Eddie Bo is rightly regarded as a legend of New Orleans music and one of the key figures in the development of funk. His extensive catalogue has made his name familiar to generations of DJs and collectors.
But Bo’s recording career stretches back considerably further than the funk records for which he would later become so well known. During the 1950s he was already cutting a string of rhythm & blues sides, and one of my favourites from this earlier period is the wonderfully infectious “Hey Bo.”
It’s a bit of a departure from the funkier records I tend to feature on Gazfunk, but that’s part of the reason I’ve chosen it. This is 1950s New Orleans R&B rather than funk, but there’s still a serious groove to it — and, most importantly, it’s a record made for the dancefloor.
Before the Funk
Born Edwin Joseph Bocage in New Orleans in 1930, Eddie Bo came from a musical family and developed his skills as a pianist at an early age. By the 1950s he was part of the city’s thriving rhythm & blues scene, beginning a recording career that would eventually span several decades and a remarkable number of different record labels.
One particularly interesting episode from this early period came with “I’m Wise,” which Bo recorded in 1956. The song was subsequently adapted by Little Richard as “Slippin’ and Slidin’,” with Bo receiving a songwriting credit — an indication of the impact he was already having while still relatively early in his recording career.
Hey Bo
Released on Apollo Records in November 1956, “Hey Bo” appeared on the flip side of “Tell Me Why” as catalogue number 504. It’s an instrumental and, at just over two minutes long, doesn’t waste any time getting down to business.
Driven by piano and that unmistakable New Orleans rhythm, it’s a wonderfully infectious little record. Despite predating the funk era by more than a decade, there’s something about the groove that makes complete sense on a dancefloor.
For me, that’s always more important than trying to fit a record neatly into a particular genre.