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On this day in music history: July 2, 1966 - "Strangers In The Night" by Frank Sinatra hits #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for one week. Written by Bert Kaempfert, Charlie Singleton, and Eddie Snyder,  it is the fifth solo chart topper for the veteran singer. The song is originally composed as an instrumental for the film A Man Could Get Killed by german composer/arranger Kaempfert. Sinatra's producer Jimmy Bowen will hear the instrumental through the songs' publisher, then tells them that Sinatra would record it if lyrics could be written. The lyrics for the song are then written by Singleton and Snyder. Shortly after they're written, both Bobby Darin and Jack Jones have cut versions of the song. Wanting to beat both artists to the punch, Bowen will quickly arrange a session with Sinatra. The singer will record his vocals live with the orchestra in under an hour. Within 24 hours, Reprise Records has acetates of the single rush released to radio and is on the air across the country. "Strangers" is an immediate smash and will temporarily unseat The Beatles' "Paperback Writer" from the top spot on the Hot 100. "Strangers In The Night" will win three Grammy Awards, including Best Male Pop Vocal Performance and Record Of The Year.

Now in its tenth year the annual SF Funk Fest (SFFF) is already underway from November 4th - 26th with Dam Funk & Master Blazter having played over the weekend at this three-week, various-venue festival. This year has an excellent line-up that includes Morris Day & The Time along with DJ Dave Paul opening at the Mezzanine Friday November 11th, The California Honeydrops at The Brick & Mortar Music Hall in SF on Saturday, Afrolicious feat Nappy Riddem plus Motion Potion at the Elbo Room in SF on Thursday November 17th, the Budos Band with Afrolicious at Mezzanine on Sat, November 19, DJ Platurn's 45 Sessions on Nov 18th at Disco Volente in Oakland (the only non SF show), the S.O.S. Band at Yoshi's SF on Friday, November 25.  For a complete listing on all 2011 SFFF shows for the month of November visit the Sunset Promotions website.

Based on the academic work of UC Berkeley and KPFA’s “funky professor” Dr Rickey Vincent and author of the landmark book Funk: The Music, the People and the Rhythym of the One (read Rickey Vincent's Amoeblog interview) the SFFF was founded by Robbie Kowal and John Miles of Sunset Promotions back in late 2001. The first SFFF that year featured Mandrill and a reunion of many of the original members of Sly & the Family Stone (listed as SF Funk All Stars) and over the years performers have included George Clinton & Parliament-Funkadelic, Rebirth Brass Band, DJ QBert, Z-Trip and many others. The festival has also featured a cool retro Funk on Film series that included such films as Wattstax. For full details on all shows click  2011 SFFF and  for general information here.