What denotes music as ”Funk”, and are there still funk bands in existence today?

Ha! Just this year I saw George Clinton in concert. Phenomenal!

This song has classic funk guitar in spades. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=or1dyvCgzMw

Funk is like porn and art – it’s hard to describe, but I know it when I see/hear it. ;)

Parliament Funkadelic, with the aforementioned George Clinton with Bootsy Collins on bass, is the funk standard, IMHO.

Prince went through a funk phase circa Sign O The Times.

Lotta horns (Tower of Power), nasty bass lines (Flea from the Chili Peppers plays like that), and lots of swagger make up funk.

James Brown? Definitely funky.

@cookieman Also from Parliament Funkadelic, Bernie Worrell is great. Just saw him a couple months ago.

As for some current funk bands

EMEFE
The Budos Band
Trombone Shorty (he’s an interesting mix of funk, jazz, blues and new orleans soul with some rock thrown in occasionally.)
The Funk Ark

Funk is a form of jazz where notes are played on the back end of the beat. Kind of like dragging the notes along yet not slowing down. Funk is coolest form of cool.