|
Post by Blencs on Feb 22, 2015 13:10:56 GMT -5
I'm currently taking a trip through the birth of soul with Sam Cooke and James brown. Sam Cooke is simply staggeringly good live which is illustrated in this recording. youtu.be/jkLZ_pVwU3kYou can listen to the full show on this podcast if it wets your appetite, I found it while looking for the gig on iTunes. itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/stranger-in-town/id265222583?mt=2&i=331032540As for James Brown, I've always seen him as a bit of a caricature of a soul singer rather than a bonafide monster of a performer. Like with Sam Cooke it's his incredible vocals coupled with complete control of both the band and his audience that just blows me away. youtu.be/t08ejaQqWjYMore up to date I'm loving a band called Vintage Trouble as they are heavily influence by the above but have a rocky-er RnB sound. Amazing vocals by the frontman Ty Taylor. He is my currant fav!!! youtu.be/Fam8cJw-IVgCraig, Sam Cooke and The Godfather of Soul are great stops to understanding the wonder of soul and R&B! In your journeys, don't forget to check in on Ray Charles, whose application of blues and jazz forms to gospel songs are at the very heart of what soul music would become! A sadly under-rated early soul performer is Jackie Wilson, whose Brunswick recording career was a bit spotty, but the highlights are majestic. He replaced Clyde McPhatter in The Dominoes, and then went on to a solo career, and his first monster hit was this tune, penned by Berry Gordy, Jr...and check out Jackie's moves, particularly from the 1:00 mark on! Although Jackie Wilson had a lot of hits, Brunswick really didn't know to provide him the proper framework to create the body of work he deserved to produce, but in the midst of the Motown era, songwriters Gary Jackson and Carl Smith brought this tune to Jackie, which sadly points to the direction his career might have gone, if, as has been said he tried, Berry Gordy could have gotten Jackie over to his label. (If the backing track has a familiar sound, that's the Funk Brothers moonlighting, perhaps the only time that Berry didn't mind his "sound" on someone else's record!) Here's "Higher and Higher": I've always loved jackie wilsons 'Higher and higher' since it was used in the Statue of Liberty scene in ghostbusters 2!! Will check some more stuff out.
|
|
|
Post by Bob Reyer on Feb 22, 2015 23:43:53 GMT -5
Craig,
"Higher and Higher" is one of my all-time favorite tunes by anyone in any genre, so its usage in that film was a great and pleasurable surprise!
An interesting musical connection: Jackie Wilson and Levi Stubbs are cousins!
|
|
|
Post by Blencs on Feb 23, 2015 8:09:50 GMT -5
Craig, "Higher and Higher" is one of my all-time favorite tunes by anyone in any genre, so its usage in that film was a great and pleasurable surprise! An interesting musical connection: Jackie Wilson and Levi Stubbs are cousins! That's what you call good genes!!!
|
|
|
Post by Bob Reyer on Feb 23, 2015 8:33:41 GMT -5
Craig, "Higher and Higher" is one of my all-time favorite tunes by anyone in any genre, so its usage in that film was a great and pleasurable surprise! An interesting musical connection: Jackie Wilson and Levi Stubbs are cousins! That's what you call good genes!!! Craig, I only discovered that factoid after years of counting both men as favorites! Wouldn't it be great to find home movies of some family gathering or one of the "Motown Picnics" where they sang together?
|
|
disturbed1
Fearless Defender
This is the very first time I have ever participated on a forum so, I hope I can figure this out
Posts: 16
|
Post by disturbed1 on Feb 24, 2015 20:53:35 GMT -5
Thank you Mr. Reyer....Neil Young has been one of my favorites for a very long time. I just wish I could see him live.
|
|
|
Post by Bob Reyer on Feb 25, 2015 6:28:29 GMT -5
Thank you Mr. Reyer....Neil Young has been one of my favorites for a very long time. I just wish I could see him live. Mike, I believe he's recording an album with Willie Nelson and Willie's sons, so can a tour be far behind?
|
|
|
Post by Bob Reyer on Mar 13, 2015 5:05:01 GMT -5
Hey troops! I just received (and all the way from Vienna!) a new album called "Hurts So Gut" by a group called Blueblut. A funky melange of jazz and improvisational electronica, it features Theremin virtuoso Pamelia Kurstin, Chris Janka on guitar, and Mark Holub on drums, and it's been playing here since I got it! Here's a fun video that will give you a sense of the project, and if you're interested, you can order one from their website.
|
|
|
Post by Blencs on Jul 19, 2015 8:43:49 GMT -5
That's what you call good genes!!! Craig, I only discovered that factoid after years of counting both men as favorites! Wouldn't it be great to find home movies of some family gathering or one of the "Motown Picnics" where they sang together? Check this band out bob, they are a brilliant throw back to 50's/60's soul rock n roll. The singer ty Taylor could be Sam cookes reincarnated soul!! Seen them live this year and they are the best live band I've ever seen. youtu.be/scpK0HhHokg
|
|
|
Post by Bob Reyer on Jul 19, 2015 11:47:41 GMT -5
Craig, I only discovered that factoid after years of counting both men as favorites! Wouldn't it be great to find home movies of some family gathering or one of the "Motown Picnics" where they sang together? Check this band out bob, they are a brilliant throw back to 50's/60's soul rock n roll. The singer ty Taylor could be Sam cookes reincarnated soul!! Seen them live this year and they are the best live band I've ever seen. youtu.be/scpK0HhHokgCraig, What a great voice, and a super band concept to go with it! I'm kinda reminded of the Wilson Pickett stuff with Duane Allman and the Muscle Shoals band, which is a very great compliment, as far as these offices are concerned! While looking through some You Tube stuff, I came across this which hit me where I live:
|
|
|
Post by Blencs on Jul 29, 2015 17:11:03 GMT -5
Check this band out bob, they are a brilliant throw back to 50's/60's soul rock n roll. The singer ty Taylor could be Sam cookes reincarnated soul!! Seen them live this year and they are the best live band I've ever seen. youtu.be/scpK0HhHokgCraig, What a great voice, and a super band concept to go with it! I'm kinda reminded of the Wilson Pickett stuff with Duane Allman and the Muscle Shoals band, which is a very great compliment, as far as these offices are concerned! While looking through some You Tube stuff, I came across this which hit me where I live: They say excellence attracts excellence bob. Check this out youtu.be/qDbvvwBsFn8Also I'm loving Delaney and Bonnie at the minute. Such an earthy sound. Love this track to bits. You've got to be doing something right to have George Harrison on rhythm guitar and Eric Clapton on lead! youtu.be/f55JRi3AJRs
|
|
|
Post by Bob Reyer on Jul 29, 2015 17:49:01 GMT -5
Craig,
Love that clip, particularly Bonnie Bramlett swaying gently to the musical greatness happening around her!
On this trend, here's some folks joining forces whom you might just recognize:
|
|
|
Post by tundra on Jul 30, 2015 4:50:51 GMT -5
"Higher and Higher" is one of my all-time favorite tunes by anyone in any genre, so its usage in that film was a great and pleasurable surprise! Hi Bob, "Higher and Higher" is in my top handful of songs in any genre too - and in fact Jackie Wilson's "Higher and Higher" LP was a wonderful treat when I found it about 15 years ago since it has far more non-single tracks of quality than I'd normally expect from an R&B album of that vintage - his version of "Open the Door to Your Heart" and particularly this one - "Somebody Up There Likes You" are great favourites: There are also a couple of other really notable versions of the song to my mind - I'm sure they're both already familiar to you, but I'll share them here since there's bound to be someone who can be introduced to them, or just enjoy them over again! First is Erma Franklin's version, recorded over the same backing track with a wonderful vocal (she did the same trick with "I Get The Sweetest Feeling" too, although that's not a song I love quite as much...): Then there is the Dells' version, which was recorded earlier in the same year Jackie Wilson recorded his and is almost different enough to be considered a different song, but is also great: Cheers!
|
|
|
Post by Bob Reyer on Jul 30, 2015 6:13:21 GMT -5
Edward,
Thanks so much for posting those great tracks; on a tough morning, they truly have the sun shining!
I did remember Sister Emma's version, but I had totally forgotten that "beta" version by the mighty Dells.
For others in the similarly under-appreciated vein, here's a track called "Reasons" by the late Minnie Riperton from her 1974 LP "Perfect Angel", which featured "Lovin' You"; by the way, the little girl she mentions in the interview with Don Cornelius would grow up to be actress and comedienne Maya Rudolph!
Next, most famous for their single "Baby, I'm For Real", The Originals laid down this stunning tune on their 1974 Motown LP "Game Called Love"; titled "You're My Only World" (it was briefly released as a 45, so I'm cheating a bit), I'm always struck by the dramatics in the bridge to the last chorus:
Bonus Track: Here's a clip from the old "Midnight Special", where Minnie Riperton performs her biggest hit, and listen as during the finale she references her baby Maya!
|
|
|
Post by Blencs on Aug 31, 2015 3:55:22 GMT -5
Edward, Thanks so much for posting those great tracks; on a tough morning, they truly have the sun shining! I did remember Sister Emma's version, but I had totally forgotten that "beta" version by the mighty Dells. For others in the similarly under-appreciated vein, here's a track called "Reasons" by the late Minnie Riperton from her 1974 LP "Perfect Angel", which featured "Lovin' You"; by the way, the little girl she mentions in the interview with Don Cornelius would grow up to be actress and comedienne Maya Rudolph! Next, most famous for their single "Baby, I'm For Real", The Originals laid down this stunning tune on their 1974 Motown LP "Game Called Love"; titled "You're My Only World" (it was briefly released as a 45, so I'm cheating a bit), I'm always struck by the dramatics in the bridge to the last chorus: Bonus Track: Here's a clip from the old "Midnight Special", where Minnie Riperton performs her biggest hit, and listen as during the finale she references her baby Maya! Bob, my god if you don't love this video I've just been posted!! www.facebook.com/byaydin.videolar/videos/109569909119767/
|
|
|
Post by Bob Reyer on Aug 31, 2015 5:29:49 GMT -5
Craig,
That is a great clip, and one that I watch quite often!
That "Tempts vs Tops" battle is from the "Motown 25" TV special that's only recently come out on DVD from StarVista:
That "throw-down" would lead to the Four Tops and Temptations touring together, as they still do to this day for most of their dates, and the closing number for many of their joint appearances would find the two groups combining to do this number, captured at Detroit's Roostertail nightclub for a "Motown on Showtime" special:
BONUS: When Jean Terrell became the lead singer of the Supremes after Diana Ross left for her solo career, Berry Gordy had them join forces with the Tops to record three albums as "The Magnificent Seven"! The first LP contained their Top Twenty version of Tina Turner's "River Deep, Mountain High" (a chart success not enjoyed by the original!), and here's a live clip from Top of the Pops of the mega-group's other big hit, "You've Gotta Have Love in Your Heart":
|
|