The History of Drum & Bass – 1966 – Breakbeat Origins
Before we look at the story of the rise of drum and bass, let’s take an in-depth look at those breaks that made the whole thing possible - tiny little 1 and 2 bar snippets of sound that when captured correctly and looped or chopped, create a whole track within a track, building the foundations for a digital rhythm section within a piece of music.
If it wasn’t for the band musicians and session drummers inventing some of these beats way back in the annals of music history, we wouldn’t even have a drum and bass scene, because without these beats and the people who first thought to sample them, we wouldn’t have had hip-hop, breakbeat hardcore, or jungle, so this seems like the perfect way to start this journey, by paying all due respects to the people behind the beats!
Listening to the beats in their contemporary context and then in their separate sample loops (where available) will help you identify them in our year by year sections later on.
We will add to this section as and when we find more of these classic recordings.
Clyde Stubblefield - James Brown Band
Jim Gordon - The Incredible Bongo Band
1966
Joe Tex - Papa Was Too
Joe Tex - Papa Was Too Breakbeat
Tommy Roe - Sweet Pea
Tommy Roe - Sweet Pea Breakbeat
Lee Dorsey - Get Out Of My Life Woman
Lee Dorsey - Get Out Of My Life Woman Breakbeat
1967
Lou Donaldson - Ode To Billie Joe
Lou Donaldson - Ode To Billie Joe Breakbeat
James Brown - Cold Sweat Parts 1 & 2
James Brown - Cold Sweat Parts 1 & 2 Breakbeat
1968
Marva Whitney - Unwind Yourself
Marva Whitney - Unwind Yourself Breakbeat
Mel Brown - Swamp Fever
Nat Adderley - New Orleans
Nat Adderley - New Orleans Breakbeat
James Brown - Tighten Up
James Brown - Tighten Up Breakbeat
Sly & The Family Stone - Sing A Simple Song
Sly & The Family Stone - Sing A Simple Song Breakbeat
Rotary Connection - Life Could
Rotary Connection - Life Could Breakbeat
Five Stairsteps & Cubie – Don't Change Your Love
Five Stairsteps & Cubie – Don't Change Your Love Breakbeat
1969
James Brown - Soul Pride Parts 1 & 2
James Brown - Soul Pride Parts 1 & 2 Breakbeat
The Isley Brothers - Get Into Something
The Isley Brothers - Get Into Something Breakbeat #1
The Isley Brothers - Get Into Something Breakbeat #2
Kool & The Gang - Cool Breeze
Kool & The Gang - Cool Breeze Breakbeat
Ike Turner and The Kings Of Rhythm - Funky Mule
Ike Turner and The Kings Of Rhythm - Funky Mule Breakbeat
The Winstons - Amen Brother
The Winstons - Amen Brother Breakbeat
Dyke and The Blazers - Let A Woman Be A Woman
Dyke and The Blazers - Let A Woman Be A Woman Breakbeat
Lucille Brown and Billy Clark - Both Eyes Open
Lucille Brown and Billy Clark - Both Eyes Open Breakbeat
1970
James Brown - Funky Drummer Parts 1 and 2
James Brown - Funky Drummer Parts 1 and 2 Breakbeat
1971
Johnny Pate - You're Starting Too Fast
Johnny Pate - You're Starting Too Fast Breakbeat
Funk Inc - Kool Is Back
Funk Inc - Kool Is Back Breakbeat
The Beginning Of The End - Funky Nassau
The Beginning Of The End - Funky Nassau Breakbeat
Young Holt Unlimited - Wah Wah Wah
Young Holt Unlimited - Wah Wah Wah Breakbeat
Bobby Byrd - Hot Pants (I'm Coming)
Bobby Byrd - Hot Pants (I'm Coming) Breakbeat
The 5th Dimension - The Rainmaker
The 5th Dimension - The Rainmaker Breakbeat
Dennis Coffey & The Detroit Guitar Band - Scorpio
Dennis Coffey & The Detroit Guitar Band - Scorpio Breakbeat
1972
Lyn Collins - Think (About It)
Lyn Collins - Think (About It) Breakbeat #1
Lyn Collins - Think (About It) Breakbeat #2
The Incredible Bongo Band - Apache
The Incredible Bongo Band - Apache Breakbeat
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-fJLVH8_Es&list=RD0-fJLVH8_Es&start_radio=1

