R&B

[Samanta]

I love Etta James! That voice! :)

[Samanta]

I love Etta James! That voice! :)

[André, Honorary Contributor - EMERITUS - Music]

Allen Toussaint has passed away

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/11/art...

Allen Toussaint

What Do You Want The Girl To Do? (live):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liVv4...

Southern Nights (live):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EihE...

Get Out My Life, Woman (live):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6ldp...

Sweet Touch Of Love:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cl0nc...

Documentary:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLMI5...

[Jill H.]

One of the greats, Andre. I have been away from the boards for a couple of weeks due to personal business and need to get caught up.I can always depend on you to keep things going!

[André, Honorary Contributor - EMERITUS - Music]

Jill wrote: "One of the greats, Andre. I have been away from the boards for a couple of weeks due to personal business"

Jill, I hope you are doing fine. I was also busy but when I read about Allen Toussaint's passing I felt I needed to add some of his great music here.

[André, Honorary Contributor - EMERITUS - Music]

Curtis Mayfield

Show Me Love:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3o8Yd...

Live at Ronnie Scott's 1988 (incl. interview snippets):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Bo9Y...

[Jill H.]

Johnny Ace was one of the great R&B performers who probably doesn't get enough attention these days. His death by a self-inflicted gunshot wound still raises questions.

This song became a big hit posthumously and has been covered by many other artists.

Pledging My Love

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AT_eO...

(Source: Youtube)

[André, Honorary Contributor - EMERITUS - Music]

Natalie Cole

This Will Be:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30PqL...

Unforgettable:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKCyU...

The Unforgettable Concert (1992):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilEKW...

This Will Be (on the Tonight Show):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Dl5V...

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/02/art...

[Jill H.]

Joe Houston, one of the great sax players in R&B has passed. Listen to his 1956 hit song All Night Long to get an idea of why he is legendary with his fans.

All Night Long by Joe Houston

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGdoh...

[André, Honorary Contributor - EMERITUS - Music]

Otis Clay

Trying To Live My Life Without You:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlrVF...

I Can Take You To Heaven Tonight:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WylAe...

[André, Honorary Contributor - EMERITUS - Music]

Maurice White Maurice White (No Portrait Available)

Earth, Wind & Fire

Love Goes On (live in Japan):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12dw_...

September (live in Japan):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hy-hu...

Fantasy (live):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gL2Ms...

Let's Groove (live):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yX3Z...

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/05/art...

[André, Honorary Contributor - EMERITUS - Music]

Jill, another genius gone... But I felt just had to post this one. Maurice White changed so many people's lives for the better, apart from the music brought love and joy into the world, made them sing, dance and hope. What more can we do?

[Jill H.]

I saw that last night on the news and was going to post it. Thanks André. It has not been a happy time in the past few months as we have lost some real music legends and some of my favorites. And they cannot be replaced as music changes and their's was unique.

[André, Honorary Contributor - EMERITUS - Music]

Jill wrote: "It has not been a happy time in the past few months as we have lost some real music legends and some of my favorites...."

The thing with Maurice was that he wasn't just about the music.
He really wanted to make a difference, change people's lives for the better - and he did. Different from Curtis Mayfield but on a big scale.

The NYT just published a fine appraisal written by Nate Chinen:
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/06/art...

[Jill H.]

Thanks for that link, André.

[Alisa]

So sad at his passing. My early college years were marked by the sound of EW&F. He was a great enduring talent and fine human.

[André, Honorary Contributor - EMERITUS - Music]

Alisa wrote: "So sad at his passing. My early college years were marked by the sound of EW&F. He was a great enduring talent and fine human."

You're so right, Alisa, a real fine human.
Everybody here in Germany was talking about Glenn Frey and David Bowie with TV-Specials and stuff but for some reason Maurice just got a side note in a culture program... I'm so glad I grew up in Holland where he and his band shaped the scene in the 70's and early 80's. His arrangements fascinated me like no other (though I of course also very much appreciated the two other musicians mentioned). I think Maurice through his unique blend of styles managed to open up many people and changed this world for the better. His melodies are always in my head - "And Love Goes On..."

[Jill H.]

One doesn't usually speak of country and rhythm and blues in the same breath but this album proves that it indeed melds together wonderfully, In fact, one of the songs, "Funny How Time Slips Away" by Lyle Lovett and Al Green won a Grammy. The whole album can be heard at the following link on Youtube.

Rhythm, Country, and Blues by various artists.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Niou...

[André, Honorary Contributor - EMERITUS - Music]

Mack Rice has passed away.

Most people know this one he wrote:

Mustang Sally:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPBOX...
with Solomon Burke:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0veU...
another live version:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJ2wJ...

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/29/art...

[Jill H.]

It has not been a good year for the music business.

[Jill H.]

Who Did It First? Great Rhythm and Blues Cover Songs and Their Original Artists

by Bob Leszczak (no photo)

Synopsis:

Everybody has to start somewhere. Businessmen start on the ground floor and try to work their way up the corporate ladder. Baseball players bide their time in the minor leagues wishing for an opportunity to move up and play in the majors. Musical compositions aren t very different some songs just don t climb the charts the first time they re recorded. However, with perseverance, the ideal singer, the right chemistry, impeccable timing, vigorous promotion, and a little luck, these songs can become very famous. So writes Bob Leszczak in the opening pages of Who Did It First? Great Rhythm and Blues Cover Songs and Their Original ArtistsHere readers will discover the little-known history behind legendary rhythm and blues numbers on their way to the majors. As Leszczak points out, the version you purchased, danced to, romanced to, and grew up with is often not the first version recorded. Like wine and cheese, some tunes just get better with age, and behind each there is a story. Who Did It First? contains interesting facts and amusing anecdotes, often gathered through Leszczak s vast archive of personal interviews with the singers, songwriters, record producers, and label owners who wrote, sang, recorded, and distributed either the original cut or one of its classic covers. The first in a series devoted to the story of great songs and their revivals, Who Did It First? is the perfect playlist builder. Whether quizzing friends at a party, answering a radio station contest, or simply satisfying an insatiable curiosity to know who really did do it first, this book is a must-have."

[Jill H.]

I ran across this short overview of Rhythm and Blues and thought it was worth putting up here.

Rhythm and Blues: An Overview

Rhythm and blues (R&B), which combines soulful singing and a strong backbeat, was the most popular music created by and for African Americans between the end of World War II (1941-45) and the early 1960s. Such Georgia artists as Ray Charles, Little Richard, and James Brown rank among the most influential and innovative R&B performers.

Surging employment during World War II accelerated the migration of the rural poor to cities and helped create a younger, more urban black audience. By 1946 the decade-long dominance of swing music was fading, but the demand for exciting dance music remained. Early R&B artists broke away from the big band formula by typically performing in small combos and emphasizing blues-style vocals and song structures. Saxophone and piano were still prominent, but electric guitar and bass added volume and intensity, making the new sound ideal for radio and jukeboxes.

Billboard magazine coined the term rhythm and blues to rename its "race records" chart in 1949, reflecting changes in the social status, economic power, and musical tastes of African Americans. Promoted by new, independently owned record labels and radio stations marketed to blacks, R&B also captured the imagination of young white audiences and led directly to the popularity of rock and roll.

The focal point for early R&B in Georgia was Atlanta, where venues like the Municipal Auditorium, the 81 Theater, and the Royal Peacock Club offered live acts.

WERD, purchased by J. B. Blayton in 1949, was one of the first black-owned radio stations in the country, and its R&B format was an immediate success with Atlanta listeners. Zenas "Daddy" Sears, a white disc jockey with close ties to Atlanta's black community, started a late-night R&B show on WGST in 1948 and became a prominent local talent scout and promoter. In 1956 he purchased WAOK, hired an integrated staff, and switched it to an R&B format.

One of many local artists popularized on Sears's broadcasts, Piano Red (Willie Lee Perryman) developed a barrelhouse style, a loud percussive type of blues piano suitable for noisy bars or taverns. Perryman played around prewar Atlanta with blues greats Barbecue Bob (Robert Hicks) and "Blind Willie" McTell. He released five R&B top ten hits in 1951 and charted again as Dr. Feelgood in the early 1960s. For many years he was the house pianist at Muhlenbrink's Saloon in Underground Atlanta.

Chuck Willis was singing at block parties, dances, and talent shows in Atlanta when he met Zenas Sears, who became his manager. Willis had hits on both the R&B and pop charts from 1956 to 1958. He was also a successful composer whose songs were recorded by Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, and others. A month after he died in 1958 from stomach ulcers at the age of thirty, his song "What Am I Living For" hit number one on the R&B charts.

Born in Albany, Ray Charles was equally talented as a pianist, singer, and arranger, and his career spanned R&B, blues, country, gospel, and pop. His first national hit, "I Got a Woman," propelled by a jumping horn riff and Charles's moaning vocals, was recorded at the WGST studios in 1954. In this and later recordings, Charles mixed blues and gospel styles, laying the groundwork for the emotional, churchy vocals of soul music.

Little Richard (Richard Penniman) advertises himself as "the originator, the emancipator, and the architect of rock and roll." His claim, though arrogant, is well warranted. Known for his ecstatic singing and pounding piano, the Macon-born performer released a series of wildly energetic records from 1955 to 1957, including "Long Tall Sally," "Rip It Up," and "Tutti-Frutti," that crossed over from the R&B chart to the pop chart. He appeared in several early rock-and-roll movies, and his hits were covered, but not surpassed, by Pat Boone and by the Beatles.

No performer has been more influential than singer and bandleader James Brown. Brought up in Augusta, Brown became known as the "hardest-working man in show business" for his relentless touring and explosive stage performances. His first hit was "Please, Please, Please" (1956). His million-selling Live at the Apollo album (1963) achieved unprecedented crossover success. Starting with "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" and "I Got You (I Feel Good)" in 1965, Brown evolved a new, funky style that emphasized intense rhythmic interplay between vocals, horns, guitar, and drums. He was a constant presence on both R&B and pop charts through the social turmoil of the 1960s and early 1970s and achieved recognition not only as a performer but also as a symbol of black pride and self-sufficiency.
In 1986 Ray Charles, Little Richard, and James Brown were among the first inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio.

The end of the classic R&B period was marked by Billboard magazine's short-lived decision to combine its pop and R&B charts in 1963. Since then "R&B" has been used more broadly to encompass a range of black musical genres, including soul, funk, disco, and rap.

(Source; Georgiaencylopedia)

[André, Honorary Contributor - EMERITUS - Music]

Rod Temperton has passed away.
Before being "discovered" by Quincy Jones and writing many hit songs for Michael Jackson, The Brothers Johnson, George Benson and many others he was quite successful in Europe with his own band, Heatwave, where he also played keys.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/06/art...

Heatwave

The Groove Line:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLQac...

Super Soul Sister (live):
:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyHol...

Too Hot To Handle (live):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9Abl...

Always And Forever (live):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3DSQ...

[Jill H.]

Thanks for the update, André.

[Jill H.]

A rhythm and blues pioneer.

Big Mama Thornton: The Life and Music

by Michael Sprke (no photo)

Synopsis:

You ain't nothing but a "Hound Dog" ... with these words shouted into the microphone she will always be remembered: Big Mama Thornton. Who is this woman who sang the megahit "Hound Dog" before Elvis Presley and who wrote "Ball & Chain," the song that catapulted Janis Joplin to sudden fame? The story begins with her first musical attempts in the Hot Harlem Revue as a girl of 14. Then the book follows her journey into the Mecca of Texas Blues, Houston, where Big Mama Thornton met Johnny Otis, with whom she recorded her greatest success--"Hound Dog.

[André, Honorary Contributor - EMERITUS - Music]

Stevie Wonder

Heaven is 10 Zillion Light Years Away
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIE6u...

[Mark]

André wrote: "Stevie Wonder

Heaven is 10 Zillion Light Years Away
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIE6u..."

My favorite, favorite, favorite Stevie Wonder song!!!
Thanks.

[André, Honorary Contributor - EMERITUS - Music]

You're welcome.
It's timeless and has a great build-up and of course the lyrics, well, what can I say, on target.

[Mark]

André wrote: "You're welcome.
It's timeless and has a great build-up and of course the lyrics, well, what can I say, on target."
I wrote my note before I listen to the tube/thing. Just did that now. Made my day! Thanks a zillion!

[André, Honorary Contributor - EMERITUS - Music]

Mark - my favorite Stevie Wonder song (though I adore Heaven about just as much):

Stevie Wonder

I Wish
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYKYk...

I posted this before, but can't hurt to do it again, something on the making of:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyGPo...

[André, Honorary Contributor - EMERITUS - Music]

Joni Sledge has passed away

Sister Sledge

Thinking Of You:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAe54...

Lost In Music:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1Ikd...

He's The Greatest Dancer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-GcL...

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

Oh dear

[André, Honorary Contributor - EMERITUS - Music]

Billy Preston

Nothing From Nothing (on Soul Train):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubIt9...

You Are So Beautiful (live):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mvnz3...

Will It Go Round In Circles:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_e-R...

Summertime (live):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ylxxm...

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

Andre what a great post - thank you.

[André, Honorary Contributor - EMERITUS - Music]

Thank you, Bentley. I always admired Billy Preston. No matter where he played, be it with the Stones or solo, he just kept amazing me with the joy he spread.

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

Yes music has the ability to quiet the soul and mind. I am surprised you are not reading Barbarian Days - the book of the month. So many music references from that time frame and honestly a beautifully written book - excellent really - excellent style. When you get a chance - I think you will like it. I am not a surfer but it is more to me I think - a coming of age book - as well as an exceptional memoir.

You will love the music references.

by William Finnegan (no photo)

[Alisa]

Love BIlly Preston! Quite a musician, and quite a character as well.

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

Very true Alisa - I love Andre's posts

[André, Honorary Contributor - EMERITUS - Music]

Thank you, Bentley, Alisa.

[André, Honorary Contributor - EMERITUS - Music]

Rufus featuring Chaka Khan

Once You Get Started (Dutch TV 1974):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfLZ0...

Tell Me Something Good (Midnight Special):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muXmI...

Interview with Chaka Khan followed by some fine drumming
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-I47_...

You Got The Love (Soul Train):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-eUx...

Once You Get Started (Soul Train):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBKdi...

[Alisa]

LOVE Chaka Khan. She knows how to work it!

[André, Honorary Contributor - EMERITUS - Music]

Charles Bradley has passed away...

Charles Bradley

Changes:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xi49y...

The World (is Going Up In Flames):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moiUy...

Why Is It So Hard? (live):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBdTV...

Lovin' You Baby (live):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6slbq...

Charles Bradley speaking about his life:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5BI2...

Charles Bradley Soul of America, a fine documentary ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTK2v...

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

Sorry to hear about Bradley and I love your adds.

[André, Honorary Contributor - EMERITUS - Music]

Crown Heights Affair

Say A Prayer For Two:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9ao5...

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

Very good - thank you

[André, Honorary Contributor - EMERITUS - Music]

Leon Bridges

NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_oAC...

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

Thank you for the NPR flash back.

[André, Honorary Contributor - EMERITUS - Music]

Leroy Hutson

All Because Of You:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asdL8...

[André, Honorary Contributor - EMERITUS - Music]

Love Unlimited

High Steppin' Hip Dressin' Fella:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1C1LA...

[André, Honorary Contributor - EMERITUS - Music]

Brick

Brick City:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Io0v3...