.

Weekly DiscTaste Map

Real ones, from the maker's own listening.

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Risocast is free for Windows 10 and 11. Android is coming to Google Play; on any other device, use the web app with Spotify or Last.fm.

Download for WindowsFree · v4.0.9Open RisocastRight here · Spotify or Last.fm
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