From my iPod 2/28/2015: Soul

·         Al Green – classic grove sex soul man [Let’s Stay Together (1972)]

·         Aretha Franklin – diva/mega-voice of soul love that can belt with anyone [Lady Soul (1968), 30 Greatest Hits (2005), Aretha Franklin Sings the Great Diva Classics (2014)]

·         Curtis Mayfield – funk bass for the groove thang [The Very Best of Curtis Mayfield (1998)]

·         Delfonics – old school sex sounds in sweet love sway tongues [Adrian Younge Presents The Delfonics (2013)] Music late 1960’s 1970’s

·         Jackie Wilson – classic soul love and dance that swings, also made famous by the dancing toaster in Ghostbusters 2 [The Very Best of Jackie Wilson, Vol 1: 1957-1965, The Best of Jackie Wilson: Volume 2 (1966-1975), Talk That Talk – The First 5 Albums 1958-1960]

·         James Brown – funk/sex pure rhythm popcorn, I probably need to explore more of his records, Try Me is such a great slow song and I want to find more stuff like that in his catalog to pair with the awesome funk.  [James Brown Live At the Apollo, 1962 (1990), Number 1’s: James Brown (2007)]

·         Janet Jackson – not a huge fan, but there is a vulnerable pop-femininity that in context to her brother that is ok.  Janet was a former girlfriend’s favorite.  When I hear Janet I tend to think of her which is something I don’t really care to do.  Number Ones (2009)

·         Jill Scott – strong feminine voice with rhythm [Who is Jill Scott Words and Sounds Vol 1 (2009)]

·         Lauryn Hill – not a huge fan, but mix of hip hop and soul that is striking [The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998)]

·         Little Richard – fun wild piano rock n roll doing his thing, brave man, go listen to Baby, or Directly From My Heart, the man is so much more than Tutti Frutti. Icon [Directly from my Heart box set (), The Essential Little Richard (2006)] Music 1960’s through the 1980’s

·         Marvin Gaye – sexy authentic call to song, with social conscious foundation [What’s Going On (1971), Let’s Get It On (1973), I Want You (1976), Number 1’s (2007)]

·         Michael Jackson – Pop that transcends humanity and unites our species, the rhythms, the beats.  He is a king for a reason.  I see what he probably went through as a kid, being exploited and never getting a real childhood and how his adult years came out.  I am drawn to how misunderstood the guy must have been that makes him seem punk to me.  Maybe the best male dancer in popular music history, defined style in that regard, which does not usually factor into how I evaluate my interest in an artist, but Jackson changed the globe in a way maybe only John Lennon can rival.  Icon [Thriller (1982), Bad (1987), The Essential Michael Jackson (2005)]

·         Michael Kiwanuka – beautiful soul singer, touching class [Home Again (2012)]

·         Neil Diamond – The only white guy that could make this category probably.  The guy is cheesy at times, but some of his stuff he just goes out and does it his little handicapped way of doing soul and it works enough.  Not the best, but works enough to make the qualifier. [The Essential Neil Diamond (2001)]

·         Otis Redding – A tragedy that he was taken so soon.  Amazing voice and some of the best love songs ever made. Try a Little Tenderness might be the greatest soul love song ever.  Icon  [Otis Blue: Otis Redding Sings Soul (1965), The Soul Album (1966), In Person At the Whisky A Go Go (1968), The Very Best of Otis Redding (1992), Love Songs (1998), The Definitive Soul Collection (2006),]

·         Sade – sexual romance queen of getting it on to her sweet voice [The Ultimate Collection (2011)]

·         Sam Cooke – Like Redding with the gospel influences added in and a classiness that brought the defining male-vocalist of Soul music with the range of grace, to barroom light exuberance, to social commentary of what a white versus black audience meant in his era.  Icon [Hits of the Fifties (1960), Cooke’s Tour (1960), Sam Cooke Swing Low (1961), Twistin The Night Away (1962), My Kind of Blues (1961), Night Beat (1963), One Night Stand – Sam Cooke At the Harlem Square Club 1963, Mr. Soul (1963), The Unforgettable Sam Cooke (1966),The Rhythm and the Blues (1995), Greatest Hits (1997), Portrait of a Legend 1951-1964 (2003)]

·         Sam & Dave– solid soul making everybody get up and dance with big horns and rhythm [Hold On, I’m Comin’ (1966), Double Dynamite (1966), The Best of Sam & Dave (2008)]

·         The Shirelles – classic female unity vocals in lovely sway [The Best of the Shirelles (1992) circa 1959]

·         Smokey Robinson – not a huge fan, but enough good soul songs to make the rankings.  Tracks of my Tears is classic [The Ultimate Collection: Smokey Robinson & The Miracles (1998)] Music 1960’s

·         Stevie Wonder – pioneer of goodness in soul/funk, brings a zest for being alive and in love, challenging humanity to step up our game to keep pace Icon  [Songs In The Key Of Life (1976), The Definitive Collection (2002), At the Close of a Century 4 disc boxset (), ]

·         The Temptations – The defining aspiration of every ‘boy band’ doing it right with exquisite harmonies [The Ultimate Collection (2010)]

·         Wendy Rene – soul singer underrated who did the genre right [After Laughter Comes Tears: Complete Stax & Volt Singles + Rarities 1964-1965 (2012)]

·         Wilson Pickett – A tamer Andre Williams that never went far enough in my book, but solid soul/sex music [The Very Best of Wilson Pickett (1993) best music from late 1960’s

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