Recommendations for Soul Music

[allstar780]

I'm on a bit of a soul music bender at the moment and have purchased a lot of good CDs lately... Seal, John Legend, Al Green, Marvin Gaye, The Ink Spots (okay so not entirely soul, but still that feel), Luther Vandross, James Brown, Otis Redding, and Curtis Mayfield... basically I'm looking for some maybe lesser known artists that people might recommend, as I can pretty much cover all the big name artists.

[Johnny Vinyl]

Here's a few more: The Spinners, The Dramatics, Isaac Hayes, Martha and the Vandellas, The Delphonics. Plenty more too and I'll add them as I think of them.

[Blu-Dog]

Originally Posted by allstar780

I'm on a bit of a soul music bender at the moment and have purchased a lot of good CDs lately... Seal, John Legend, Al Green, Marvin Gaye, The Ink Spots (okay so not entirely soul, but still that feel), Luther Vandross, James Brown, Otis Redding, and Curtis Mayfield... basically I'm looking for some maybe lesser known artists that people might recommend, as I can pretty much cover all the big name artists.

So many sub-flavors to the genre - soul jazz, disco (don't sneer, some was very, very good) - straight pop, etc.

Some suggestions:

Main Ingredient (smooth, mellow, astonishing orchestration)
Steve Wonder (the early years - compilations are good, and he did his breakout with Music Of My Mind and Innervisions)
Heatwave - try the Always And Forever compilation. Many of their tunes were written by Rod Temperton, who went on to do amazing things for Rufus and Michael Jackson (he wrote many of the Quincy Jones produced tracks for Off the Wall and Thriller)
Rufus - Chaka Khan's vehicle in the early years, extremely tight and funky stuff. The "Rufus Featuring Chaka Khan" album is classic.
The Crusaders - The best of funky jazz. Try "Scratch", one of the best live albums I've ever heard, extremely sweet and funky stuff.

I have a lot of this on vinyl, a lot more on CD, most of it is still out there.

Keep us up to date on what you're finding.

[Galley]

Atlantic Rhythm & Blues 1947-1974 [8CD] - 203 tracks!
Stevie Wonder - At The Close Of A Century [4CD] - some of the greatest music ever recorded.

[allstar780]

Thanks for the suggestions... I'm gonna have to download some stuff and see what i find worth buying.... right now I'm into Al Green pretty heavy lol

[NeonLights]

...

[wilky61]

Bill Withers...





Oh and for god sakes check out the first Blood Sweat & Tears album
It's might be more like Chicago than Al Green with all the jazz/blues influence, but I don't think you'll mind.

[Quad]

Donny Hathaway is a must have (if you don't already). I would recommend these two albums,

A Donny Hathaway Collection and These Songs for you Live






Anthony Hamilton, this was his first hit album, Ive enjoyed all his albums save for the last one.




Eric Roberson has written hits for other artists but isn't well known to most.
This is his best album IMO:




Raheem Devaughn is another artist worth checking out. This is his best album I believe.



If you like British Soul then check out this first solo album by Paul Weller, he isn't very well known here but he has a very loyal following in the UK. Should have gotten more props in the US.




Erykah Badu's latest album is amazing




So is Maxwell's...

[LordoftheRings]

1. Solomon Burke "Don't Give Up On Me".



2. Ted Hawkins "The Next Hundred Years".



3. R.L. Burnside "Wish I Was In Heaven Sitting Down".

[wilky61]

Originally Posted by LordoftheRings

3. R.L. Burnside "Wish I Was In Heaven Sitting Down".

Don't know the first two, but I'd label R.L. Burnside under blues (which is in fact my favorite genre). Granted, many blues singers have soulful vocals (Magic Sam ). I guess Etta James and Bobby "Blue" Bland and the likes are soul/blues hybrids.

EDIT: Wow just noticed no mentions for Etta James yet. Gonna have to fix that, first is more soulful and second is more R&B/bluesy (like a Ray Charles or a Jerry Lee Lewis performance)

[FreddieFerric]

Brothers Jake & Elwood. They're Soul Men!

[wilky61]

Originally Posted by BluRayFred

Brothers Jake & Elwood. They're Soul Men!

If negative rep were still around, this is the kind of post to which I'd award it.

(I guess you can call me a purist. A 22-year-old soul and blues purist, haha.)

[FreddieFerric]

Originally Posted by wilky61

If negative rep were still around, this is the kind of post to which I'd award it.

(I guess you can call me a purist. A 22-year-old soul and blues purist, haha.)

I was probably around 20 when that album was released. We all thought it was more comical than anything else. Certainly not to be taken seriously in any way. Not necessarily lesser known, but lesser just the same. Still, I just couldn't resist.

[LordoftheRings]

Originally Posted by wilky61

Don't know the first two, but I'd label R.L. Burnside under blues (which is in fact my favorite genre). Granted, many blues singers have soulful vocals (Magic Sam ). I guess Etta James and Bobby "Blue" Bland and the likes are soul/blues hybrids.

'Soul' is way beyond Soul Music only; it encompasses Blues, Folk, Rock, and even Heavy Metal.
You're from the old school I can tell.

Originally Posted by wilky61

If negative rep were still around, this is the kind of post to which I'd award it.

(I guess you can call me a purist. A 22-year-old soul and blues purist, haha.)

And you probably wouldn't sign it either right?

[ZoetMB]

Originally Posted by wilky61

If negative rep were still around, this is the kind of post to which I'd award it.

(I guess you can call me a purist. A 22-year-old soul and blues purist, haha.)

Yes and No. Surely the whole thing was a joke and Belushi and Aykroyd are not singers, although they were enthusiastic. But the arrangements and backup band was really terrific - mostly members of Booker T and the MGs, including the great Steve Cropper.

Other recommendations are (and I assume we're talking about CDs here, not vinyl):
Otis Redding: the Definitive Otis Redding (box)

Aretha Franklin: Queen of Soul (box)

James Brown: the 40th Anniversary Collection (2 CD) (There's probably a new 50th anniversary collection out by now.)

Solomon Burke: The Very Best (Rhino)

Ray Charles: just about anything, but his deal with Atlantic/Rhino looks like it has terminated and everything seems to be moving to Concord records. Concord released a 21 track "Genius" CD last year that looks pretty good, although it's mainly his ABC Records material - the Country & Western stuff.

Amazon still has copies of Pure Genius: Complete Atlantic Recordings 52-59, for $100, which is a great deal (8 CDs in packaging that looks like an old record player). They only have 3 left and I bet when they're gone, that's it.

They also have the Atlantic/Rhino 50th Ray Charles anniversary box (5 CDs) from 3rd parties.

If you want Ray's soul records, make sure you're not buying his jazz collections.

Marvin Gaye: almost anything.

Curtis Mayfield: the Rhino box

Percy Mayfield: Percy was actually the writer of many of Ray Charles' songs. Some of his stuff sounds just like Ray. There was a Rhino handmade collection called Percy Mayfield: His Tangerine and Atlantic Sides, but I bet you can find the same material on other collections.

Righteous Brothers (blue-eyed soul). Just make sure it has "You've Lost That Loving Feeling" on it.

Percy Sledge

Joss Stone: The Soul Sessions (modern soul produced by Betty Everett from an 18 year old, white, british girl. Amazing. I don't know why Stone didn't become a bigger star. This girl can sing!)

Someone mentioned the complete Atlantic Soul (8CD) collection, which is great, but there's also three separate similar boxes from Stax records. But unless you're a completist and want every single A-side ever released, I'd stick with the 2CD compilation (of the first Stax box) or there's also a Stax 50th Anniversary 2CD set.

If you can find them, there's also: Beg, Scream & Shout!: The Big Ol' Box Of 60's Soul and The R&B Box: 30 Years Of Rhythm & Blues . Both are out of print.

[Groo The Perverted]

[petersondenial]

hello nice pictures thanks for sharing.. i have never seen some of pictures..

[JamesOttoSweetHeart]

My most favorite singer, James Otto, is all about country soul. Check him out when you can!

God bless you and him always!!!

Holly

[Almadacr]

Originally Posted by JamesOttoSweetHeart

My most favorite singer, James Otto, is all about country soul. Check him out when you can!

God bless you and him always!!!

Holly

Are you promoting this guy all around the forum ????

[JamesOttoSweetHeart]

^^^ If you check every message that I have left here so far, you will find several that don't even mention him.

God bless you and him always!!!

Holly