SCHEDULE | Getting funky

Black History Month Funk programming at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland:
One Nation Under a Groove: Black Nationalism and the Ideology of Funk 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Case Western Reserve University Baker Nord Center, Clark Hall 206 -- Portia Maultsby, legendary Professor of Ethnomusicology at Indiana University, will speak on "One Nation Under a Groove: Black Nationalism and the Ideology of Funk." This event is free with a reservation. Call (216) 515-8426 to RSVP.
James Brown Band Veterans Clyde Stubblefield and John "Jab'o" Starks 7 p.m. Feb. 8, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum -- Clyde Stubblefield and John "Jab'o" Starks, both legendary drummers and veterans of the James Brown Band, will talk about their histories and the grooves they innovated. Stubblefield and Starks are the most sampled drum tracks in the world. A not-to-miss inside look at funk's beginnings and its legacy. This event is free with a reservation. Call (216) 515-8426 to RSVP.
From Songwriters to Soundmen: The People Behind the Hits featuring Nile Rodgers of Chic. 7 p.m. Feb. 15, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum -- A member of Harlem's Apollo Theater house band, producer of Mick Jagger, Diana Ross, Madonna, INXS and many more and co-leader of Chic, Nile Rodgers remains one of the most important musical figures of the last several decades. He will discuss his unparalleled career and his role as R & amp;B's ambassador to rock. This event is free with a reservation. Call (216) 515-8426 to RSVP.
Thomas Sayers Ellis Explores Funk, 7 p.m. Feb. 16, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum -- Whiting Award honoree, poet and Case Professor Thomas Sayers Ellis explores the funk aesthetic as it emerged in DC Go-Go and as it continues to inform his poetry. Segments of the film "The Pocket" will be shown as part of the performance. This event is free with a reservation. Call (216) 515-8426 to RSVP.
DC Go-Go comes to Cleveland! 9 p.m. Feb. 17, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum -- The Godfather of Go-Go, Chuck Brown, will perform with the Soul Searchers. A hero of Go-Go, Brown is a legend in R & amp;B circles. Opening the show will be Familiar Faces, a DC Go-Go band made up of members of Rare Essence and other prominent Go-Go bands. Tickets are $5 and went on sale Jan. 20 through Ticketmaster (www.ticketmaster.com / (216) 241-5555) or at the Museum box office.
Hall of Fame series with inductee Bootsy Collins 7 p.m. Feb. 22, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum -- Collins was inducted into the Rock and Hall of Fame in 1997 as a member of Parliament-Funkadelic. He was also a sideman with James Brown and the leader of Bootsy's Rubber Band. Bootsy Collins has lived at the heart of the funk story and he will explore his career from the inside with Thomas Sayers Ellis, Associate Professor of English at Case Western Reserve University. This event is free with a reservation. Call (216) 515-8426 to RSVP.
The Funk Finale! 9 p.m. Feb. 24, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum -- The Ohio Players take Cleveland hostage for an appearance at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Tickets are $10 and are now on sale through Ticketmaster (www.ticketmaster.com) or at the museum box office.