In his book
Groove Theory: The Blues Foundation of Funk, Tony Bolden explores the physical, aural, and spiritual roots of funk music. Drawing connections from jazz, literature, and political movements and thought, Bolden makes the case that funk isn’t just about music, but about a larger feeling and language in Black music and culture. He covers not just the history of funk music, but also devotes some chapters to artists like Sly Stone, Betty Davis, and Chaka Khan, weaving in how race, commercial pressures, and gender played a role in their musical legacies. The undercurrent of funk and funkiness whether that’s defined as music, feeling, language, action, or simply a way a being rests in the blues, Bolden explains: “the blues and funk are not just musical forms; they are interrelated concepts.”