Any 70's soul music out there?

[statusperfect]

I play in a rock band that rehearses twice a week plus bass playing practice at home se get more than my dose of heavy music each week. To relax in my "spare time" listen to a lot of soft electronic music, pop music, etc. The last months I've been listening a lot to Curtis Mayfield and David Bowie's "Young Americans". So much i actually got a taste for that 70's soul sound. Anyone out there knows of any more good 70's soul music worth listening to?

[Buck Birdseed]

Loads. It's an area I'm exploring myself right now actually...

To begin with, there's the entire Philly Soul sound centred around producers Gamble & Huff- if you've seen Jackie Brown you'll know what I mean. Especially at the very tail-end of the sixties and the first few years of the seventies they produced some absolutely awesome Smooth Soul- check out The Delfonics, The Stylistics, The O'Jays and Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes. Major inspiration for Bowie's bleaker copy.

I've also been meaning to get into the music of Bill Withers- somewhat of a "lost great" of the era. I'm trying to track down his first album, will report back later.

Personally, I'm a great fan of Deep Soul, a genre that slowly faded away as the seventies progressed. There are some gorgeous records in the early parts of that decade though- Al Green especially was the last truly great Southern Soul singer, and of course the Staples Singers were a marvellous gospel-soul act.

So, basically- smooth, highly-produced soul, check out the output of Philly International, raw soul tough luck but Al Green, Aretha Franklin and The Staples Singers continued to produce great roaring stuff into the new decade.

Oh, I almost forgot- Motown did a bunch of cool stuff in the seventies as well. Though severely lacking the talents of the departed HDH and the increasingly reluctant Smokey Robinson, there's a whole bunch of stuff worth checking out. Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" and "Let's Get It On", the Norman Whitfield-produced Temptations albums (especially 1972's "All Directions"), and of course Stevie Wonder though the soul is occasionally somewhat lacking (everything from 1972's "Talking Book" to 1980's "Hotter Than July" is worth getting, especially "Innervisions" from 1973).

[chequita guevara]

Bill Withers rulez!

[Solly]

70s What music?

[SlowwHand]

Jackie Wilson, Bobby Womack, Sam Cooke, Smokey Robinson, Temptations, Otis Redding, and we can't leave out Sam and Dave.

[statusperfect]

Thanx

[SlowwHand]

Now you're ready for the Blues next.

[statusperfect]

Originally posted by SlowwHand
Now you're ready for the Blues next.

I've already tried out blues. Not my kind of stuff.

[Kingof the Apes]

Elvis!

[statusperfect]

Originally posted by Kingof the Apes
Elvis!

The best use of that smiley I've ever seen. *lol*

[JohnT]

Dude, you come to the right place.

Of course, it depends upon which sort of Soul you like. I prefer the Philly Sound, which can get a bit cheesy at times, but is still full of that funky stuff.

Especially important is the work of Gamble and Huff, of Philadelphia International. Here's some info on them:

http://www.soul-patrol.com/philly/gam_huff.html

http://www.soulofamerica.com/cityfldr/phila2.html

Just Google "Philly Soul" and you'll find tons of info.

Here's some of my Mp3's - Hope you find something you like. Not all are Philly Sound, nor are they all '70s. These are pretty standard songs... if you're looking for more obscure stuff, I'll try to help:

Al Green - Let's Stay Together

Aretha - Spanish Harlem

Barry White - Can't get Enough of your Love, Never Never gonna give you up

Boz Skaggs - Lowdown

Brothers Johnson - Stomp, I'll be good to you, Strawberry Letter 23 (featured in "Jackie Brown").

Chic - Good Times, Le Freak

Chi-Lites - Oh, Girl

Commodores - Brickhouse

Cornelius Brothers and Sister Rose - Treat Her Like a Lady

George Clinton and P-funk - Just buy their albums.

Harold Melvin and the Bluenotes - If You Don't Know Me by Now

Isaac Hayes - Shaft Theme

Jackie Wilson - Higher and Higher

Marvin Gaye - Wow, where do I start? The guy had two careers - one as a pop singer with Tammy Terrell, the second as a politically active singer. It is the second Marvin that I prefer, though his work is ALL good. Some standards include: What's going on?, Mercy Mercy Me, Sexual Healing, Let's Get it On, Ooh, Child (Things Are Gonna Get Easier), Inner City Blues.

Mel and Tim - Backfield in Motion

Ohio Players - Love Rollercoaster

O'Jays - BackStabbers, For the Love of the Money (money, money, money, money... MONEY!), Love Train

Roberta Flack - Killing Me Softly with His Song

Sly and the Family Stone - Family Affair, War, Dance to the Music, Hot Fun in the Summertime

Spinners - Rubberband Man, Games People Play

Stevie Wonder - Pastime Paradise (the exact same song as Gangster Paradise, btw), Living For the City, Superstition, Sir Duke, Fingertips 1&2.

The Impressions - People Get Ready

The Main Ingredient - Everybody Plays the Fool

The Stylistics - I'm Stone in Love with You.

[Buck Birdseed]

Surely Sam Cooke died in 1964, Otis Redding in 1968, Sam and Dave stopped making good records in 68 when the Atlantic-Stax deal was severed, and Jackie Wilson stopped being an interesting force as early as 61 although he charted until his death in 1984?

[JohnT]

Damn. When I clicked reply there were 0 responses. I'm glad I'm not the only one who likes this music.

Good ear, Buck! I didn't list the Delfonics nor the Temptations but they are quality soul as well.

[statusperfect]

So which of these bands are most close to the "young americans" sound?

[SlowwHand]

Buck's a problem child.