Full Description
The history of Soul music has been defined, first and foremost, by a succession of exceptional vocalists. It is impossible to conceive of the genre without them. This does not mean, however, that those who back singers, those who play instruments - bassists; drummers; guitarists; keyboardists; saxophonists - were reduced to nothing other than walk on parts. If Aretha Franklin and Otis Redding were able to move audiences, then their band members and arrangers, the likes of King Curtis and Booker T. Jones, played a key role in creating tracks that had commensurate emotional depth and technical ingenuity. These lesser known figures have heightened our listening pleasure. In Soul Unsung Kevin Le Gendre celebrates the contribution of players of instruments to soul. He analyses, in forensic detail, the inspiring creativity and imagination that several generations of musicians have brought to black pop, and highlights how they have broadened its sound canvas by adopting unusual stylistic approaches and embracing the latest available technology. Furthermore, the book offers insights into the state of contemporary soul and its relationship with jazz, rock and hip-hop.
It is precisely because soul has not evolved in a vacuum that it has a canon that is enviably rich in variety. Soul Unsung shines a light on the plethora of mesmerising sounds that constitute this heritage and explains why they affect the listener as much as a great singer. Placing the focus squarely on the band, Le Gendre sets out to change perceptions of one of the great forms of expression to have marked popular culture in the 20th century, so that those who play are given, alongside those who sing, their rightful place in the pantheon of contemporary music.
Contents
1 Introduction 2 What is this thing called Soul? 3 Aged in soul 4 The Soul-jazz continuum 5 The Soul-funk continuum 6 The Soul-rock continuum 7 A recipe from Memphis 8 A half a teacup of bass 9 A pound of fatback drums 10 Four tablespoons of boiling Memphis guitar 11 Just a little pinch of organ 12 A half pint of horn 13 We gonna tell you right now 14 One final Ingredient 15 A recipe not from Memphis 16 Universoul sounds: Part One 17 Universoul sounds: Part Two 18 Soulful house/Techno soul/Hip-hop soul 19 Divorcing Neo To Marry Soul 20 Soul is stranger than fiction 21 A Memphis aftertaste
