We waited one, here it is: "Sweet Soul Music" French, it's called "the odyssey of the soul" and is signed Florent Mazzoleni. This book, which he conceived as an almanac of the Soul, retraces the history of this movement of the early promoters of the genre (Sam Cooke, Ray Charles) today. Without being able exhaustive (because there should be an encyclopedia in 10 volumes), this educational book is very comprehensive, and review all types and all schools. No need to be a specialist to find happiness, it just requires a good dose of curiosity and appetite for music. Resources to spend New Year's gift wisely.
include the Distinguished Journalist Inrocks at Tecknikart, or Geo, photographer, friend of Alex Chilton, Bordeaux heart, flyer, Florent Mazzoleni is one of the very best French connoisseurs gender, already the author of "Motown, soul and Glamour," and "James Brown, Black America, soul and funk." Meeting.
NB: having had the questions before he answered several times in one answer.
What we realize from reading this book is the influence of groundwater but crucial Ragovoy, of Whitfield, of Holland-Dozier-Holland etc., that is to say all producers of these albums for years 60-70 (and often made up the titles). They are no more responsible for his soul of those years that the artists themselves ?
You isolate several "schools" of soul in this book. Everyone knows that Detroit (Motown), Memphis (Stax and Hi) and Philadelphia (Philly sound). Can you talk more specifically the two lesser-known schools, the Chicago (a city best known for its blues artists) and that of New Orleans?
One thing that we must not forget. Okay, we talk about in music producer, but the soul without the artists do not exist. The soul is a history of voice above all, it is the song of the soul. Answer is that Solomon Burke's producer Jerry Wexler when he asked him what he wanted to sing: "I want to sing with my soul." It is really the idea of self-affirmation, in search of personal expression. Then the producers will give a showcase for that voice. And Norman Whitfield Motown in the late 1960s is making tubes per kilometer and launch many careers. But actually if a singer does not have a strong design, it does not give much. We need a solid foundation. It is an artistic vision behind. It should also be able to sell is what made people like Jerry Wexler at Atlantic. It was not really a producer itself. In some labels, there was a division devoted entirely to producers. For example, Stax, some discs were produced by the duo of Hayes / Porter, others by Booker T. Jones and others by Jim Stewart. After he left to promote and sell music.
is the problem of a Ragovoy that produced some discs are among the finest of its kind. His records were not as successful as those of Atlantic or Motown, because there was not the same marketing power behind. However, records of Howard Tate or those Garnett Mimms produced by Ragovoy, are among the best soul songs ever recorded. and "Stay With Me" by Lorraine Ellison , mark a peak of orchestrated soul.
Same thing for a producer like Allen Toussaint, who sets throughout the sixties sound of New Orleans. He wrote the songs, himself played the piano ... It was indispensable. There is not a soul artist from New Orleans who did not register with him, whether The Meters Lee Dorsey and Irma Thomas ... He's behind Betty Harris well. It was he who really defined the sound of that city.
When thinking about the soul of Chicago, it is impossible not to talk to Curtis Mayfield. There were four major labels in Chicago soul (Okeh, Vee Jay, Chess, Brunswick ...) but it was not uncommon to find him in the production of all these labels. Thus we find the characteristic claw Mayfield productions (in collaboration with Johnny Pate) on the first Major Lance, Gene Chandler, or behind . What particular introduced Mayfield is the sound with the introduction of Latin Afro-Cuban percussion. Meanwhile, Chess label blues shows, also offered hints of soul, according to the will of the Chess brothers, for example by sending Etta James record in Muscle Shoals, producing Jackie Ross, Johnny "Guitar" Watson , Fontella Bass and Laura Lee ... But in my opinion, the greatest soul singer of Chicago called Mitty Collier . She has a wonderful voice. She released a remarkable album that defines the sound of Chicago perfectly.
You did the preface to Philippe Robert, "Great Black Music" . You will define the great black music as "a raised fist," as "a vindictive redisseminators vibration Untold, echoing artists like James Brown (" Say It Loud "), Sly Stone (" Do not Call Me Nigger Whitey "), Curtis Mayfield, Gil Scott Heron ... The context for today's black America is more forgiving says it failed some of soul and funk during the years 80-90?
These years are years of transition, during which we left the big bands disappear soul. It happened the same with jazz in the 1940s with the arrival of amplification. The great Duke Ellington orchestras type gave way to smaller combos, more explosive. And in soul, these big bands (Parliament, Kool & The Gang, Earth Wind & Fire) eventually decline because we simply have no economic means dd'entretenir ten, fifteen or twenty musicians! In the 1970s, we must know that James Brown turned three drummers on stage! Who in the 80's could afford this luxury? Only Prince has fully understood the use of studios and realized it could achieve his albums almost alone. It can also deplore those years unfortunately a failure of artistic vision on the part of producers. One can easily guide the public taste and became probably less demanding over the years.
But over the past decade, there is actually a revival that could be a figurehead Erykah Badu, the great modern soul diva. With it, we rediscovered the virtues of the Hammond organ and a certain patina, this stuff. But also hip-hop artists like The Roots revives the spirit of the production years 60-70 after two decades when, for economic reasons, that spirit was gone. Many artists have realized the value of play "old" with brass riffs, the chorus, and this game call and response gospel inherited. Do not forget that the soul comes from R & B but more gospel. In my opinion this degeneration of the soul from a decline in the practice of the gospel. In the years 60-70 everyone started by learning to sing spirituals to the Church. Conversely, the star of the years 80-90 did not experience gospel (with the exception of Whitney Houston, who has been learning this fact that makes the difference, even if it is not my cup of tea) .
level of soul artist lately, what do you think of Daptone Records?
Daptone label is a pretty clever who understood the virtues of returning to organic ... In my opinion, it is not surprising that Sharon Jones and Lee Fields percent today because they have years of experience the golden age, they crossed the important artists, it gave them a special identity. In my opinion Daptone Records is the label of black music the most important of those 10.12 years.
More generally, where is the soul today? In R'n'B? In the revival? It's pretty hard to define really. In my opinion, Janelle Monae is much to do in the coming years to the middle of the soul. His energy is quite close to a group like Outkast. All these artists are trying to find the virtues of authenticity. They do everything to play with real live musicians, real instruments in a studio, in short organic elements. Even hip-hop, when he ended up breathless rediscover the virtues of the soul. They understood that this practice gave way to a different sheen to their recordings. A sort of "natural truth" in the words of Ray Charles.
But you were talking about Seal. We see, soul music can be as consumerist another. Although Phil Collins, I am quite lenient towards him. What he did in the 70 Brian Eno, including his drum parts on "Another Green World" is serious. He remains a true musician. However, its times of Motown standards, it is a disaster. It only sell to its consumers indigestible porridge: it's music kilometer. People buy it at the supermarket between cereals and two packages of pasta. The fact that it can kill the music he loves with equal consciousness deserves severe punishment. But the success of Seal or Phil Collins is an economic reality. Seal, you guessed that I am not sick, but if he can get even some people to rediscover the original songs, it can be a smuggler, why not.
In this book, you talk of course tops the soul (James Brown, Al Green, Marvin Gaye ...) ... But what fascinated me personally was to discover unknown, which are sometimes at the legends. What say ten rarities (albums or artists) to learn first?
one I would mention first is Garnet Mimms With or without the Enchanters. His first album of 1963, "Cry Baby": a summit of the soul of the 60's. Listen to "Baby, Do not You Weep", a cover of the gospel "Mary Do not You Weep." One can easily understand how the soul is gone from the gospel stories of betrayal in love (the cheatin songs). The song of Garnet Mimms and the production of Jerry Ragovoy are clear. It is one of the most poignant voices I have ever heard.
Lee Dorsey him inspired the famous "Yes We Can" Obama with this elastic and nonchalant voice, typical of the sound New Orleans. This album from 1970 is inevitably produced by Allen Toussaint. His first album, "Ya Ya" oaru in 1962 is also a wonderful collection of nursery rhymes very early soul and blues rhythmn limit.
In Southern soul, there Geater Davis a singer with a very hoarse voice, which works in the way that Bobby 'Blue' Band had begun before him. Then two of my hobbies, OV Wright and extraordinary voice that can go very low and very high up in a split second with the profound legacy of gospel music. James Carr him, was one of country music singers Soul, on behalf of the label Goldwax, especially with this absolute classic, "(At The) Dark End of the Street". It must also speak to Eddie Hinton white singer who began playing guitar with Bobby Womack and Candi Staton ... He is the author of a magnificent album released in 1978: "Very Extremely Dangerous", it must listen is one of the best discs of white soul.
Otherwise what else? The album of 1966 of Jimmy Hughes , "Why Not Tonight," which is the epitome of the Muscle Shoals first period, just after Arthur Alexander, that is to say, after country music soul has been set. There's also Ollie & The Nightingales, which clearly demonstrates the expressive power of groups that have cut their teeth in the gospel. Some things they saw as "I Got A Sure Thing" are just incredible. It's really very poignant.
I also think the album Lightnin 'Rod , "Hustler's Convention". Here we're really in the early days of hip hop, with a spoken voice on very funky rhythms, the album is quite remarkable, but unfortunately not well known. The side beads forgotten there is "Jealous Kind of Fellow" Garland Green in the register of Chicago soul, that's great.
There is also the Soul Children. Their four albums are amazing. People should rediscover them. Here are some tracks, it can change according to my mood.
And women?
I think naturally Helene Smith, a singer who released one album in 1966 failed on a small token of Florida. We can say that the feminine soul reaches its climax with the first album, now sadly missing. I'm not even sure to mention it in the book ...
On the funk, the album Yvonne Fair produced by Whitfield ("The Bitch Is Black") is one of the best funk albums in the feminine. There was talk of Erykah Badu, watch the cover of the single album of Ella Washington in 1969. We see that she has borrowed the same postures for meditation. I also think of Doris Duke, including album "I'm A Loser". There are many good songs produced by Swamp Dogg.
The soul is a genre that lends itself to many compilations. Some are recognized (the "Shaolin Soul" rapper of the Wu Tang, RZA), but overall it is difficult to navigate. If you were to advise two or three, what are they?
In France, the compilations "remarkable R & B", "R & B terrible" ... There must be a twenty volumes released between 1965 and 1972 in good order. Shaolin Soul compilations were actually pretty good, with lots of sounds of at Hi Records.
Next one I would urge, is a CD released a few years ago, including all the productions female James Brown "Funky Divas" and that was enough extra. They included one of my favorite songs, the heartrending "I Cried" by Tammi Montgomery, who later sang with Marvin Gaye in the name of Tammi Terell.
Well, point blank, like this ... The Deep Soul compilations of Ace Records, "The Outskirts of Deep City" from Numero Group, which found titles by Helene Smith.
Otherwise, Gilles Petard and myself have worked on the series "Absolute Funk" in five volumes. I think fairly representative of a funk rare, vintage and authentic. There are also a series of three volumes on Hi Records. It gives a very good idea of the quality label.
The first black box Stax and Motown released the full year by year since the early 2000s are also essential. There was also a series of deep soul that I loved very much, not too formal, "Lost Deep Soul Treasures". I must say that I have a fondness for Southern soul.
Solomon Burke, Willie Mitchell and Alex Chilton died this year, the best way to honor them is still listening to their songs, which albums would you advise for those who do not know ?
Of Solomon Burke, you can listen to all these early sides for Atlantic, the album "Proud Mary" with Bell, his MGM period, until his last album, "Do not Give Up It me, "the big comeback album of 2002 and the latter in collaboration with Willie Mitchell "Nothing's Impossible", which will unfortunately be their last record every second.
I also had the chance to meet Willie Mitchell and I will always remember the interview he granted me. Here I refer to my book, "Memphis, roots rock and soul", published in 2006 in Castor Astral, in which I talk quite a legacy of the studio Hi. I do not really have an album for Willie to advise more than another. Perhaps the album white and blue, "Touch of the Blues" produced for Bobby 'Blue' Bland. Or what produced for Al Green, classics, or the Five Royales, at the very beginning of his career as a producer.
Alex Chilton's different, it was a very dear friend. Thanks to him I'm back on pilgrimage soul, he who made me discover many things in black music, including this 45 towers Marcell Strong, "Mumble In My Ear", perhaps one of most beautiful drives in the history of soul. The three Big Star albums are essential. "Like Flies On Sherbert" in 1979 and "Shadow" in 1994 are also two perfect discs, though very different. What better legacy can one imagine art?
Alex Chilton communicated to me his love of New Orleans. All these walks near the Mississippi that I was doing with him was amazing and it was an incredible source of revelations. It opened my eyes to many things: the gospel, Slim Harpo ... It's hard to tell, I have lots of memories coming back. This is one of the leading figures of rock.
I met these three artists, but Alex was by far the person with whom I had the greatest affinity.
You are probably the French specialist in African music. I just found out with Fela Kuti "Zombie" and "Expensive Shit". What other albums do you recommend it? And what you feel good album Gateways to African music?
I do not know if I am the specialist in any case is my preferred area of exploration in recent years. Fela's all you can take, all sessions until early 80's, including "International Thief Thief" Honestly ... all his albums are remarkable. Perhaps also "Sorrow, Tears and Blood", "Opposite People", "Shakara" ... Anyway, it's remarkable start to finish.
Otherwise, as good entry points, there Releases Nigeria 70, Mali 70, Congo 70, 70 Senegal, Ghana Soundz (two volumes), the compilation "Free Africa" provides a good overview of four CDs. But mostly I am a big fan of Malian music, great regional orchestras of the 1970's, there are absolutely devastating things to discover. All you can listen to Congolese Franco, listen! Franco is the artist in my opinion the most prolific in the history of the 20th century. He has recorded nearly three thousand pieces! (For fall, James Brown recorded less than a thousand). Try as Manu Dibango, period "Africadelic" is very good!
There are several fascinating compilations, like the orchestra Marxist Super Mama Djombo of Guinea Bissau or five volumes on Angola published in Buda Music. At the same publisher, obtain also the twenty-seven volumes of the Ethiopiques series, absolutely essential! Again I refer to my book, "The Epic of African music" published in 2008 by Off Collection.
is terrible I know not one of those names ...
You know, if you're curious, in your life, you get all this music. Me my first concert was the Beastie Boys at the age of twelve, and it marked me for life. I first listened to hip hop, soul, rock. Then, in recent years many African music. The whole thing is to stay awake and feel like. There are fabulous discs being discovered every day, that's why I'm going to Africa and others to find the gems. It is suspected that can barely even exist. But if you want to get started, ask about Amara Toure is one of the great voices of the 20th century. One day, if you wish, we will do an interview on African music. We must search, look, it's very interesting. African music is a certain idea of the future of music, while providing a poignant look into the past.
You have already written a book on Motown, one of James Brown, one in Memphis, and there a book you thought like an almanac on the soul. I feel that this "Odyssey of the Soul" that meant closing on such ...
Not necessarily, I listen to a lot of soul. Even if today I am very often in Africa to do research, interviews ... I have a book project on Stax. At this moment I finish a book that will be called "Afro-pop, the golden age of big bands in Africa," but I'm probably going back to soul. I am passionate sound of Muscle Shoals, I would devote a book. All that to say that I have several projects underway around soul music. Do not worry, it's not finished yet! Especially since there is considerable correspondence between soul and Afro-pop. The matrix Atlantic fascinates me is a transmission path (unfortunately sometimes forced) extraordinary regarding cultural exchanges. I also prepare a compilation of songs and how Latin Afro Cuban music has played a role Africa throughout the 1960s and 1970s. I have three books planned for next year including one on the history of Malian music. If you want to discover this great Malian music, I recommend the compilation "Mali 70."
And when you walk away in Africa?
Sunday in Dakar, to give lectures as part of the 3rd World Festival of Negro Arts (from December 10 to 31 in Senegal).
Vianney G.
