Editing Bernie Worrell (section)

==Biography==

===Early life===
Worrell was born in [[Long Branch, New Jersey]], and grew up in [[Plainfield, New Jersey]], where his family moved when he was eight.<ref name=theguardian/> A musical [[Child prodigy|prodigy]], he began formal piano lessons by age three and wrote a [[concerto]] at age eight. He went on to study at the [[Juilliard School]] and received a degree from the [[New England Conservatory of Music]] in 1967. As a college student, Worrell played with a group called Chubby & The Turnpikes; this ensemble eventually evolved into [[Tavares (band)|Tavares]].<ref name=Pareles>{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/25/arts/music/bernie-worrell-whose-keyboards-left-an-imprint-on-funk-and-hip-hop-dies-at-72.html |title=Bernie Worrell, Whose Keyboards Left an Imprint on Funk and Hip-Hop, Dies at 72 |first=Jon |last=Pareles |author-link=Jon Pareles |date=June 24, 2016 |work=The New York Times |access-date=June 26, 2016 }}</ref>

===1970s===
After meeting [[George Clinton (funk musician)|George Clinton]], leader of a Plainfield-based [[doo wop]] group called [[The Parliaments]], Worrell moved with Clinton, The Parliaments and their backing band, The Funkadelics, to [[Detroit|Detroit, Michigan]]; thereafter, both groups became collectively known as [[Parliament-Funkadelic]]. During the 1970s the same group of musicians separately recorded under the names [[Parliament (band)|Parliament]] and [[Funkadelic]], (among several others), but toured as P-Funk. Worrell played [[grand piano]], [[Wurlitzer electric piano]], [[Hohner Clavinet]], [[Hammond B3 organ]], [[ARP String Ensemble]] and [[Moog synthesizer]], co-wrote, and wrote horn and rhythm [[arrangement]]s on hit recordings for both groups and other associated bands under the "Parliafunkadelicment Thang" production company, and many of his most notable performances were recorded with [[Bootsy's Rubber Band]], [[Parlet]], [[The Brides of Funkenstein]] and [[The Horny Horns]]. Worrell recorded a 1978 solo album, ''[[All the Woo in the World]]'', with the musical backing of P-Funk's members.

While funk musicians traditionally utilized electric keyboards, such as the Hammond organ and Fender [[Rhodes electric piano]], Worrell was the second recipient of the Moog synthesizer created by [[Bob Moog]].<ref name=Kaye/> Mainly responsible for creating Parliament's futuristic sound, Worrell's use of the [[Minimoog]] bass on the Parliament song "[[Flash Light (song)|Flash Light]]", on 1977's ''[[Funkentelechy Vs. the Placebo Syndrome]]'', heavily influenced the sound of R&B music and served as a bridge between American R&B and the insurgence of [[New wave music|new wave]], [[New-age music|new age]] and [[techno]]. He used the [[ARP Pro Soloist]] as well.<ref>{{cite web |first=Joe |last=Bosso |url=http://www.musicradar.com/news/tech/bernie-worrell-talks-vintage-synths-elp-parliament-funkadelic-talking-heads-and-more-576154/ |title=Bernie Worrell talks vintage synths, ELP, Parliament/ Funkadelic, Talking Heads and more |publisher=[[MusicRadar]] |date=June 11, 2013 |access-date=March 25, 2016 }}</ref> Worrell played synthesizer and digital keyboard <ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.redbullmusicacademy.com/lectures/bernie-worrell | title=Bernie Worrell }}</ref> on P funk songs throughout the 1970s, most notably "[[Mothership Connection (Star Child)]]" and "[[Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof off the Sucker)]]" from ''[[Mothership Connection]]'' (1975) and "[[Aqua Boogie (A Psychoalphadiscobetabioaquadoloop)|Aqua Boogie]]" from ''[[Motor Booty Affair]]'' (1978).

===1980s===
When Parliament-Funkadelic took a hiatus from touring in the early 1980s, Worrell was recruited, along with other musicians from differing [[Music genre|musical genres]] such as guitarist [[Adrian Belew]], to perform and record with [[Talking Heads]]. Worrell's experience and feel for different arrangements enhanced the overall sound of the band. Though he never officially joined Talking Heads, he was a ''[[de facto]]'' member of the group for most of the '80s: appearing on one of their studio albums, several solo albums, two tours and performing in their 1984 concert film ''[[Stop Making Sense]]''. Talking Heads officially disbanded in 1991. Worrell was later invited to perform with Talking Heads as part of their 2002 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/videos/flashback-the-talking-heads-reunite-for-one-night-only-20121023 |title=Flashback: Talking Heads Reunite for One Night Only |first=Andy |last=Greene |date=October 23, 2012 |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |access-date=March 26, 2016 }}</ref>

In 1983, Worrell provided keyboard parts for [[Mtume]]'s hit song "[[Juicy Fruit (song)|Juicy Fruit]]".<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/bernie-worrell-10-essential-tracks-from-the-p-funk-keyboardist-20160624 |title=Bernie Worrell: 10 Essential Tracks from the P-Funk Keyboardist |first1=Charles |last1=Aaron |first2=Mosi |last2=Reeves |date=June 24, 2016 |magazine=Rolling Stone |access-date=July 2, 2016}}</ref>

Worrell co-produced [[Fred Schneider]]'s 1984 solo album ''[[Fred Schneider and the Shake Society]]'' and played keyboards and synthesizers on some of the album's tracks.
[[File:Bernie Worrell-02.jpg|thumb|left|Worrell backstage in Cologne, Germany 1998]]

In 1987 he appeared on the critically acclaimed solo release ''[[Casual Gods]]'' by [[Jerry Harrison]] of [[Talking Heads]]. The LP contained the US [[Album Rock Tracks]] chart hit "[[Rev It Up (song)|Rev It Up]]", which reached number seven and appeared in the movie ''[[Something Wild (1986 film)|Something Wild]]''. He worked with Jerry Harrison on his other releases also.

===1990s–2010s===
From the late 1980s through the 2010s, Worrell recorded extensively with [[Bill Laswell]], including [[Sly and Robbie]]'s Laswell-produced ''[[Rhythm Killers]]'' and the 1985 [[Fela Kuti]] album ''Army Arrangement''. Worrell performed with [[Gov't Mule]]. Through the beginning of the 21st century, he became a visible member of the [[jam band]] scene, performing in many large summer [[music festival]]s, sometimes billed as '''Bernie Worrell and the Woo Warriors'''. He appeared on several [[Jack Bruce]] albums, including ''[[A Question of Time (album)|A Question of Time]]'', ''[[Cities of the Heart]]'', ''[[Monkjack]]'' and ''[[More Jack than God]]''.

Worrell was a founding member of the [[CBS Orchestra]] when the ''[[Late Show with David Letterman]]'' launched in August 1993, playing lead synthesizer. Worrell departed in November when the orchestra added a horn section.

In 1994, Worrell appeared on the [[Red Hot Organization]]'s compilation album, ''[[Stolen Moments: Red Hot + Cool]]''. The album, meant to raise awareness and funds in support of the [[AIDS]] epidemic in the African-American community,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://redhot.org/project/red-hot-cool-stolen-moments/ |title=Stolen Moments: Red Hot + Cool |publisher=[[Red Hot Organization]] |access-date=March 25, 2016 }}</ref> was heralded as "Album of the Year" by ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,982060,00.html |title=The Best Music of 1994 |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |date=December 26, 1994 |access-date=March 25, 2016 |url-access=subscription  }}</ref>

Worrell joined the rock group [[Black Jack Johnson]], with [[Mos Def]], [[Will Calhoun]], [[Doug Wimbish]] and [[Dr. Know (guitarist)|Dr. Know]]. He appears with the band on Mos Def's 2004 release ''[[The New Danger]]''.

Worrell joined forces with bass legend [[Les Claypool]], guitarist [[Buckethead]] and drummer [[Bryan Mantia]] to form the group [[Colonel Claypool's Bucket of Bernie Brains]].

In 2009, he joined longtime Parliament-Funkadelic guitarist [[DeWayne "Blackbyrd" McKnight]], bassist [[Melvin Gibbs]] and drummer J.T. Lewis to form the band SociaLybrium. Their album ''For You/For Us/For All'' was released on Livewired Music in January 2010.

Worrell appeared in the 2004 documentary film ''[[Moog (film)|Moog]]'' with synthesizer pioneer Bob Moog and several other Moog synthesizer musicians. In 2011, he toured with [[Bootsy Collins]], another major figure from Parliament-Funkadelic.

From 2011 through 2015, Worrell performed with his group, the '''Bernie Worrell Orchestra'''. The band became known for the appearance of special guests at live performances, including Bootsy Collins, [[Tina Weymouth]], [[Chris Frantz]], [[Jimmy Destri]], [[Mike Watt]], [[Rah Digga]] and [[Gary Lucas]].

In 2012 and 2013, Worrell played a series of concerts with guitarist [[Steve Kimock]], bassist [[Andy Hess]], and vocalist-percussionist Camille Armstrong. Kimock's son John Morgan Kimock played drums for the group in 2013.

Worrell worked on the Seattle-based Khu.éex' project fusing traditional [[Tlingit]] music with funk, jazz, and experimental music. The project includes [[Preston Singletary]], [[Skerik]], [[Stanton Moore]], [[Captain Raab]] and [[Randall Dunn]] among others.

In 2015, Worrell appeared in the movie ''[[Ricki and the Flash]]'' as the keyboard player in [[Meryl Streep]]'s band. The movie reunited Worrell with director Jonathan Demme, who had directed ''Stop Making Sense''.

Worrell was a judge for the 12th, 13th, and 14th annual Independent Music Awards.

During May 2016, the [[New England Conservatory of Music]] gave Worrell, who studied at the school until 1967, an honorary [[Doctor of Music]] degree.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://necmusic.edu/commencement-2016 |title=NEC Announces 2016 Honorary Degree Recipients and Commencement Speaker |date=May 2, 2016 |publisher=[[New England Conservatory of Music]] |access-date=May 30, 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160606104036/http://necmusic.edu/commencement-2016 |archive-date=June 6, 2016 |df=mdy-all }}</ref>