R&B and Soul- what's the good stuff?

You can't go wrong with:

Aretha Franklin

Stevie Wonder

Marvin Gaye (with and without Tammi Terrell)

Donny Hathaway (with and without Roberta Flack)

Earth Wind and Fire

Delfonics

Al Green

The Staple Singers

Fred... Are there particular albums you would recommend? (I have a Stevie Wonder and Al Green collection, so you can skip those) Thanks.

[Edit: I typically prefer original releases, not greatest hits compilations]

[This message was edited by Ludwig on SUNDAY 10 August 2003 at 07:44.]

Ludwig

You could try dipping your toes in a bit of Northern Soul. Most are on compilations though, and in general ive found the cheap/mid price CD's disapointing. Try asking the shop to play one next time your browsing.

Yeah, I'd second the northern soul reco. I just picked up a 'Wigan Casino' comp called 'Out On The Floor'. It's compiled by Kev Roberts, and it is a gem.

Last year I bought the second of the Stax soul singles box sets, following a recommendation from Markus (IIRC). It's full of great tunes. He did mention that he was after the earlier set too, hopefully he will add to this thread if he has any other tips.

If you want something Soulful check these out,

1. Lizz Wright, (Salt) Amazing soul/jazz singer,
2. Frank MCcomb, (The Truth) Fantastic Soul music,
3. Full Flava, (Colour of my soul) Brit Soul at its best,
4. Kindred, (Surrender to Love) One of the best soul CD's of the year,
5. Vivian Green, (A Love Story) Classic Soul music,

Keep it soulful....

Mekon- Thanks for the recommendation. Now, what are the top 2 or 3 funk albums in your collection?

Brighty- welcome to the forum.

Realizing I don't understand much about R&B and Soul I did a search and found this- historical information on Soul. Some might find it interesting.

Keep the recommendations coming!

[This message was edited by Ludwig on SUNDAY 10 August 2003 at 18:11.]

<...is now embarrased to read that Motown was nothing but primped and watered down fluff...>

Check out Jill Scott.
Not really for parties, but Ludwig you'll love it. Socially conscious on micro/macro levels. Groovy beats, too.

As a bonus, one of the guys who works at her label Hidden Beach uses a Rega turntable.

Top 3 funk albums is a toughie, as the best stuff seems to be one off releases on 45's (although Cymande - Cymande is getting alot of play round our house at the mo').

Top 3 Deep Funk comps
1. V/A - Hard Texas Funk (Jazzman Records)
2. V/A - Saturday Night Fish Fry (Soul Jazz)
3. V/A - Keb Darge's Legendary Deep Funk Vol 1 (Barely Breaking Even)

Top 3 keep the funk alive! funk revival albums
1. Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings - S/T (Daptone)
2. The New Mastersounds - S/T (Cooker)
3. Breakestra - The Live Mix 2 (Stones Throw)

The Breakestra album is about an hour of them stringing together loads of the greatest funk breaks known to man. I saw them live earlier in the year; they were awesome!

Thanks fellas.

I'm off to an MC battle tonight... should be interesting.

Vivian Green keeps popping up in dispatches. Must listen.

These may be a bit mainstream for your tastes, and I guess that they are a bit obvious, but no one has brought them up yet and I play them a lot, so :

Jazzyfatnastees : Once and future.

Angie Stone : Magonany Soul.

Donny Hathaway : Live.

India Arie : Acoustic soul.

D'Angelo : Voodoo.

Renee Gayer : Difficult woman.

Maysa : Maysa.

On the subject of funky jazz/rock, a plug for my fave at the moment :

John Scofield : UberJam. Put it on at the end of the night to scare the guests off, then kick your shoes off and enjoy the ride.

Ludwig

First of all, Sly Stone - perhaps (along with Stevie Wonder) the most innovative soul man of them all. THE essential albums are "There's a Riot Goin' On" and "Fresh", also "Stand!". The 1970 "Greatest Hits" on Epic as as fine an album as you'll hear anywhere.

Then there's Isaac Hayes , the man from whom the late Barry White filched all his ideas. Best album is the thoroughly preposterous, massively ambitious and completely and utterly brilliant "Hot Buttered Soul" from 1969. It only has four tracks (including a 19-minute version of "By The Time I Get To Phoenix") but it is sublime. The "Black Moses" and "Live At Wattstax" albums are similarly thrilling, as is the "Shaft" soundtrack.

The late great Curtis Mayfield is perhaps best represented by the "Superfly" soundtrack.

I also love The Temptations in their Norman Whitfield phase. "All Directions" contains the 12-minute version of "Papa Was A Rolling Stone", perhaps the mosr compelling soul track of all.

Aretha Franklin has been mentioned - avoid anything after the early 70s, but all of her 60s output is worth buying. Particularly outstanding are the Atlantic albums "Aretha - Lady Soul" and "I Never Loved A Man The Way That I Love You".

IMO, your life will not be complete until you hear Donny Hathaway . The best album is "Live" but "Extensions of Man" and "Everything Is Everything" are pretty darn essential.

You must also buy "Back stabbers" by The O'Jays , Gamble & Huff's finest moment - how can you not fall deeply and passionately in love with a record that contains songs like "Back Stabbers", "Mr Lucky" and "Love Train"?

If you like your soul tinged with jazz and folk, look no further than the very wonderful Mr Terry Callier . A unique talent, and unbelievably lovely bloke, his best album is "What Colour Is Love?" on Cadet (which contains his best-known song, "Dancing Girl"), but I also recommend "Live", "Essential" (a brilliantly-compiled introduction to his music which also contains one otherwise unavailable track) "The New Folk Sound Of Terry Callier", "Lifetime", "Time Piece", "Turn You To Love", "Fire On Ice" and many others etc etc.

Finally, a mention for Eugene Record's mighty Chi-Lites, they of "Have You Seen Her?" fame. "For God's Sake Give More Power To The People" is perhaps their greatest abum, but the "Greatest Hits" (again, on Epic, which is one of the most underrated of soul labels) is well worth picking up if you love wistful falsettos, careworn resignation and a dash of self-pity (and let's face it, who doesn't?).

Also, you must must MUST have all FIVE of Stevie Wonder's "holy quintet" of 70s albums, as follows: "Music Of My Mind" (utterly underrated), "Innervisions", "Talking Book", "Songs In The Key Of Life" and "Fulfillingness' First Finale". It is not enough to have three or two or even four. You need all five. We must be strict on this.

I could go on all night, but I won't. Also, I haven't even touched on funk yet... maybe later.

Kevin

PS ALL the albums mentioned above (except the Hayes "Live At Wattstax") are available on lovely vinyl - and the vast majority of them are available new.

Oh, and I forgot to mention Earth Wind & Fire's "Raise!" album, which contains a song called "Lady Sun" which is perhaps the apotheosis of their fusion of soul, funk, disco, bombast, humour and wonky spirituality. rest of the album's great too.

Kevin

Kevin,

I own most of Stevie Wonder's catalogue but must admit that I don't have "Music Of My Mind" (utterly underrated) and am surprised (pleasantly because let's face it, his best stuff ain't in the future) to find that I am breaking the law by my omission. Hopefully the filth won't come round before my copy arrives.

Thanks for the tip

1. Hil St Soul - Soul Organic
2. Maxwell - Urban Hang Suite
3. Rafael Saddique - Instant Vintage
4. D'Angelo - Voodoo
5. Lynden David Hall - Medicine for my Pain
6. Jill Scott - Words and Sounds Vol.1
7. Common - / (Jill Scott was their vocalist, but they are more hip hoppy)
8. Any or all of the BBE compilations (especially the Masters at Work boxed sets)

quote:

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Originally posted by Kevin-W:
Also, you must must MUST have all FIVE of _ Stevie Wonder_'s "holy quintet" of 70s albums, as follows: "Music Of My Mind" (utterly underrated), "Innervisions", "Talking Book", "Songs In The Key Of Life" and "Fulfillingness' First Finale". It is not enough to have three or two or even four. You need all five. We must be strict on this.

---

Some very good suggestions, Kevin, but I particularly agree with your Stevie prescription, and especially on the under-appreciation of Music Of My Mind. I mean, Superwoman alone is evidence enough of his genius. Also, Creepin' from FFF is pure brilliance.

But while these five albums do comprise a solid straight royal flush, one of Stevie's greatest achievements by far (and that's saying something, considering his considerable achievements), the masterpiece Overjoyed, comes ten years later on In Square Circle, an admittedly inconsistent album.

Dev - Common is an emcee, rather than a group. His later stuff is more soulful, but he is firmly rooted in the Native Tonguees side of hip hop.

Amen on the BBE reco. Wish they'd repress Sister Funk.

Of course, you need a good Motown compilation...

I searched for some time for something I was happy with, and found it (as one does) rather by accident: Fopp were playing a great Motown selection when I was surfing the racks one day, I asked and it was the Motown Gold 3 CD set. Bought it, and it's a cracker.

There's good stuff of all sorts in there, but for your romantic night option supplement a bit of CD player programming and M-Gold with an Isaac Hayes collection. By The Time I Get to Phoenix gives you 18 minutes of hot buttered luuuuuurve, brother!

Pete.

quote:

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Originally posted by Kevin-W:
I could go on all night, but I won't. Also, I haven't even touched on funk yet... maybe later.

Kevin

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Fantastic list, Kevin. All those are essential albums. It's great to see all the recommendations for Donny Hathaway.

Here are some of my favourites:
The first Curtis Mayfield solo album, Curtis, is at least the equal of Superfly.

You simply must have Al Green's four 70s masterpieces: Gets Next To You, Let's Stay Together, I'm Still In Love With You and Call Me. The greatest hits collections are good, but there is no substitute...

And no foray in to the wonders of soul is complete without Marvin's What's Going On - one of the greatest albums of all time in any genre.

Wot no James Brown!

or Fred Wesley or Maceo Parker?

As many of the greatest moments in funk appeared in 45rmp guise, compilations are completely acceptable. The Mastercuts series are excellent and available on Vinyl. Volume 2 includes the sexiest single ever recorded: Baby Let Me Take You by The Detriot Emeralds. What on earth were they thinking when they only made it 3'48" long

duncan

Email: djcritchley at hotmail.com

With the modern R&B recommendations here, I keep seeing Floetry as a "Customers who bought this also bought..." selection on Amazon. Anyone listened to Floetry- are they good?

I'm not really on the mass-market R&B tip, but the D'Angelo and Jill Scott albums sound decent. Are there any modern artists who are a bit "old school", more raw, and are backed by a great group musicians? Maybe an R&B/Soul revival movement parallel to the Funk revival? Or are D'Angelo, Jill Scott, etc it?

[This message was edited by Ludwig on TUESDAY 12 August 2003 at 02:08.]

quote:

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Originally posted by Ludwig:
Minky- Will we see a few Nick-head reviews?

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Blummin heck, I didn't think anyone read those so I gave up. How did the "MC Battle" go ?

Check the release dates on three 'revival' albums .

The Sugarman 3 album gets quite alot of play, and I've heard great things about the Lee Fields album (on Soul Fire Records). Stampede by Quantic Soul Orchestra is solid too, and although side one has a little bit too much of a Giles Peterson feel to it, side two is sufficiently raw.

To be honest, the best funk recommendation I can give you is to head over to www.galacticfractures.com and download all of PJ's old shows. If you don't have broadband, give me a shout and I'll hook you up with some discs full.

Mekon, I know your funk recommendations were on target. I was addressing other peoples' R&B recommendations. I don't have broadband, but I'll take a listen to some streams from Tufts radio. BTW- I went to an MC battle last night. Best disses- "I think you need to go back to Dawson's Creek" (to a young white kid with trendy hair), "you look like a dresssed-up Somalian" (to a very dark African with dreds), and "were you a reject from that movie, Colors?" (to a ghetto-looking cat). I nearly pissed my pants.

James Brown

What are his best 2 or 3 albums?

No Ray Charles mentioned yet. Interesting.