It's a Soul Thang

Check these out:

Irma Thomas - The New Rules: Sexy New Orleans soul chanteuse par excellence. Ideal combo of pipes and drama. She could sell oil to OPEC.

Sam Cooke - Ain't That Good News: Sam and Brother Ray really were the first to sew the Church and the Blues together into Soul. "A Change Is Gonna Come" will shake your molecules.

Isley Brothers - 3 + 3: Funkmeisters of the first order, but plenty of soulful licks here. Soulful treatments of pop songs are tight and tasty ("Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight", "Sunshine", etc.).

Peace

Superfly is a great example of an album that was dragged down by the movie. Even after you get past the tracks everyone knows there are still 4 or 5 more that are brilliant - Give me your love

this thread made me think about all those great old albums you forget about, for me it seems I'm always chasing another 'new' find. 'Superfly', Curtis Mayfield is going on next.

sorry for the double run, too much rhum, try "O.V. Wright, just how deep my love is"

Male Vocalists in mostly alphabetical order.

Marvin Gaye- I Want You
Marvin Gaye- Trouble Man

On each album, you are treated to explorations of themes introduced earlier on the album. Hypnotic.

I intentionally omitted the indescribably fabulous, and often noted "What's Going On"

Al Green- Call Me
Al Green- Explores Your Mind
Al Green- I'm Still in Love with You

With apologies to the Solid State fans, I think Al Green has tubes in his throat. He smokes on all of these albums. Seductive.

Donny Hathaway- Live. This is well worth searching for. The album alternately grooves and inspires. When I think of his performance of "We're Still Friends", I well up with emotion.

Isaac Hayes- Hot Buttered Soul
Isaac Hayes- Shaft

Eddie Kendricks- All By Myself. Another album worthy of a prolonged search. Pay what you must to get it. After leaving the Temptations, Eddie cut this. Meditative, contemplative, and provocative.

Curtis Mayfield- Superfly. This album is as great as the movie was dopey. Another one that has to be played and savored from beginning to end. Curtis Mayfield laid the political themes down lyrically with a heavy hand. His guitar licks are real traditional and also speak volumes. The arrangements bring the orchestration like Soul music is supposed to. "Superfly" qualifies as one to take to the deserted island.

And if you like this, graduate to his album "Curtis". That's right, the one where he is sportin' the yellow suit on the cover.

Smokey Robinson-Smokey. His work with the Miracles is justifiably popular. This album, unlike my other recommendations, is not strong throughout, and is somewhat quirky. However, his performances on "Sweet Harmony" and "Baby Come Close" are riveting and make this album worth acquiring. Here, you can hear Smokey take his time with the microphone. On top of this, you hear all the sweetening -cello, harps,vibes,violins-and none of the syrup.

Bobby Womack- Communication. I believe Bobby Womack can grunt and scream 100 scales. He needs no words. On side two he grooves on "Close to You"(Yes-Bert Bacarach's composition) for nine and a half minutes. Put this on, and if you ask the old lady, you can get some grinding!

Stevie Wonder- Buy any and everything he ever recorded with the caveat that many of his albums have a theme and progession from tune to tune and side to side. As a consequence, avoid the collections, and enjoy each album on its own. If you play guitar, get the songbooks and play along.

Good luck, and thanks for initiating a great thread. Now, I have to turn the lights down low...

Michael