I could’ve handled this one as a groove o’ the day, probably, since the variations over the course of the piece are fairly minor, but I felt like writing out the whole thing, and didn’t want to miss any of the fills. The tune is Anti Love Song, by the outrageous Betty Davis (née Mabry), with drumming by Greg Errico, best known for his work with Sly & The Family Stone. His playing here is just what funk is to me:
The 16th notes are swung slightly. There is some very faint ghosting on the snare drum and hihat at various points in the song, which I didn’t write out— there’s not enough audio information to be meaningful, and it’s not especially important. We can assume that some of things he plays as the grooves get busier may be happening inaudibly earlier on. Also see my transcription of Nasty Gal for more Betty Davis, and more of this type of hardcore 70’s funk.
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