Jerome Brailey

Jerome Brailey
Jerome Bigfoot in NYC
Background information
Birth name	Jerome Eugene Brailey
Also known as	Jerome Bigfoot Brailey, Jerome Bigfoot
Born	August 20, 1950 (1950-08-20) (age 68) Richmond, Virginia, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Drummer, Songwriter, Producer, Vocalist
Instruments	Drums, Percussions, Vocals
Years active	1968 to the present
Labels	Casablanca, Arista, Westbound, Columbia, Rykodisc, P-Vine
Associated acts	Parliament-Funkadelic, Mutiny, The Five Stairsteps, The Chambers Brothers, The Unifics

Jerome Eugene "Bigfoot" Brailey (born August 20, 1950) is an American drummer, best known for his work with P-Funk, which included the bands Parliament, Funkadelic, and numerous related projects. Brailey is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, inducted in 1997 with fifteen other members of Parliament-Funkadelic.^[1]

Career

Jerome Brailey started performing around 1968 with the R&B group The Unifics continuing with The Five Stairsteps and The Chambers Brothers. Jerome played on the original studio recording of the classic R&B song "O-o-h Child" by The Five Stairsteps, later joining George Clinton's P-Funk collective in 1975 and appeared on many of their most popular recordings label as the impact years of Parliament/Funkadelic. He co-wrote one of Parliament's biggest hits, “Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof off the Sucker)", with George Clinton and Bootsy Collins. Samples from that body of work have since appeared on hundreds of hip-hop and contemporary R&B songs. After leaving P-Funk in 1978 due to bad financial management decisions by George Clinton, Brailey started working closely with Glenn Goins who also left the P-Funk unit and started production for the funk group Quazar featuring Kevin Goins. Brailey and Glenn Goins started working on the concept of Mutiny as they entered the final completion date for the Quazar album on Arista Records but Glenn's untimely death in 1978 placed Jerome in the position to finalize the production work on the Quazar album because the recording was not completed. After the Quazar album was completed, Brailey continued on with the concept and the group Mutiny was formed and sign to Columbia Records.

“Mutiny on the Mamaship” includes some of Jerome’s most creative recordings while working alongside guitarist Donald “Lenny” Holmes and bass guitarist Raymond Carter. The recordings were outlined in a way not far removed from the classic P-Funk style, with emphasis placed on dual lead guitar work similar to other Funk & Rock bands. They released their debut album Mutiny on the Mamaship 1979, followed by Funk Plus the One in 1980. The first album was seen as very successful in musical terms, though some critics complained about the lack of originality connected to that body of work. Brailey has appeared as a session drummer with a diverse group of artists, including Keith Richards, Bill Laswell, James Blood Ulmer, Dave Stewart, and Lucky Peterson.

From rock thunder machines to punk powerhouses, the Rolling Stone count down the kings and queens of slam listing Jerome Bigfoot Brailey as #68 of the 100 greatest drummers of all time. The connection of Bigfoot Brailey’s drum style & techniques has led him and other members of the Funk Mob to The Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture Center which opens on Sept. 24, 2016 in Washington DC. The most iconic stage props, The P-Funk Mothership will be on display alone with footage of its history and other monumental outlines related to African American History.

The most noted drum arrangements sampled from Parliament's The Clones of Dr. Funkenstein, is the single “Do That Stuff”, recognized on tunes by Kendrick Lamar "The Hear Part 3” and Donald Glover stage name Childish Gambino “Boogieman" making for a continuation of drum rudiments lifted from this Parliament recording played by Jerome Bigfoot.

Smith and Hay’s release a jazz album featuring Jerome Bigfoot Brailey on two of its songs around the first week of 2018. The recording titled Jazz (Deluxe) skyrocketed up the Billboard charts and reach the top spot as the #1 Billboard Jazz, #1 Billboard Jazz Contemporary, #5 Billboard Heartseekers, and #21 Billboard Independent.

Flash Light the hit single from the Parliament's Funkentelecy Vs the Placebo Syndrome (1978) recording has join the list and is inducted in the 2018 Grammy Awards Hall of Fame because of its historical significance. This recording of at least 25 years old as stated by Neil Portnow President/CEO of the Recording Academy is considered an integral part of our musical, social and culture history. Jerome Brailey is a close relative of Matt Brailey, who lives in the UK.

Selected Discography

References

External links

• The 2018 Grammy Award Hall Of Fame Inductee "Flash Light" by Parliament
• Sway Universe by Reg The Ruler (Music News)
• Childish Gambino: Boogieman
• 100 Greatest Drummers of All Time #68
• Kendrick Lamar: The Heart Part 3
• Parliament / The Clones of Funkenstein: Do That Stuff
• The Chambers Brothers / Right Move
• Jerome Bigfoot Brailey / Drum Solo Artist