1978, a group called CHIC. We have five members of this group on stage, defining the new sound that will be repeated countless times. It's a true revolution. Nile Rodgers, the guitarist without glasses, had mastered a rhythmic technique that consisted of strumming his strings between the notes. The innovation was to do it consistently, without the slightest mistake. This is called "chucking." And bassist Bernard Edwards (at the very left) brought the bass to the forefront with an impossible-to-ignore melodic line. Drummer Tony Thompson used the cymbals with the intention of supporting the bass without overshadowing it. Luci Martin, dressed in grey top, and Alfa Anderson added high vocals capable of maintaining an electric atmosphere. They don't know it yet, but they are ushering in a new decade. They are pioneers with a funk that doesn't yet have a name. The keyboards and violins of disco are still there, but as embellishments. Finally, they opted for a chic look! It's a nod to their stripped-down music, and let's be clear, they present a distinguished image to Black artists. Elegance, class, and this bassist (Bernard Edwards) is going to be copied all over the world.
I dare say that only Black musicians could have imposed this distinctly African aesthetic where the deep sounds of the balafon, drum, or other instruments create the rhythm. If you listen to modern African songs like makossa from Cameroon, the bass dictates the melody, just like CHIC, and this was true long before CHIC's rise to fame.
