One Nation Under a Groove

Last night I had the opportunity to see George Clinton and the P-Funk All-Stars for the first time at the Cubby Bear across from Wrigley Field. While I have primarily been influenced by classic rock growing up, I have had a soft spot in my heart for R & B and funk from the 60’s and 70’s. There is something about the music and its attitude that speaks to me. With the inauguration of our first black president just days away, the show seemed to take on additional significance. I have never been to a George Clinton/ Parliament / Funkadelic show before so I don’t have any points of reference, but it seemed as though the packed house had an impressive collective bounce in its step. Back in 1993, Clinton put out the single/ EP “Paint the White House Black.” He wrote it at a time when the thought of a black president seemed far-fetched. As I perused the souvenir table, the gentleman behind the counter declared, “get your P-Funk souvenirs, last night of the tour. Next stop, the W...