Farley "Jackmaster" Funk

Real Name:
Farley Keith Williams
Profile:
b. Jan 25, 1962 in Chicago, IL
DJ and producer. First made his name broadcasting on Chicago's WBMX-FM as a member of the Hot Mix 5 DJ team. Farley also appeared at the Warehouse club and then began a residency at the Playground.
Known as Farley Keith or Farley Funkin' Keith until 1984. He then adopted the name Farley "Jackmaster" Funk and together with Jesse Saunders, created the first house single to reach the UK charts. His anthem Love Can't Turn Around (cover of Isaac Hayes' I Can't Turn Around) made the Top Ten in mid-1986.
By the late '80s, he had lost his DJ residency. His recorded output during the '90s was relatively small, preferring to concentrate on performing on the global DJ circuit.
Sites:
Aliases:
Variations:

Artist

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Albums

HU50 No Vocals Necessary — Farley Farley "Jackmaster" Funk No Vocals Necessary (Album) House Records (3) HU50 US 1988 Sell This Version
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LIBTCD001, LIBT CD 001 The Real House Compilation — Farley Farley 'Jackmaster' Funk* And Marshall Jefferson Farley 'Jackmaster' Funk* And Marshall Jefferson - The Real House Compilation (Comp) 4 Liberty Records Ltd LIBTCD001, LIBT CD 001 UK 1996 Sell This Version
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BR0914 Love Can't Turn Around 2009 — Farley Didier Vanelli Ft Farley Jack Master Funk* And Jesse Saunders Didier Vanelli Ft Farley Jack Master Funk* And Jesse Saunders - Love Can't Turn Around 2009(8xFile, WAV) Broken Records (3), Don't Fix it Music BR0914 Worldwide 2009
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Singles & EPs

TX106 Funkin With The Drums Again — Farley Farley Jackmaster Funk* Funkin With The Drums Again Trax Records TX106 US 1985 Sell This Version
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TX104 Jack The Bass / Jack The Dick — Farley Jack Master Funk* / Jack Master Dick* Jack Master Funk* / Jack Master Dick* - Jack The Bass / Jack The Dick Trax Records TX104 US 1985 Sell This Version
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FU2 Aw Shucks (Let's Go Let's Go) — Farley Jack Master Funk* Aw Shucks (Let's Go Let's Go) House Records (3) FU2 US 1985 Sell This Version
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TX106, TX104 Funkin With The Drums Again / Jack The Dick — Farley Farley Jackmaster Funk* / Jack Master Dick* Farley Jackmaster Funk* / Jack Master Dick* - Funkin With The Drums Again / Jack The Dick(12") Trax Records, Trax Records TX106, TX104 US 1985 Sell This Version
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TX116 Give Your Self To Me — Farley Farley "JMF"* Give Your Self To Me(12", W/Lbl) Trax Records TX116 US 1986 Sell This Version
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886 075-1 Love Can't Turn Around — Farley Farley "Jackmaster" Funk & Jessie Saunders* Farley "Jackmaster" Funk & Jessie Saunders* - Love Can't Turn Around (Single, EP, Maxi) House Records (3) 886 075-1 Spain 1986 Sell This Version
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CROSS X 3 Jack'n The House (Remixes) — Farley Farley "Jackmaster" Funk Jack'n The House (Remixes)(12", Promo, W/Lbl) Crossover Records CROSS X 3 UK 1986 Sell This Version
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HU 25 U Ain't Really House — Farley Farley "Jackmaster" Funk & The Shy Boyz Farley "Jackmaster" Funk & The Shy Boyz - U Ain't Really House (Maxi) House Records (3) HU 25 US 1987 Sell This Version
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DJ 955 Free Man — Farley Darryl Pandy With Farley Jackmaster Funk* Darryl Pandy With Farley Jackmaster Funk* - Free Man D.J. International Records DJ 955 US 1987 Sell This Version
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DJ 945 It's U — Farley Farley Jackmaster Funk*, Ricky Dillard Farley Jackmaster Funk*, Ricky Dillard - It's U D.J. International Records DJ 945 US 1987 Sell This Version
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BL 2411 Cariño / Really House — Farley T-Coy / Farley "Jackmaster" Funk & The Shy Boyz T-Coy / Farley "Jackmaster" Funk & The Shy Boyz - Cariño / Really House(12", Maxi) Bulletin Records BL 2411 Germany 1987 Sell This Version
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HU 15 Hey Norton (Aw Shucks) — Farley Farley "Jackmaster" Funk Hey Norton (Aw Shucks)(12") House Records (3) HU 15 US 1987 Sell This Version
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CHAMP 12-90 As Always — Farley Farley "Jackmaster" Funk Presents Ricky Dillard Farley "Jackmaster" Funk Presents Ricky Dillard - As Always (Maxi) Trax Records CHAMP 12-90 UK 1988 Sell This Version
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12130 U Ain't Really Acieed (House) — Farley Farley "Jackmaster" Funk U Ain't Really Acieed (House)(12") BCM Records 12130 Germany, Austria, & Switzerland 1988 Sell This Version
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CHAMP 12-217 Free At Last — Farley Farley Jackmaster Funk* & The Hip House Syndicate Farley Jackmaster Funk* & The Hip House Syndicate - Free At Last (Single) Champion CHAMP 12-217 UK 1989 Sell This Version
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CHAMP 12-210 Think! — Farley Farley Jackmaster* Presents Precious Red Farley Jackmaster* Presents Precious Red - Think! Champion CHAMP 12-210 UK 1989 Sell This Version
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BCM 20191 Love Can't Turn Around / U Ain't Really Acieed — Farley Farley 'Jackmaster' Funk* Love Can't Turn Around / U Ain't Really Acieed(CD, Single) BCM Records BCM 20191 Germany, Austria, & Switzerland 1989 Sell This Version
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OG 4168 Jack Your Body (Club Your Body) / Love Can't Turn Around (Club Mix) — Farley Steve "Silk" Hurley / Farley "Jackmaster" Funk & Jesse Saunders Steve "Silk" Hurley / Farley "Jackmaster" Funk & Jesse Saunders - Jack Your Body (Club Your Body) / Love Can't Turn Around (Club Mix)(12") Old Gold (2) OG 4168 UK 1990 Sell This Version
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HF-1 Hold Me Again — Farley Farley Jackmaster Funk* Presents Xaviera Gold Farley Jackmaster Funk* Presents Xaviera Gold - Hold Me Again(12") House Records (3) HF-1 US 1991 Sell This Version
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TX 304A, TX 303B Love Can't Turn Around / Housenation — Farley Farley Jackmaster Funk* / Housemaster Boys* Farley Jackmaster Funk* / Housemaster Boys* - Love Can't Turn Around / Housenation Trax Records, Trax Records TX 304A, TX 303B US 1993 Sell This Version
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LIBT 12007 Pray 4 Me — Farley Farley Jackmaster Funk* Featuring Ti-Ty-Rone Farley Jackmaster Funk* Featuring Ti-Ty-Rone - Pray 4 Me (Single) 4 Liberty Records LIBT 12007 UK 1994 Sell This Version
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CBR000 Feel The Heat — Farley Farley "Jackmaster" Funk Feel The Heat(12", W/Lbl) Not On Label CBR000 UK 1994 Sell This Version

Reviews

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Alain_Patrick

Alain_Patrick

August 13, 2007
edited over 16 years ago
The magic moment. That's when the DJ puts up that fantastic sequence, makes that mixing, or use of 'that' acappella. Or even, do many of these things together, and the result, obviously will be the cataclysm on the dancefloors.

I experienced this kind of situation when I heard a set from Farley Jackmaster Funk @ WBMX, Chicago manny2, 1987 where he created an incredible mixing atmosphere. Farley is the type of DJ you definitely won’t forget if you have the chance to witness (and listen). Specially when he combines 'MFSB - Love Is The Message' amazing orchestration arrangements with the super classic 'Carl Bean - I Was Born This Way' drop; the piano lines goes amazingly with Carl's super vocals in this magnificent production made by the trio Norman Harris , Ron Kersey , T.G. Conway.
Suddenly, with two records beating together, Farley Jackmaster Funk makes a backspin on one of them, and you hear with the beats the quote "You, you! You may not understand.... I was born this way!"; "Hell the World, I was born this way!" - followed by the drop out with all the orchestrated horns, bass & piano arrangements of "I Was Born This Way". This classical Disco orchestration ensemble sounded very special on that moment of is WBMX set of Chicago, 1987 - the sequence falls in a new drop with guitars & rhythmic Disco hi-hats, when Farley puts together a Martin Luther King quote of his famous 'I Have A Dream' acappella where he says "I wanna thank God! Once more for life, and me to be here with you!", creating a sublime moment; then, the same orchestration continues with the greatness of Carl Bean's vocals again, followed by a piano solo of the same tune... you just couldn’t believe in it.
The result of this music combination had a so strong impact in my life that became one of the main reasons behind the changing in the way I used to see a DJ repertory as a whole.
As if it wasn't enough, the next music choosen by Farley was 'Change - Glow Of Love' with its beautiful pianos and Luther Vandross' vocals. If you by any means think that this repertory had any less than great moment, you're wrong - that mix had also tunes such as 'Dan Hartman - Relight My Fire' feat Loleatta Holloway, 'Taana Gardner - Work That Body', 'Jungle Wonz - The Jungle' (by Marshall Jefferson), 'Rhythim Is Rhythim - Kaos (Juice Bar Mix)', 'Fingers Inc.'s dub atmosphere on "Distant Planet", among another fantastic music masterpieces. "My Love Is Free", the tune that opened Farley's DJ set is, needless to say, is one of the most amazing Disco masterpieces ever.

Regardless of your opinion about Farley 'Funkin' Keith (baptized later 'Jackmaster' Funk) as a producer, he deserves respect as a DJ for being one of the few to understand (and to master) the holistic perspective of a repertory construction. That performance which took place at WBMX Chicago in 1987 had tunes from the seventies and eighties, new and old, from different types of music styles, harmonically connected. An example to be followed, as well as what The Wizard (Jeff Mills) used to do on WJLB at that time.
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