R&B Classics and Favorites
Posted by: Markus on 15 May 2004
The recent thread asking for clarification about what constitutes rhythm and blues has prompted this thread. There are some albums I can list off the top of my head which, IMHO, are gems which would enhance any collection. For those interested in vinyl they should actually be common enough that you may be able to find near mint original pressings for not much money and should be easy to find on CD. Any format should do these albums justice.
1. Marvin Gaye--What's Going On. IIRC, Gaye composed this concept album upon his brothers return from Viet Nam. The themes are timeless, yet also very much of the time in which they were written. On the original vinyl, songs seque from one into another seamlessly and it is easy, pleasant and worthwhile to let an entire side play at one time. Includes the classic "What's Going On" and "Inner City Blues".
2. War--All Day Music. An incredible album by an incredible band. Classic summer afternoon album. Perfect to have on in the background while you're having people over for a barbecue.
3. Stevie Wonder--difficult to pick one album from this tremendously talented artist, so I'll name several so you can keep you eye open for one at a good price--
Innervisions
Talking Book
My Cherie Amour
4. The Niteliters--original pressings of these albums are expensive but fortunately for those who are interested in classic, instrumental driven funk (those who live in the midwest here in the states will recognize this as an Ohio sound, and that's a compliment) they have been reissued and can be found on the internet at extremely reasonable prices. All of them are great. Look for "A-nal-y-sis", "Morning, Noon and the Niteliters", and "Instrumental Directions". ACtually, you couldn't go wrong with any of them.
5. James Brown--again, impossible to choose only one album. So here are several; "Papas Got a Brand New Bag", "Revolution of the Mind", "Live at the Apollo, Vol Two".
6. Booker T & the MG's--Soul Dressing. Classic mid-sixties instrumental soul from Memphis. Out on the Stax label, which never seemed to make a misstep.
OK, I could go on, (and I will). General recommendations--Aretha Franklin on Atlantic, Rufus Thomas on Stax. I tend to prefer a funkier, grittier vibe rather than highly produced stuff, so I prefer the Atlantic label, Stax and Hi (think Al Green or Ann Peebles) over Motown (think Four Tops, Diana Ross, Temptations) which tended to be a slicker, more "polished" sound. There are some rough gems worth seeking on Motown and Tamla but, for those who are trying to get their feet wet, Stax and Atlantic are pretty solid labels.
Markus
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Posted on: 15 May 2004 by ErikL
quote:
Originally posted by Markus:
...the Stax label, which never seemed to make a misstep.
I couldn't agree more.
If any beginners want a tease of Stax, I highly recommend the two "Top of the Stax" compilation albums. Some magical moments there, and you can always explore individual artists or the entire Stax collection (3 box sets) afterwards!
Posted on: 15 May 2004 by Markus
Ah yes, the Stax/Volt Singles Boxes
Truly brilliant. Box one obviously starts with the earliest singles. Superb vintage sixties soul. I had been told that the second and third volumes "fall off" a bit. Having picked up the second volume I can state that it is a very strong set. I don't know why anyone would speak less of it than the first box, unless they really strongly prefer the earlier sixties sound. I'm planning on picking up the third volume also. I expect I shall not be disappointed.
What Blue Note was to jazz, perhaps Stax was to Soul.
Markus
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Posted on: 16 May 2004 by ErikL
Hi Markus,
Do you know of any good Hi compilations or box sets?
Posted on: 16 May 2004 by Markus
I wish I did but truth is, I haven't looked.
But all the music I have on original Hi pressings is extremely fine. IMHO, Memphis had such a tremendously fine group of studio musicians working at Stax, Hi and the other local labels. Drums, bass, guitar, horns, keyboards, you name it! I was reminded of this recently when I picked up an Ann Peebles album on Hi. It is so funky!
Have you tried searching on Amazon? I'm sure there are some Hi compilations out there...
Markus
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Posted on: 17 May 2004 by jayd
quote:
Originally posted by Ludwig:
Do you know of any good Hi compilations or box sets?
I have this one:
Hi Records 3-CD set and it's very good. Hard to cover their output in 3 discs, but it's a good start.
A lost classic I picked up this weekend:
Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway. I've never heard two people harmonize better together. Remastered from the 1972 original, and highly recommended.
Posted on: 17 May 2004 by Bhoyo
quote:
Originally posted by jayd:
A lost classic I picked up this weekend: Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway. I've never heard two people harmonize better together.
Both were amazing in their own right. Roberta Flack's albums through 1975 are soul-lite (no, that's not an insult) gems. And every home should have Donny Hathaway's one live/three studio albums. The man was a genius: consummate arranger, impeccable musician, astounding singer.
Davie
Posted on: 18 May 2004 by Markus
Quote: f you are going to talk about James Brown, Aretha and Al Green you should also mention the man who
inspired all of them.
He is also the man who Jerry Wexler (Head of Atlantic Records who invented the term "rhythm and blues")
described like this:
'He was the best singer who ever lived, no contest,' Wexler said. 'When I listen to him, I still can't believe
the things he did. It's always fresh and amazing to me, he has control, he could play with his voice like an
instrument, his melisma, which was his personal brand - I mean, nobody else could do it - everything about
him was perfection.'
That man was Sam Cooke. Most of his studio output is overly-smooth pap but this live recording is simply
fabulous:
----------------------------------
Sam Cooke was a mind-boggling talent and his shift from singing gospel to singing "the devil's music" makes for one of the great stories in the panoply of Soul. I might go so far as to argue that the artist never put out a weak tune--yes, he worked wtih different producers at different times with different artistic and commercial priorities and these naturally vary according to the tastes of the times--but what a voice! His early gospel work is worth seeking out, too.
Jayd, thanks for the Hi Records recommendation. Duly noted.
I also strongly agree with the recommendations of Donny Hathaway. I love his music! As well as that of his contemporary, Curtis Mayfield. The more I listen to music from the 1970-1974 era the more I think I've found the vein of gold. Only trouble is I find too much good stuff before (obviously) and after that period to limit my horizons.
One of my many musical hobbies these days is seeking out the numerous R&B gems from the late '70s through the end of the century. And there is a lot out there that is worth picking up. Fortunately for me, it will take me the rest of my life...
Markus
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Posted on: 18 May 2004 by DISCO
Hi,
Some good tips made here. There is some much stuff out there that it can can be a lifetimes work trying to get it all.
Here are a a few of mine choices.
James Brown,
I'm a very big fan. He is the single biggest artist in my record (& CD) collection. He has released so much stuff. His studio albums can be hit & miss affairs but there are plenty of corkers. His compilations are usually winners.
My choice would be
Sex Machine.
Live at the Apollo. (Both 1963 & 1968)
There it is.
The Playback.
Hell.
For a taster, try
Startime.
Soul Classics, (various volumes)
In the Jungle Groove.
The Godfather. The very Best of James Brown.
50th Anniversary Collection.
Here are some details.Jackie Wilson
Here is a man that has a top notch vocal range. He could ( & did ) cover many styles. We went from the RnB period of the 50s into the soul period. What let him down was some of the material he was given & career direction at times. He could have (& should have) been a lot bigger. But blisten to his voice & you will see why he is up there.
try
the Brunswick AnthologyThe Titan of SoulMaxine Brown.
Shge is one of my alltime favourite female singers. Very under rated & not as well known. So had a few big RnB hits in the 60s but she did some corker stuff for the wand. 'Oh no not my baby'was one of her best known tunes. She one of my alltime faves 'Let me give you my lovin'. When she sang she hit the spot.
Check out
Oh no not my baby.For an insight into the transition from 50s RnB to 60s soul, check out the Birth of Soul series on Kent records. These were put together by UK soul guru Dave Godin. They feature a range of artists which showed where the music came from & where it was going.
The birth of soul.These are on cd but some are on vinyl. I'll will be back with some more soul & RnB choices plus some Motown choices.
Dean
Posted on: 19 May 2004 by JohanR
Another classic from the sixties is:
Otis Redding - Otis Blue.
Don't be fooled by the 1960:s "pretty girl on the cover must sell" cover. According to folklore they started recording it in the afternoon, in the evening the musicians (Booker T & MG:s, no less) had to go away to play in different clubs around town (they had to earn a living, being the Stax house band didn't pay that well), they resumed later at night and finished off in the early morning!
Good reading is:
Peter Guralnick - Sweet Soul Music. Covers more and less everything around fifties to sixties soul.
JohanR
Posted on: 26 May 2004 by Mike Hughes
Awrighty. Now we're talking about my area.
First of all can I echo Joahn R. and the recommendation of the Peter Guralnick 'Sweet Soul Music' book. It's a great read end to end but also fantastic for a dip as well.
Following on from that, and directly related, is the fact that there are two wonderful chapters on two people I don't see mentioned here. Both chapters will make you cry with laughter in places but the most important thing is that the whole book just makes you want to go out and buy music and there are very few music books that have ever done that for me (although I keep collecting the buggers!!!).
Now, the folks in question are Wilson 'The Wicked' Pickett and the utterly stupendous Solomon 'King Of Pop and Soul' Burke.
Anyone who saw SB on 'Later' simultaneously outsinging (volume and style) Robert Plant and Tom Jones knows I need go further. The man is a legend and, if anything, his voice is now better than ever. I shall stop before I become too anally retentive. Just buy 'Don't Give Up On Me' or any best of with 'Cry To Me' and 'If You Need Me' on it.
A small recommend also for the amazingly under-appreciated Ted Hawkins. 'The Last One Hundred Years' or the 'Kershaw Sessions are a great place to start.
Happy days.
Posted on: 24 July 2004 by ErikL
quote:
Originally posted by Markus:
5. James Brown--again, impossible to choose only one album. So here are several; "Papas Got a Brand New Bag", "Revolution of the Mind", "Live at the Apollo, Vol Two".
Markus,
Thanks for the Live at the Apollo, Vol Two rec. It's AWESOME. I love love love it!
Next up I think I'll grab (from Soul Jazz) the new "Chicago Soul" album and "Miami Sound".
Posted on: 25 July 2004 by Steveandkate
Raw Spitt, AKA Otis
OK, so why did he call himself this, and what did he release under this name - I have a song called 'If I were to sing' or something like that and have always wondered - given the company this thread has got, one of you must know something...
Posted on: 25 July 2004 by Kevin-W
I'll add my votes for DONNY HATHAWAY, JAMES BROWN, JACKIE WLSON, STAX, STEVIE WONDER (the five albums Music of My Mind, Innervisions, Fulfillingness' First Finale, Songs in the Key Of Life and Talking Book are compulsory purchases for anyone who cares about music) etc
But you also need:
Ray Charles: THe Genius Rayt Charles (Atlantic 59)
Isaac Hayes
Any early Isleys compilation
Kevin
