(Above: Gil Scott-Heron performs “We Almost Lost Detroit” in concert. His June 20 performance at Blues Alley in Washington, D.C., earns an honorable mention as one of the top shows of the year.) By Joel Francis The Daily Record Jonsi, April 22, Liberty Hall Sigur Ros concerts have a sustained emotional intensity matched only by [...]
Posts Tagged ‘Stax’
Top 10 shows of 2010
Posted in Top 10, tagged Allen Toussaint, Babylon, Black Keys, Body of War, Common, Dan Auerbach, Dap-Kings, Daptone Records, Dark Side of the Moon, David Gray, Diverse, Eddie Vedder, Emmylou Harris, Flaming Lips, gold medal, Hearts of Darkness, Hermon Mehari, James Brown, Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Rotten, Jonsi, Kansas City Royals, Les Izmore, Like Water for Chocolate, Lilith Fair, Mike McCready, New Orleans jazz, New Year's Freakout, Olympics, Patrick Carney, Paul Simon, Pearl Jam, Phosphorescent, PiL, Pink Floyd, Public Image Ltd., Radiohead, Sex Pistols, Sharon Jones, Sigur Ros, Stax, Stiefel Theater, Tina Turner, Tomas Young, White Lines, Willie Wilson, Working in a Coal Mine on December 28, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Edwin Starr – “Twenty-five Miles”
Posted in Motown, Song Review, tagged Atlantic records, Bert Berns, Edwin Starr, Four Tops, Harvey Fuqua, Hitsville U.S.A., Jerry Wexler, Johnny Bristol, Levi Stubbs, Southern Soul, Stax, Wilson Pickett on November 30, 2009 | 2 Comments »
Edwin Starr – “Twenty-Five Miles,” Pop # 6, R&B #6 By Joel Francis If the horn arrangement on “Twenty-Five Miles” sounds like something out of the Stax studio, that’s because it is. Motown songwriters Harvey Fuqua and Johnny Bristol based their number on the obscure Wilson Pickett song “32 Miles Out of Waycross (Mojo Mama)” [...]
Review – Booker T.
Posted in Concert review, Stax, tagged Booker T and the MGs, Booker T. Jones, Born Under A Bad Sign, Green Onions, Hey Ya, OutKast, Potato Hole, Stax on September 30, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
(Above: Booker T. Jones performs “Time Is Tight” in Dublin earlier this year.) By Joel Francis Soul legend Booker T. Jones’ concert Sunday night at Knucklehead’s was the tale of two shows. The first half of Jones’ two-hour set was solid, if unspectacular and marred by sound and equipment issues. After a 20-minute recess to [...]
Album review – “Stax: The Soul of Hip-Hop”
Posted in Album review, Stax, tagged 24-Carat Black, Booker T and the MGs, C.R.E.A.M., Charmels, Cypress Hill, De La Soul, Dramatics, Ghostface Killah, hip hop, Isaac Hayes, Jay-Z, Little Milton, Notorous B.I.G., Public Enemy, Robert Cray, Rufus Thomas, RZA, soul music, Soulsville U.S.A., Stax, Supreme Clientele, the Emotions, Wendy Rene, Wu-Tang Clan on June 22, 2009 | 1 Comment »
By Joel Francis When RZA needed a hook for “C.R.E.A.M.” he turned to the Charmels’ “As Long As I’ve Got You” and joined a large fraternity of rappers and producers who have leaned on the Stax catalog for their tracks. And though Stax has provided the samples for hits by Jay-Z, Public Enemy, Notorious B.I.G. [...]
The Four Tops – “Reach Out (I’ll Be There)”
Posted in Motown, tagged Beatles, Diana Ross, Elton John, Four Tops, Funk Brothers, Gloria Gaynor, Hitsville U.S.A., Holland-Dozier-Holland, James Jamerson, Levi Stubbs, Michael Bolton, Michael McDonald, Motown vs Stax, Paul McCartney, Reach Out I'll Be There, Stax on June 10, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
The Four Tops – “Reach Out (I’ll Be There),” Pop # 1, R&B # 1 By Joel Francis The dramatic introduction to “Reach Out (I’ll Be There)” owes more than a little to Phil Spector’s Wall of Sound and was Motown’s most cinematic chart-topper to date. While the flute gets the signature melody, check out [...]
Little Arkansas Rocks
Posted in Music history, tagged Al Green, Ardent, Aretha Franklin, Arkansas, B.B. King, Big Star, Bill Clinton, blues, blues music, bluesmen, Brooks & Dunn, Charlie Rich, Conway Twitty, Delta Blues, Dixie Flyers, Elmore James, Evanescence, Flamin' Groovies, Garth Brooks, George Strait, Glen Campbell, Jim Dickinson, Jimmy Witherspoon, Joe Bishop, John Hughes, Johnny Cash, Levon Helm, Louis Jordan, Luther Allison, Luther Dickinson, Mudhoney, musicians from Arkansas, Ne-Yo, North Mississippi Allstars, Pharoah Sanders, Replacements, Robert Jr. Lockwood, Rolling Stones, Roosevelt Sykes, Rufus Thomas, Shawn Camp, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Smokie Norfull, Son Seals, Sonny Boy Williamson, Sonny Rollins, Stax, The Band, Tommy Cash, West Memphis, Willie Big Eyes Smith, Woodchopper's Ball on April 29, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
(Above: Al Hibbler, who wrote “Unchained Melody,” attended school for the blind in Little Rock, Ark.) By Joel Francis At a recent concert in Fayetteville, Ark., jazz legend Sonny Rollins remarked at how happy he was to be playing Louis Jordan’s home state for the first time. Arkansas has never been known as either cutting-edge [...]
Review: Al Green
Posted in review, tagged Al Green, gospel, Midland Theater, Motown, soul music, Stax on December 2, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Above: The Rev. Al Green brings “Love and Happiness.” By Joel Francis After barely over an hour onstage, Al Green said goodnight, grabbed a small black duffle bag and exited. The gesture was symbolic of the evening: the bags were packed and he was ready to go. Saturday’s concert at the Midland Theater was the [...]
Stax vs. Motown (part three)
Posted in Motown, Stax, tagged Hitsville U.S.A., Joel Francis, Motown, music, soul music, Stax on September 3, 2008 | 2 Comments »
The final installment of my conversation with soul music fan Brad S. includes how to build a solid, affordable soul music libarty. Here is part one and part two. Brad S.: Okay, list time: What are your Top 10 Motown albums? You mentioned ”What’s Going On,” “Songs in the Key of Life,” “Talking Book” and “Cloud Nine.” What other [...]
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A Christmas conversation
Posted in Industry commentary, tagged Albert King, Allen Toussaint, Ava Maria, Back Door Santa, Bill Brownlee, Booker T and the MGs, Brenda Lee, Charles Brown, Charlie Brown, Charlie Brown Christmas, Christmas Cooking, Christmas Gumbo, Clarence Carter, Dan Hicks, Diana Ross, Dolly Parton, Donny Hathaway, Elvin Jones, Emmylou Harris, Fats Domino, Greensleeves, Isaac Hayes, Jackson 5, Jimmy Smith, John Coltrane, John Fahey, Johnny Cash, Lester Bowie, Lou Rawls, Louis Armstrong, Mahalia Jackson, Matt Wilson, Max Roach, McCoy Tyner, Michael Jackson, Motown Christmas, Nat King Cole, Odetta, Otis Redding, Plastic Sax, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Rufus Thomas, Sam Billen, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, Staple Singers, Stax, Stevie Wonder, Sufjan Stevens, Temptations, There Stands the Glass, Vince Guaraldi on December 17, 2010 | 1 Comment »
(Above: Jimmy Smith’s “Christmas Cooking,” released in 1964, is a classic, overlooked holiday album.) By Joel Francis The Daily Record The other day I was in a retail bookstore when I noticed the wonderful sounds of the Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack coming from the overhead speakers. As I enjoyed the music, two thoughts hit me. [...]
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