Weekly Review
By Aaris A. Schroeder
Editor-In-Chief
Go-go music came to Sacramento August 16 via Rick Famous at his venue Listener’s Lounge at Japanese Restaurant, Kamon’s [2210 16th St.], an underground weekly that has been steadily growing in attendance. What is go-go music may you ask? Go-go is a subgenre of funk that originated in Washington D.C. in the mid to late ‘70s and much of the genius came from a man named Chuck Brown.
Go-go is familiarized by a strong bass/snare pattern or more technically a dotted rhythm that made up of series of quarter and eighth notes. The music includes a DJ, conga drums, timbale and cowbells. You can hear this sound in Rare Essence’s song, “Jungle Boogie.”
and Cutty Dre [Go-Go Producer & Emcee] — Photo By Venessa Amarro”]![Rick Famous [Host] and Cutty Dre [Go-Go Producer & Emcee] -- Photo By Venessa Amarro](https://i0.wp.com/ubomag.net/files/2009/09/cutty-dre-go-go.jpg?resize=300%2C225 "Cutty Dre - Go Go")
Kutty Dre, who has lived in Washington D.C. since he was four-years-old brings go-go music alive in Sacramento, explaining that the roots of go-go are African-Cuban music infused with rock; party music with percussion. He says that the first go-go bands were known as junk yard bands as underground rock bands are known as garage bands. Kutty-Dre’s background in music stretches from James Brown to Earth, Wind and Fire and, of course Chuck Brown. His father was a radio executive for WPGC in Washington when he was growing up; always around music. Cutty Dre was relocated to Sacramento in ’94 and attended Valley High School, graduating in ’95 and attended Cosumnes River College for Studio Engineering.
“Go-go is ever evolving, it is its own genre,” explains Kutty-Dre who says that rapper Nelly sampled a Chuck Brown song for his hit, “Hot in Here.”
