John "Jabo" Starks facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John "Jabo" Starks
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | John Henry Starks |
| Born | October 26, 1937 Jackson, Alabama, U.S. |
| Died | May 1, 2018 (aged 80) Mobile, Alabama, U.S. |
| Genres | Funk, blues |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Drums |
| Years active | 1955–2018 |
| Associated acts | James Brown, Bobby Bland, B.B. King, The J.B.'s, Clyde Stubblefield |
John Henry "Jabo" Starks (born October 26, 1937 – died May 1, 2018) was an amazing American drummer. He was famous for playing funk and blues music. Jabo Starks is best known for being a key drummer for the legendary singer James Brown. He also played with other famous musicians like Bobby Bland and B.B. King. Jabo taught himself how to play the drums. He was known for his clear and effective drum patterns. He helped create the sound of funk drumming. Many artists today still use parts of his drum beats in their songs, which is called sampling.
Contents
Life and Career
Early Life and Musical Start
Jabo Starks was born in Jackson, Alabama. He grew up in Mobile, Alabama. When he was in seventh grade, he saw a Mardi Gras parade. The drumbeats really caught his attention. That's when he decided he wanted to be a drummer.
Jabo taught himself how to play. He never had any formal lessons. He said he learned a lot just by listening to music. Early on, he listened to blues music. He was also influenced by the gospel music he heard in church. One of his drumming heroes was Shep Sheppard.
After high school in 1955, Jabo played at the Harlem Duke Social Club. There, he backed up many famous blues and R&B musicians. These included John Lee Hooker and Howlin' Wolf.
Playing with Bobby Bland
In 1959, Jabo Starks joined Bobby Bland's band. He was the youngest member of the group. He learned important lessons from other band members. They taught him how to keep a steady drum rhythm. This helped other musicians play together with the drums. Jabo said this was the best band he ever played with musically.
He stayed with Bobby Bland's band from 1959 to 1965. During this time, he recorded on many of their songs. Some of these hits include "Turn on Your Love Light" and "I Pity the Fool". He also recorded with other artists like Junior Parker.
Drumming with James Brown
In 1965, Jabo Starks joined James Brown's band. From 1965 to 1970, the band had two drummers: Jabo and Clyde Stubblefield. Jabo came from a blues background. Clyde came from a soul and jazz background. They each played solo on songs that fit their style.
Together, Jabo and Clyde created the famous drum patterns for many of James Brown's biggest hits. They helped build the foundation for modern funk drumming. In 1970, Clyde Stubblefield left the band. Jabo continued playing with the group. The band was then known as The J.B.'s.
Jabo, along with bassist Bootsy Collins and guitarist Catfish Collins, formed the band's strong rhythm section. Trombonist Fred Wesley was also part of this group. Jabo toured and recorded with James Brown until 1976. His recordings with Brown include "The Payback" and "Soul Power". He also backed other artists connected to James Brown, like Lyn Collins.
His Impact on Music
Jabo Starks and Clyde Stubblefield are two of the most sampled drummers. This means parts of their drum beats are used in many modern hip hop and R&B songs. Artists like LL Cool J and Kendrick Lamar have used their drum patterns. Jabo felt that artists should at least say where they got the samples from.
Later Career and The Funkmasters
After leaving James Brown's band in the mid-1970s, Jabo joined blues artist B.B. King. Jabo was very good at blues music from his early days. He said that all music, to him, comes from playing the blues. He toured and recorded with B.B. King for six years. He played on albums like Lucille Talks Back.
Jabo and Clyde Stubblefield remained good friends. In 1999, they played together on The J.B.'s album Bring the Funk on Down. The two drummers then started releasing their own music as a duo called the Funkmasters. They released albums like Find the Groove in 2001. They also made an instructional video called Soul of the Funky Drummers. In 2007, they joined Bootsy Collins for a tribute concert for James Brown.
In his later years, Jabo lived in Mobile, Alabama. When he wasn't touring, he played drums five nights a week at a restaurant in Florida. On Sundays, he played at his church in Mobile. He continued performing until March 2018. He said he learned little tricks over the years to keep his drumming skills sharp.
Jabo Starks passed away on May 1, 2018, at his home in Mobile, Alabama. He was 80 years old.
Recognition and Influence
In 2013, Jabo Starks and Clyde Stubblefield received the Yamaha Legacy Award. In 2016, Rolling Stone magazine named them the sixth best drummers of all time. National Public Radio said that the drum patterns Jabo and Clyde created have inspired many artists. Their steady and complex beats are perfect for sampling in hip-hop music.
Bassist Bootsy Collins called Jabo Starks the "steady rock" that he built his bass grooves on. Trombonist Fred Wesley said Jabo was his favorite drummer. He said he could get lost in Jabo's amazing rhythm. Drummer Frank "Kash" Waddy said Jabo was a very disciplined player. He was known for playing very cleanly and directly.
Drummer and journalist Ahmir Thompson said Jabo Starks was James Brown's "most effective drummer." He called Jabo's unique drumming style "eight-on-the-floor." He believes Jabo's drum patterns helped create new music styles like New jack swing.
Jabo's Own Words
Jabo Starks shared his thoughts on drumming in interviews. In 1995, he said: "I'm not trying to outplay anybody else. The only thing I want to do is keep that heartbeat going... the bass player or the guitar player or the horn player could do whatever he wants to do because he knows that that solid foundation is back there behind him."
In 2015, he told Mobile Bay Magazine: "When I'm playing music (...) there ain't nobody in the world higher than I am."
Selected Music
Here are some of the albums Jabo Starks played on:
With The Funkmasters (as co-leader)
- Find the Groove (2001)
- Come Get Summa This (2006)
With The J.B.'s
- Food for Thought (1972)
- Doing It to Death (1973)
- Bring the Funk on Down (1999)
- Superbad – soundtrack (2007)
Instructional Videos
- Soul of the Funky Drummers (1999)
