Maximum R & B

The deluxe edition of 'Let's get it on' had some great b-sides and rarities, 'You're the man' 'Cakes' 'World is rated X'

Martha and the Vandellas 'Heatwave' is one of my favorite R'n'B songs, pure perfection.

Not to forget 'Ike and Tina Turner', they could belt it out when they wanted to.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilpVhUu27KM

Otis Redding's band (especially on the live albums) was red hot. Of course, the JBs must be mentioned as well.

As for today, you really can't beat the Dap Kings.

Haha, sort of a gargantuan subject, no?

Hearing Baby Huey's cover of Curtis Mayfield's "Hard Times" at the begining of JCVD was one of my favourite popcult moments in recent memory. You really need this:



Tons of funky 70's rarities.

Otis Redding is my all-time fave, with Curtis, Stevie and Marvin not too far behind. Stax is probably my favourite "sound", too - Motown has so much greatness, so many hits that it's easy to take for granted (fav Motown act: The Four Tops.)

I know many people tune out of R&B at the Disco era, but A Tom Moulton Mix on Rhino is one of the deepest, most soulful records I own. Similairly, there's bound to be plenty hatred for mid 00's Roc-A-Fella squeaky soul voice Hip-Hop, but I really love the adrenaline charge I get from that.

That recent Philly Soul box is greatness, too. Shame about the sound quality.

top10 overlooked soul gems:
"Showdown", Kenny Carter
"Eight Men, Four Women", O.V. Wright
"Lights Out", Zerben R Hicks & The Dynamics
"Armed & Extremley Dangerous", First Choice (a big hit at the time, I think? But mostly forgotten now)
"I Can't Stop Loving You", Solomon Burke (not an overlooked song or artist, but I rarely hear this particular version get bigged up)
"Take Me To The River", Syl Johnson (see above)
"You Don't Care About Our Love", China Burton (Disco heaven)
"I'm Living A Lie", Barbara Jean English
"Do I Love You?", Frank Wilson
"Love's Gone Bad", Chris Clarck (awesome blue eyed soul on Motown)

One magazine that I reccomend any R&B (and Jazz and Hip-Hop and Latib music) fan check out is WaxPoetics

I have that What it is! boxset, some terrific cuts, Cold Blooded's version of 'Kissing My Love' is just booty shaking goodness.

For me, anyway, Motown vs Stax is like stepping up to the counter at Big Nate's and deciding between the Texas brisket and the Carolina pulled pork; different flavors, but you can't lose either way.

Love all the obvious hitmakers; the Tempts might top my list for sheer variety (given the number of lead singers and producers they went through)-- I particularly love "It's Growing" and "Don't Look Back." Could never say enough about Smokey Robinson (though it amuses me how the Motown press machine picked up on Bob Dylan's quote about Smokey being "America's greatest poet," and had guys like Marvin Gaye use it in interviews; problem is, it was actually E.A. Robinson that Dylan was talking about). My favorite Smokey tunes are "If You Can Want" and "The Love I Saw In You Was Just A Mirage."

The Contours were Motown's first (only?) "rock and roll band" (i.e., they actually played instruments in concert, and even on some of their records). Everyone knows "Do You Love Me", but equally great rave-ups are "Can You Do It" and "First I Look At The Purse."

Mary Wells is another brilliant performer whose output is overshadowed by the (admittedly wonderful) "My Guy." Check out "You Beat Me To The Punch," "Two Lovers," and "Bye Bye Baby."

Everyone knows Edwin Starr's "War." Also worth your time: "Twenty-Five Miles", "S.O.S. (Stop Her On Sight)" and "Agent Double-O-Soul."

Tyrone Davis was having the typical struggling career when he hit in 1969 with "Can I Change My Mind". A few more stiffs, and a year later he basically does the same song again, "Turn Back The Hands of Time." Evidently that theme was the only one he could connect with, and he never got near the top again after that, but both songs are absolute classics.

The Velvelettes are mostly noted for having their "He Was Really Saying Something" covered by Bananarama, but they were one of the unfailry neglected Motown acts (their debut album was never even completed, and most of the songs remained unreleased until fairly recently), and "Needle in a Haystack," "A Bird in the Hand" and "Lonely Lonely Girl Am I" wouldn't be out of place in the catalog of the Marvelettes or Vandellas.

One guy who's less than a household name, but worth exploring, is James Carr. A sad story of an unhappy life, professional neglect, and untimely death. His "Dark End of the Street" is definitive-- not even Percy Sledge could top it. And I love "Pouring Water on a Drowning Man."

Aretha Franklin is probably the greatest voice American pop music has produced, but for my money, she's spent the last few decades living in the shadow of I Never Loved A Man, Lady Soul, and Aretha Now. The recent CD reissues include a stunning previously unreleased version of "Chain of Fools".

Other random fave raves: "Some Kind of Wonderful" (Soul Brothers Six), "My Smile is Just a Frown Turned Upside Down" (Carolyn Crawford), "Take Me In Your Arms (Rock Me A Little While)" (Kim Weston), "Backfield in Motion" (Mel & Time), "Expressway to Your Heart" (Soul Survivors), "Nothing But a Heartache" (The Flirtations), "But It's Alright" (J. J. Jackson), "Who's Making Love" (Johnny Taylor), "I'm Your Puppet" (James and Bobby Purify), "Ain't Nothin' But a House Party" (The Show Stoppers), "Raise Your Hand" (Eddie Floyd), and the entire catalog of Sam and Dave, The Marvelettes, Junior Walker and the All-Stars, Marvin Gaye, etc.

On my mp3 player, I took all my various soul collections, and edited the tags with a new genre: "60s", to which I also added my various British Invasion collections, the Nuggets box, Beach Boys, Paul Revere and the Raiders, Dionne Warwick, The Monkees, etc. It's about 600 songs that, when shuffled, recapture that brief time when soul/R&B, rock, and pop weren't consigning themselves to their own little ghettos, and you could hear any or all of them coming side by side out of your transistor radio.

I'm pretty sure Junior Walker & The All Stars played their own instruments? Also Rare Earth, if they count.

Yeah, "Can I Change My Mind?" is a great one, sort of in that William Bell style of laidback soul.

Cosign, "Dark End Of The Street" is amazing.

Good point. I finally got to see Jr Walker after Foreigner revived his career in the 80's, and the guy was so full of life and energy that it scared me to think what he must have been like in his heyday!

Oh, and Miracle member Marv Tarplin played guitar on their earlier records.

Heh. Just came up on a playlist: "I Spy (For the FBI)" a great one-shot by Jamaican soul singer Jamo Thomas. The Untouchables used to do a wild version of it, and John Hiatt covered it, too.

Oh, and a couple of genuinely great soul vocal performances that get overlooked because they predate Motown's heyday: Claudine Clark's "Party Lights", and "Maybe" by The Chantels.

This reminds me of when I used to listen to Gladys Knight and the Pips Help me make it through the night on the record player I used to have, such a beautiful rendition by Gladys.

You know what's classic? Richard Pryor inviting The Pips on his show to do a medley of their hits sans Gladys. Still sounds pretty great!

This thread is making me think. Seriously.

I just don't think there has ever been a greater love song than "You Send Me" by Sam Cooke. Ever. Love Otis Redding, but Sam Cooke was just it for me.

My favorite album is probably Marvin Gaye's "I Want You". The instrumental to "After the Dance" was just hauntingly beautiful, and "All the way around" was his best song to never be released.

Wow. Must reflect some more ....

I have the 14 CD Chess Records set. It's amazing. So many underrated or "lost" gems on there. Big fan of "Grits Ain't Groceries" by Little Milton. Lately I've been groovin' to "I'll Be Holdin' On" by Big Al Dowling.

My all time favorite soul song has to be "Oooh Child," though. "Midnight Train to Georgia" is a close second. Favorite soul singer is Curtis Mayfield, from his days with the Impressions to his solo stuff (one of the biggest snubs in Oscar history is how he got screwed out of Best Song nominations for Superfly).

Ditto. I love Cooke - I just spent damn near a whole day last week listening to "Night Beat" over and over again, and I don't do that with many albums.

And the Stax/Volt box set is one of the best things I've ever purchased.

EDIT: Rath - Got a link to that specific Chess set? All I'm finding is Etta James/Howlin' Wolf-related stuff. Thanks!

The 'Let yourself go/There was a time/I feel alright/Cold Sweat' medley is just unbelievable, you should check out Lovepowerpeace, Live in Paris '71, it's an incredibly tight set with the JB's, amazing energy and contains one of the single greatest guitar solo's ever recorded.