Soul Fixin'

VH1 Soul's New Show: 'Soul Cities'
VH1 Soul is premiering a brand new show, 'Soul Cities', a combination of music, travel, and nostalgia, on Tuesday, November 11 at 9PM. Hosted by award winning writer, filmmaker, and music critic Nelson George, 'Soul Cities' explores the American cities that gave birth to the genre of music known as soul by visiting the studios, churches, bars, radio stations, and restaurants that helped shape and define soul music. The series will also include interviews and performances by soul artists such as Babyface, Robin Thicke, Angie Stone, Raheem DeVaughn, and LaBelle. 'Soul Cities' will take viewers on a trip to Chicago, Los Angeles, Memphis, New Orleans, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Oakland.

Soul Fixin'

Raphael Saadiq...Need I Say More?

Raphael Saadiq can do no wrong in my eyes. The Oakland cat is revered around these parts. His latest album, The Way I See It, is a work of art. If you don't own the album, what are you waiting for? I came across the video above, which is brought to you by ItsLikeButtaBaby.com. Decked out in a yellow suit, Raphael Saadiq performs a medley of "(Lay Your Head On My) Pillow," "It Never Rains (In Southern California)," & "Anniversary." The crowd was loving every bit of it. I hope you enjoy it as much as they did.

Soul Fixin'

Classic Soul Courtesy of Joy, Tweet, Bilal & Dwele

I came across the video below over at Brown Sugar. I love Joy Denalane with a passion so I was quite excited to hear her take on James Brown 'It's a Man's Man's Man's World.' After a little investigation I discovered the concert was recorded on wax earlier this year in Germany. Joy, Tweet, Bilal, and Dwele joined The Dresden Soul Symphony for a soulful walk down memory lane. The group performed a bevy of soul classics marinated in the sounds of classical music. The combination of soul and classical music may not sound good but the two genres form the perfect combination. Remakes of 'Let's Stay Together,' 'I'll Take You There,' 'Love Train,' A Song For You,' 'Midnight Train To Georgia' and other 60's & 70's soul chart toppers are included on the album. The DVD will be available Nov 11.

Video Soul

"if your mind could really see
you'd know your color is the same as me
pardon me brother as you stand in your glory
I know you won't mind if I tell the whole story
get yourself together, learn to know your sign
shall we commit genocide before we check out our mind
I know we've all got problems that's why I'm here to say
keep peace with me and I with you
let me love in my own way
now I know we got great respect for the sister and mother
it's even better yet
but there's the joker in the street loving one brother and killing the other
when the time comes and we are really free
there'll be no brothers left you see....."

Soul Fixin'

A Jackson 5 Reunion...Say What???You can file this in the I'll believe it when I see it files. According to Jermaine 'Jeri-Curl Juice' Jackson, he and his famous brothers are currently recording and planning a Jackson 5 reunion tour set for '09. You aren't the only one who is skeptical, my side eye is in full effect. In an interview with the Australian Associated Press, Jermaine stated “It is going to be more like a family affair, Janet's going to open and, of course, the original Jackson 5 ... Michael, Randy and the whole family ... We're in the studio, we're planning on being out there next year… This has been a long time coming for the Jackson family to get back together."  I can't imagine going to a concert to bare witness to a handful of men in their 50's prancing around stage singing hit songs such as “ABC,” “I’ll Be There” and “I Want You Back.”

Soul Fixin'

Seal's Ode To Obama
Seal can now be added to the very long list of artists supporting Barack Obama. Seal's endorsement comes via his latest music video for his remake of Sam Cooke's epic 'A Change Is Gonna Come.' A fitting song for a candidate that is promising a change. The emotional display of support features various clips of Obama campaign speeches and images and clips that touch on various social issues that plague the world and our country. By the way, Seal does a pretty damn good job covering the 44 year old soul classic. His upcoming album, Soul, will feature Seal's take on a slew of soul gems including Harold Melvin & The Blue Note's 'If You Don't Know Me By Now', Al Green's "Here I Am (Come And Take Me) " and Ann Peebles "I Can't Stand The Rain." Soul  hits stores in few weeks, November 11 to be exact. In the meantime, enjoy this ode to Barack. Barack > McCain. Barack The Vote on November 4.

Soul Fixin'

Much Ado About Diddy???
Has Diddy crossed the line? Many seem to think so. The rapper/entrepreneur/music exec is featured on the cover of the latest issue of L’Uomo Vogue. The photo above is featured inside the fashion magazine. As we can all see, Diddy's twin daughters are naked. On a BLACKVOICES board, members expressed their outrage. One member stated, "This negro here just proves that some people will pimp out any and everybody to stay in the headlines. This is just TASTELESS!." Another member expressed her disgust, "Personally, I don't think babies should ever be photographed naked. UNLESS it's going to be kept in a family album. But a PUBLISHED photo for all to see is just wrong." What are your thoughts?  Is it mere art or is it a low down attempt to garner publicity? Speak on it. On a much lighter note, Diddy's latest video blog features him and the twins encouraging Americans to Barack the Vote. Check out the cute clip below.

Video Soul

"and I'd give anything
and everything
to fall in love
just this one time
I'd like to find
what I've been dreaming of"

Soul Fixin'

Album Push Backs: Jay & Common
Common and Jay-Z now have something in common, each of their upcoming projects have been pushed back. Hip hop fans were expecting Common's eight studio album to drop during the summer, but it got pushed back for a November release. Now, the album, Universal Mind Control, is due to hit stores December 9, the same day 50 drops his album. Can we expect a battle between 50 and Common? If Common comes out victorious, does that mean people have finally come to their senses? Word on the street is that Jay-Z's last album for Def Jam, The Blueprint 3, won't be released until early '09. The album was scheduled to drop December 2, 2 days before Hov's 39th birthday. The rapper/husband/entrepreneur/music exec is obviously a very busy man, Jay has yet to release a video for his first single, “ Jockin Jay-Z (Dope Boy Fresh).” Whatever the case my be, I'm looking forward to getting my hands on the album and don't mind waiting a little longer for a classic Jay album.

Soul Fixin'

'Cadillac Records'In case you are clueless, the picture above is from the upcoming film 'Cadillac Records.' Yes, that fine high yellow woman is Beyonce. She portrays living legend Etta James in the film. Many, including myself, feel that a Jill Scott may have been a better pick. Regardless, I hope Bey pulls it off. Believe it or not, there is a bit of Oscar buzz surrounding Bey's portrayal of Etta. Back to the film. 'Cadillac Records' is the story of the rise and fall of famed label Chess Records. To tell the story of Chess is to tell the story of sex, drugs, violence, race, and rock 'n' roll in 1950's Chicago and those who lived it, Muddy Waters, Leonard Chess, Etta James, Little Walter and Howlin' Wolf and Elvis Presley--to name a few. MC and actor Mos Def stars in the film as rock 'n' roll pioneer Chuck Berry. The film hits theaters December 5. Check out the preview below.

Soul Fixin'

Raheem & Ledisi Host BETJ Show
The popular BETJ show 'Lyrics Cafe' is returning to television Friday night with hosts Raheem DeVaughn and my girl Ledisi. 'Lyrics Cafe' is an half hour program that includes performances by spoken word artists and soul singers. Chrisette Michele is expected to stop by the cafe this season. BET has yet to reveal the other performers that will be featured on the show. You won't find real music on BET, so tune into BETJ for great original programming and 'Lyrics Cafe.'

Video Soul

"maybe I deserve
for you to go out and find some other guy
maybe I deserve
for you to stay out with him all night
maybe I deserve
for you to do all the things I did to you..."

Soul Fixin'

Martha Stewart Brings L Boogie Out
We, the fans, may never be able to bring Lauryn Hill out of hiding but it seems that Martha Stewart, of all people, was able to do the impossible. L Boogie and four of her five children were spotted at a Williams Sonoma store in New Jersey. Martha Stewart was in the store signing copies of her latest book, it isn't known if the Hill-Marley clan was in the store to see Martha or just happened to be picking up a few things for the kitchen. Either way, Lauryn doesn't look too happy, she didn't even bother to crack a fake smile. On the other hand, her children seem to be very happy. In August, Rohan Marley, the father of her children, told People Magazine that L Boogie was still under contract with Columbia Records and "is always composing songs. She writes music in the bathroom, on toilet paper, on walls. She writes it in the mirror if the mirror smokes up. She writes constantly." I'm not sure if Rohan was trying to tell us Lauryn is working on a new album but the thought of a new Lauryn Hill album seems far fetched. What are your thoughts? Can Lauryn make a comeback?

Soul Fixin'

Aretha's 'Touch My Body'

In a mere three days 52,907 people have witnessed Aretha Franklin singing Mariah Carey's 'Touch My Body' thanks to a highly entertaining YouTube clip. The living legend covered the suggestive song at a recent concert in Washington D.C. After singing the lyrics “throw me on the floor/wrestle me around,” Aretha tells the audience, “as far as I’m concerned, what starts on the floor stays on the floor.”  Take a look at the Queen in action and let us know what you think.

Video Soul

"you gave me reasons to believe that we were always meant to be but now I see
you were wrong
you can't keep running back to me with all those baby baby pleases no more
no more..."

Soul Fixin'

A Few Words From The Queen
Tonight, Aretha Franklin is bringing a lifetime worth of soul music to Washington D.C's Constitution Hall. Aretha recorded her first album in 1956. In the years that have followed Aretha has released an astounding 39 albums. Her latest recording, This Christmas is available now, exclusively through Borders and Waldenbooks. Aretha's career has been marked by a slew of achievements, acclaim, and milestones. Sister ReRe has won an astonishing 20 Grammy Awards including the Living Legend Award and Lifetime Achievement Award. The Memphis born- Detroit raised, gospel bred singer was the first black woman to grace the cover of Time magazine and she was the first female to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Aretha has even made a few stops to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, in 1999, she was awarded The National Medal of Arts by President Clinton. Three years ago, President Bush awarded Aretha The Presidential Medal of Freedom. The list goes on. At the age of 66, retirement is the last thing on Aretha's mind. Limited to traveling by custom bus because of a fear of flying, Aretha still performs spot dates year round. She is no longer signed to a major label, Aretha has started her own record label, Aretha Records. The Queen of Soul is working on bringing her life to the big screen and stage. On the eve of her concert in the nation's capital, Aretha chatted with the Washington Post, where she spoke on everything from her war of words with Tina Turner to her upcoming album, Aretha: A Woman Falling Out Of Love.

On the collapsing of the record industry:

"I wouldn't say that. I'm certainly not privy to their numbers. What their gross income or anything like that is. So I wouldn't say that. And I wouldn't call close to a billion dollars a year falling apart. It might be a billion less, but I wouldn't call that falling apart. It's just that artists have become a lot more independent and aggressive in terms of their growth and distribution and control of their product."

On her 'war of words' with Tina Turner:

"Oh, there's no squabble. The people at USA Today just grossly exaggerated that I was fuming. That's ludicrous. I've always appreciated Ms. Turner and she just kind of overstepped herself and chose to speak on my ego when I really thought she was being more descriptive of herself. Mmm-hmm. Particularly in view of the fact that she doesn't even know me."

On her career had she signed to Motown:

"Many of my friends were there at Motown. The studio was only a few blocks from where my dad's home was, where we lived. So I would just go over to the studio to see who was recording, just to say hello, maybe to Smokey or Mary Wells, or someone who I was friends with. But I'm glad that my career took the path that it did. As I understood it they had to get special permission to be paid. I'm not really sure what it was, but in my instance, coming up, I was able to handle my own money and I didn't have to ask anyone for anything. And those artists, I believe, did. They had to go through a process to get a check written. Certainly Motown presented their artists in a first class way. They did have some of the things that the other labels didn't have, which were the grooming schools where they had to sit and take different classes in knowing how to speak to the press and so on. So they had some very good things on their label that other labels didn't have. But then other labels had further reaching distribution, internationally, than Motown did. There was a different respect to begin with, in the industry, between a Columbia Records and Motown. Later on, Motown became the industry giant that it did."

On her early years at Columbia Records:

"Columbia was a wonderful label for me. Wonderful. The records I made there garnered me an audience. I won a number of polls during the years that I was at Columbia. The Downbeat Jazz Poll. Leonard Feather, who was a huge critic back in the day, different polls that he had. The Playboy poll, a number of polls. So the music was great. Artistically, it was great music. But it wasn't commercial. That was the problem with Columbia. The producers weren't really commercial producers. Bob Murphy was one of the all-time great arrangers and he had some of the most beautiful arrangements I ever heard. Clyde Otis was excellent but they just didn't have that commercial flair. We had what you called turntable hits, meaning you were getting a lot of radio play but you weren't selling a lot of records."

On the thought of singing at at Barack Obama's inauguration if he were to be elected:

"Well, it's left to be seen. It's very, very close at this time and it seems to be ever-changing. But I would be so honored, if it happened to turn out that way, to be asked."

On what it means to be the Queen:

"It's not all about singing. Being the Queen is not all about singing and being a diva is not all about singing. It has much to do with your service to people. And your social contributions to your community and your civic contributions as well."

Video Soul

"and who can love you like me (nobody)
who can sex you like me (nobody)
who can treat you like me now, baby (nobody)
nobody, baby (nobody)..."

Soul Tracks

The photo above was taken back in 1999 at the Rhythm & Blues Foundations 10th Annual Pioneer Awards. Dionne Warwick presented her younger sister Dee Dee with the foundation's Pioneer Award. Dionne thanked the foundation for paying homage to the "real singer in our family." High praise indeed, considering that Whitney Houston and Cissy Houston are members of the family. On that cold winter night Dionne was right by her younger sister's side, and three days ago Dionne was at her sister's side as she made her transition. The two sisters have never been far apart, sharing a bond that all sisters should share. The two talented sisters started singing gospel together and would go on to be the most in demand session singers of the early 60's. Dionne would go on to enjoy a successful solo career. Dee Dee possessed a more soulful sound and made a name for herself during the era of soul music. A 1968 recording session resulted in 'Foolish Fool,' today's Soul Track selection. In a 2001 interview, Dee Dee reflected on the song "...I didn't like it. I kept thinking, what is he talking about with this song? I just got very creative and once I got into, I could relate. Because at that time, people were giving me their opinions about my personal life and I was, to hell with it, I'm with who I'm with and that's my business." 'Foolish Fool' ranks as one of soul music's most impassioned performances, Dee Dee let it be known that no foolish fool was gonna steal her man. The Grammy's took notice and 'Foolish Fool' was nominated for a Grammy. Since the mid-'70s, she has done backup vocals for Dionne Warwick, and recorded sporadically on her own. Upon receiving the Pioneer Award, Dee Dee proclaimed, "I promise I'll see better days." Dee Dee's better days have come, she is now beyond the reach of pain and suffering, relaxing in paradise.

Soul Fixin'

Would You Leave Mary or Musiq?
In case you missed the premiere last night, here is Musiq's latest video featuring Mary J. Blige. New York City serves as the backdrop for the simple yet effective video for 'If You Leave.' I assumed that Musiq & MJB would portray a couple on the rocks in the video but I was wrong. Musiq, rocking a Mohawk, and Mary are both experiencing the realities of a possible break-up with their significant others. As the video begins each singer spends a few quiet reflective moments in a diner before going to Central Park to meet up with their significant other to work things out. Mary, fed up with all the drama, leaves her man behind. Musiq and his lady are able to salvage their relationship and walk off hand in hand. Check the video out and let us know if you are feeling it.

Video Soul

"a room is a still a room, even when there's nothin' there but gloom
but a room is not a house and a house is not a home
when the two of us are far apart
and one of us has a broken heart..."