 Soul music made it’s way north, east & west via the same train routes that carried rural Black workers from their homes in the south to the industrial north. As these "Blues people" made their way north, the music that they brought with them fused with the sophisticated urban sounds of jazz to create the sound first called "race music" and then later referred to as "rhythm & blues". As this music known as R&B began to gain acceptance among whites, it became split artificially and became known as "rock n’ roll" (for whites only) and "soul" (for Blacks only).As far as we are concerned it’s ALL Classic Soul !!! This web site will explore the past, present and future of the music that was the "soul" of the greatest freedom movement in the history of the United States. Hosted/Programmed By Soul-Patrol.com's Bob Davis  All day long, all night long all of the time RIP: Bo Diddley/Ellas McDaniel 1928-2008  Sometimes I think that I am far too involved in this topic. I mean, after all, death is a part of life, isn't it?Sometimes I think that we should be strictly about the music. Music is what makes us all happy. Death isn't something that makes anyone happy. And yet death has sometimes become an all consuming conversation, here on Soul-Patrol. For me sometimes it often feels like everything else that I am doing is just "stuff that I do in between death announcements." Well, someone near and dear to Soul-Patrol, Mr. Bo Diddley passed away last night. Someone that a number of you all had the chance to meet and interact with here online. This artist is one of the GIANTS of popular music of the 20th century, a major innovator and influencer. However it is indeed "poetic justice" that this artist passing coincides with the start of Black Music Month/2008. However it does give me pause to think and ponder all of the hypocrisy. Just last week Bo Diddley was INSULTED by a mainstream music publication. I'm sure that in their next edition, this very same mainstream publication will be talking about how much they love this artist. I ask you, where is the justice in that? These great artists have their legacy stolen away from them. If they complain about it, they are called "angry negroes". If they say nothing publicly, then they are called "uncle toms." Then these artists pass on and all of the hypocrites come out. People who didn't give a damn when the person was still alive. Everybody is then interested in the artist for a few moments and then it's all over. In other words they are given a final "15 minutes of fame", where their musical & cultural legacy is reduced to a few short paragraphs, suitable for consumption via text message. Within a few weeks those who have stolen their legacy go back to the business, that is the business of amerikkka, exploiting those who are in a position to be exploited. It is a process that is as amerikkkan as apple pie. I consider it to have been a privilege and an honor to meet, talk with and break bread with these men and women, many of whom aren't just musical greats, but who are also major figures in Black History and therefore in the evolution of the Amerikkkan culture. I consider it to be an privilege and an honor that they trust me enough to want me to know their TRUE STORY. Perhaps nobody else will give a damn a few days after the obituaries are summarized in 10 second sound bytes on the evening news tonight. But Soul-Patrol will care. That's because we recognize the impact that they have had not only on our own lives, but around the world. I'll write more later, but I just wanted to get that off of my chest... --Bob Davis Album Review: Otis Blue: Otis Redding Sings Soul (Classic Soul)  OTIS BLUE: OTIS REDDING SINGS SOUL----THE COLLECTORS EDITION is an expanded package of Otis Redding's 3rd Album done back in 1965. It's a 2 CD set containing the original Mono and the original Stereo mixes. These two versions ALONE would be worth having as a "Collector" of the music timeline of the development of Soul on the American Pop Music scene. HOWEVER.....this package goes NOT "A" step further....NOT 2 steps further.....but....a THIRD and a FOURTH step further!!!!!We have all gotten used to the "Bonus Tracks" on these re-releases. That's just that "A" step further. "I'M DEPENDING ON YOU"("B" side to "I've Been Loving You Too Long") and "ANY OLE WAY"( "B" side to "Satisfaction") serve as the "Bonus Track" we are accustomed to that weren't a part of the Original release. What they have done as a "Second" step further is doing a Mono Mix of the Stereo versions of "I've Been Loving You To Long", "Respect" and "Ole Man Trouble". They have also a 1967 version of "Respect" and a recorded Mono Mix Live version of "Shake". That's the Second step. Now the value of these are relative to what your "ears" perceive as "quality". The good news is they are ALL done very well. If you're of the persnickety or you are "techno-savvy" and convert these tracks to your mobile vehicle of choice, iPod or MP3 Player, you have choices of Mixes to convert (although converting this entire package to MP3 wouldn't be a bad thing).....Review continued here --Earl Gregory Album Review: The Velons & their Divas (Classic Soul/R&B/Doo Wop)  Watching some of the "tabloid" and what some may regard now as "Human Interest" pieces, I end up "having" to keep up with and acknowledge "American Idle". That coupled with some of the various music sources I stumble onto, I hear what is, now taken as normal, a lot of histrionic "singing". A lot of hollering, squeezing as many notes as one can in from two beats to a whole measure. Very athletic for sure. The "notes" and the amount of notes, apparently, have become more important than the words and the story the "singer" is telling. In the end, this "style" has rendered much of the music and the performers neutralized by the "sameness" in delivery. One has to go "off the grid",to get something that offers a total wall of music, where the music, the story and the performers are in concert; complimentary to one another. What a concept! A musical balance!!! OFF THE GRID....HERE'S ONE!!!!THE VELONS and Their DIVAS is a collection of songs and stories done clean and polished with style and technique. Less is MORE!!! As one can expect from experienced performers, this is a project where there is a soothing balance of solid musical arrangements sitting beneath some "Classy" vocal performances. These are PROS in the true sense of the word, performance wise. The VELONS, the featured artists on this album, The JEWELS and The CLICKETTES demonstrate a dying art in American Pop music.....Group Harmony Singing. Not the presentations that managed to pop up over the last 10 or 20 years, where you have a lead and a background competing with that lead. NOT HERE! The "Lead" is the "LEAD" and the "Background" is the "BACKGROUND"!! WHAT A CONCEPT! You "get" the story/lyrics, and a support to that story/lyric where the background serves that "role" where an orchestra of horns and strings aren't necessary to fill the musical space.....(review continued here) --Earl Gregory Look for these songs playing as as "buzz cuts" on Nu Soul @ RadioIO.com Album Review: The Sound of Philadelphia - Gamble and Huff’s Greatest Hits (Classic Soul/Funk)  Sometimes I think that as music fans we get too sophisticated for our own good. Many people would see an album like this featuring: The O'Jays, Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes, Teddy Pendergrass, Lou Rawls, Patti LaBelle, The 3 Degrees, People's Choice, The Intruders and Billy Paul and pass it by, with the idea that either they already have these songs or that they have heard them all before. On one level they would be correct, however I do think that it's useful to be able to go back and listen to a compilation like this, because the whole is indeed larger than the sum of it's parts. And one of the things that makes it so is the contribution of MFSB underneath of it all (but more on them later). Here is my track by track review...(continued here....) --Bob Davis Look for these all of these songs playing on Classic RnB @ RadioIO.com Album Review: Cracked Ice - Soul Noir (Classic Soul)  Real quick, if you look at the artist name, the title and the album cover you might think that this album was made by some "downtown neo-soul heads." Well not only would you be wrong, but you would also be presently surprised by the music contained. This is a brand new album containing a very strong/dated 1960's R&B kinda sound. In fact it's the very same sound that just won 5 Grammy Awards. It's Stevie Ray Vaughn meets Wilson Pickett meets Dusty Springfield meets Clarence Carter for those of you over the age of 45. For those of you who are under 45 it's Doyle Braham II meets Amy Winehouse meets Ryan Shaw meets the Dapkings. It's the music of the past and the music of the future at the same time. And right now it seems that 1960's based R&B music has suddenly become the hippest music on the planet. Don't let the title, the name of the artist fool you, you would be making a mistake if you glossed over this album. It's a brand new album of Classic Soul plain and simple. It's got saxophones, trumpets, piano's, drums, guitars and human beings singing alone and singing with each other. I could see this album being big in the "heartland", but ignored by New York and Los Angeles. But when New York and Los Angeles "discover" it they will get on the train also. They won't have any choice, it's the same train that Obama is the conductor of. This album is already a huge hit on the Beach Music charts!!!Find out more about this album at: Cracked Ice - Soul Noir Look for these songs to appear "heavy rotation" on Nu Soul @ RadioIO.com --Bob Davis Album Review: Teeny Tucker - Two Big M's (Blues/Soul/Rock n' Roll)  This is a fun album by Teeny Tucker, daughter of Tommy Tucker ("Hi HeelSneakers".) It's tribute album to Big Maybelle and Big Mama Thorton. You have heard all of these songs before and if you are a fan of either artist you will love the "Two Big M's". Big Mama Thornton is the originator of the classic song "Hound Dog", that most people think was an original tune by Elvis Presley. Big Mama Thorton was paid a flat $500.00 for "Hound Dog" and three years later Elvis Presley made it a hit and got paid millions. On the other hand, Big Maybelle was the original singer of "Whole Lotta Shaken Going On" and later made a hit by Jerry Lee Lewis. She also got paid pennies and died broke while Jerry Lee Lewis made millions. Big Mama Thornton was a songwriter in her own right. She wrote the classic song "Ball & Chain" which Janis Joplin made into hit. However if you are "culture bandit", you will want to skip the one original song on the album, the title track entitled "Two Big M's". I don't think that Teeny would mind me mentioning a portion of the lyrics: "You were pioneers with a crossover style Your presence and power would make folks bow "Hound Dog", "Rockhouse" and all the great tunes were cool They only became hits when someone stole them from you" Overall this album is a powerful presentation of classic songs, originated by two Black women that today few Blacks know anything about whatsoever. However students of the history of Rock n' Roll know all about Big Maybelle and Big Mama Thorton, they know their history. http://www.teenytucker.com --Bob Davis Concert Review: Album Review - Ashford & Simpson- The Warner Bros. Years. Hits, Remixes and Rarities (Warner Bros/RHINO R2 347964)  WELL NOW~~!!!This is SPECIAL. This is a 2-CD Dance themed overview of the CLASSIC Warner Bros output of NICHOLAS ASHFORD and VALERIE SIMPSON. Disc One is fairly straight. In the early "disco" days there were special mixes of the hit songs that only the radio guys and the disc jockeys got. Disc One has all of those rare versions that were hard to get THEN, and impossible to get (unless you want to get in a bidding war with some UK or Japanese cat for 3-500 dollars for "One More Try" as one example) now. All of those great tracks are on Disc One. If that excites you, realize they went one step MORE. They got some back-in-the-day remixers. The GOOD ones. The names you remember from your 12-inch vinyl collection: Tom Moulton. Paul Simpson. John Morales. Tommy Musto. And then, they brought some of the best of the new guys: Joe Claussell. Joey Negro. Dimitri From Paris. And they turned them loose on some of the same tracks on disc one to redo them on Disc Two. STOP.....STOP right there. Too many of you just threw up your hands and screamed "Leave Well Enough Alone". That's only because you don't realize that version of "Bad Luck" or "I'll Always Love My Mama" that you used to jam to WAS REMIXED...back THEN. Did I hit the mental RESET BUTTON HARD enough? Good....review continued here --DONALD CLEVELAND Ike Turner - R.I.P. - by Phil Arnold - artist administrator, manager, agent for Ike Turner 1999 - 2007 (Southern Soul/Blues)  Most of yall don't know the name of Phil Arnold.He is a good friend of Soul-Patrol. The fact that you don't know his name isn't really important. What is important is that he is also a good friend to all of you, even if you never realized it till just this moment. Take a look at what Phil has to say about Ike Turner and his relationship with him and please consider Phil's words, the next time that you read something in the "mainstream press" about Ike Turner.... ------------- California - April 4, 2008 Ike Turner - R.I.P. by Phil Arnold - artist administrator, manager, agent for Ike Turner 1999 - 2007 I have procrastinated commenting about his passing. In vain disbelief I refused to acknowledge the loss. It is as if I was trying to convince myself that the longer I waited, the less Ike Turner was dead. I was not alone in denial; nor was I alone in concealing my fears and suspicions about what caused his death. I often told him "it was a privilege to work with you, and even more of an honor to know you; and if you had been a blue-collar worker I would still be just as proud to know you." I knew Ike Turner, the man, as well as the myth. After kicking his drug habit in jail, Ike stayed clean for about 16 years, which is a fact. He was proud of that. When he spoke at LA-area high schools in 2004-05 for "Blues Schools" his quote was "Stay in school, stay off drugs, don't make the same mistakes I did, respect yourself, and others will follow." He was not a hypocrite. After prison, Ike was noted for helping others turn away from drugs. The successes should remain anonymous - and so should the failures; you know who you are. Honor his sacrifice by helping yourself. Get help. He actually fell backward reaching out to help someone else.......Continued at the following link....http://www.soul-patrol.com/soul/iketurner.htm Album Review: The Dells Sing Dionne Warwicke's Greatest Hits (Revolutionary Pop)  1. I'll Never Fall In Love Again 2. Walk On By 3. This Guy's In Love With You 4. Raindrops Keep Fallin On My Head 5. I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself 6. Close To You 7. Trains & Boats & Planes 8. A House Is Not a Home 9. I Say a Little Prayer 10. Alfie 11. Wives & Lovers This album is technically a Chess records reissue, originally released in 1972, back when I was in 11th grade and wouldn't have paid it any mind because this album doesn't have anything to do with pushing any teenaged girls up against a basement wall in the dark. I don't think that anyone else paid any attention to it either, so for all practical purposes, it's a brand new album. However if you are a little older than an 11th grader, you will find quite a bit here to enjoy and savor with your significant other, who should also be a bit beyond the 11th grade as well. If you are looking for outakes from the "70's Soul Jam", just keep on steppin. Because if you dare to stick THIS album into your CD player, ger ready instead for some "revolutionary pop music." There are those times when it becomes a requirement to listen to an album in the manner that an album was meant to be listened to. Especially when it comes to listening to a blast from the past, that embodies all that I thought that I knew, but in reality never really knew, until this particular moment in time. An album in my opinion was meant to be listened to as if it was an event. Back in the day, the mere purchase of an album was cause in and of itself to be a celebration. It meant that you would at some point in time, shortly after making the purchase allocate a period of time to do nothing else but just listen to that album, preferably with headphones on. So when you listen to this album, don't do what I did, instead create an event for yourself to experience all that is going on here, so that you don't miss anything....(continued here) Look for these songs to appear as "buzz cuts" on Nu Soul @ RadioIO.com --Bob Davis Album Review: Various Artists - Soulsville Sings Hitsville (Classic Soul)  On the surface, this is an album that you might consider to be "hokey", but ya gotta actually listen to it. First of all it contains several GREAT songs that if you are a Classic Soul fan, you no doubt already own. Hearing the Staples Singers "You've Got To Earn It", written by Smokey Robinson, which in fact reached #9 on the R&B charts back in 1971 is a real treat if you haven't heard it in a while. It contains strong horns & bass along with a muted blues harp all brought together by the beautiful voice of Mavis Staples. Hearing Isaac Hayes cover the Jackson Five's "Never Can Say Goodbye", which reached #5 on the R&B charts back in 1971 as well reminds us of just how powerful Isaac Hayes was and just how much of a "Midas touch" he had during that time. There are a few surprises here as well. For example there is "OH BE MY LOVE", a song originally done by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, that is one of my favorite Miracles songs. To my ears it's a song that should never be touched by anyone else....lol. However Barbara Lewis turns in a surprisingly good cover version of it. Another example is John Gary Williams cover of the Four Tops "Just Ask The Lonely", in which he turns the up-tempo Motown classic into a MONSTER SLOW JAM. Yet another is the Soul Children's deconstruction of Stevie Wonder's "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" into another MONSTER SLOW JAM. This is far from being an essential album to own, but if you are a hardcore Soul music fan you will want to have this album, just on "GP." And when you listen to it, you are gonna smile a whole lot more than you thought that you would.Find out more about this album at: Soulsville Sings Hitsville Look for these songs to appear "in rotation" on CLASSIC RnB @ RadioIo.com --Bob Davis NEW RELEASE: Bo Diddley I'm a Man: The Chess Masters, 1955-1958 [LIMITED EDITION] At The Dawn of the American Civil Rights Movement, in 1955....a young man from McComb, Mississippi...... MAKES A POWERFUL STATEMENT... Now when I was a little boy, at the age of five I had somethin' in my pocket, keep a lot of folks alive Now I'm a man, made twenty-one You know baby, we can have a lot of fun I'm a man, I spell M-A-N, man All you pretty women, stand in line I can make love to you baby, in an hour's time I'm a man, I spell M-A-N, man I goin' back down, to Kansas Stew Bring back the second cousin, Little Johnny the cocheroo I'm a man, I spell M-A-N, man The line I shoot will never miss The way I make love to 'em, they can't resist I'm a man, I spell M-A-N, man --Bo Diddley - I'm A Man (1955) Lyrics by: Ellas McDaniel (Bo Diddley) Click here to check out this GREAT New Release on the GREAT Bo Diddley.. NEW RELEASE: Chuck Berry - Johnny B. Goode: His Complete '50s Chess Recordings [BOX SET] [LIMITED EDITION] [ORIGINAL RECORDING REMASTERED]  Something new from Chuck... Are you a person who had the "Great 28" or "Chuck Berry's Golden Decade" on LP and are looking for a CD replacement? Or perhaps you are a younger person who just wants to find out what all the fuss is about Chuck Berry? Well, look no further than this new Box Set, it's a complete retrospective of his career… Click here to check out this GREAT New Release on the GREAT Chuck Berry.. --Bob Davis ALBUM REVIEW - Will Downing: "After Tonight" 
There will never be another Barry White. There will never be another Luther or Lucian. Isaac is still around but not "really" active in a contemporary sense. We are left with the likes of WILL DOWNING....but with the album "AFTER TONIGHT"...that is NOT a bad thing.Perhaps it is unfair to use such legendary artists as the measuring tool for the efforts of their successors. Yet, at the same time, they have established a demand on those successors to, at the very least, follow the clear path they blazed to success and greatness, and in the end, isn't that what we want to hear? This isn't an "easy listen". It is a "Soulful Listen". You get that right away with "Will's Groove". From track to track and at times with the help of some other gifted performers, this album runs the gamete from "Pure Soul" to NuSoul and "just a hint of Jazz" throughout. Click hear to read more on Will Downing and his new album.... NEW RELEASE: Angie Stone - The Art of Love and War  One of the things that I will usually get done in the car is to listen to albums that have been submitted for review by artists and other entities to Soul-Patrol for review. As is my custom last night as I took a supply of albums with me to listen to my 3 hour (round trip) drive to and from NYC. This of course can be a good or a bad thing. 1. If I am listening to an album during the first part of the trip, it can be better for the artist, simply because I am in a better mood. 2. If I am listening to an album during the return part of my trip, it could potentially be devastating for the artist, simply because I am in a bad mood (I mean, who really wants to be out driving around NJ at 2am?) Coming back home from the Family Stand show in NYC of course I had a supply of albums with me to listen to during the trip. About halfway back home, I reached for the new Angie Stone album alled "The Art of Love and War" (on STAX), which is scheduled for release in late October. Now I gotta be honest with you, that is the worst possible time for me to reach for an album that I haven't heard before. I was at around exit 8a of the NJ Turnpike and really tired. The chances of me out right rejecting an album, calling it a piece of crap and throwing it into the "never to be listened to again pile" are actually quite high. If it bores me in any way, even for 30 second's it's coming right out of the CD player and I will be replacing it with James Brown, Miles Davis or Jimi Hendrix. Well I gotta tell you, this new Angie Stone album is off the chain. In fact I didn't finish listening to it because I kept hitting the repeat button for songs 9 & 10 ("My People" and "Sit Down") Sit Down is quite "hypnotic/erotic" and I wanted to listen over and over again. "My People" is destined to become an anthem much in the same manner as "Aint No Stopping Us Now". It's great to listen to a robust album, that is full of passionate songs once again and I have no problem whatsoever highly recommending this one. I mean, what can be higher recommended that an album full of great songs that has the power to revive the senses at 2am on the NJ Turnpike? --Bob Davis NEW RELEASE: Queen Latifah - Trav'lin' Light  Queen Latifah's new album Trav'lin' Light was released by famed jazz label Verve Records in conjunction with Flavor Unit Entertainment on September 25. Produced by three-time Grammy winner Tommy LiPuma and by Geffen Records chairman Ron Fair, the album is the long-awaited follow-up to Latifah's critically-acclaimed and GrammyR nominated release The Dana Owens Album (2004). Trav'lin' Light is Latifah's second foray into the realm of jazz, soul, and blues. Once again, she embraces a sultry and saucy mix of fabled female vocalists who've inspired her. Exploring the songbooks of PeggyLee, Etta James, Sarah Vaughn, Nina Simone, Shirley Horn, Carmen McRae, Roberta Flack, Mary Wells, Phoebe Snow, and more, Latifah adds her warm vocals and playful personality to a hand-picked mix of familiar classics and forgotten jewels. Like its predecessor, the album features contributions by a number of stellar artists. On Trav'lin' Light, Latifah is joined by neo-soul singers Jill Scott and Erykah Badu, piano and keyboard pioneers George Duke and Joe Sample and bass virtuoso Christian McBride. Engineered by 15-time GrammyR winner Al Schmitt, the album also features Jeff Hamilton (drums), Anthony Wilson (guitar) and John Clayton (arrangements). Furthermore, Latifah realized a lifelong dream of recording with Stevie Wonder, who contributes harmonica on one track. LiPuma, who has worked with Nat King Cole, Natalie Cole, George Benson and Barbra Streisand, produced the first six tracks on Trav'lin' Light. Fair, who produced half of The Dana Owens Album and has lent his considerable talents to Black Eyed Peas, Christina Aguilera and Mary J. Blige, returns to produce the second half of Trav'lin' Light. The album was recorded at the legendary Studio A at Capitol Studios in Los Angeles, host to notable recordings by Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole and Peggy Lee, among others. Though Queen Latifah displayed promising glimpses of her emerging vocal ability with performances in Chicago and Living Out Loud, The Dana Owens Album cemented her reputation as an extraordinary vocal talent. With songs spanning every decade from the 1920s through the 1970s, The Dana Owens Album paid homage to those who influenced Latifah's singing. Featuring guest appearances by Al Green and Herbie Hancock, the album opened with an interpretation of Dinah Washington's 1949 hit "Baby Get Lost," and included versions of songs by Nina Simone, Bill Withers and Cannonball Adderley. Album Liner Notes: Billy Jones - "My Hometown" (Blues/Soul/Funk/Southern Soul/Urban)  "Sometimes It Takes The Rest of the World a While To Catch Up To That Which We Already Know…"I am an unabashed and unapologetic fan of Billy Jones Bluz. And I have been for quite a long time. IMHO his music along with just a handful of others represents the future of the entire genre. Of course there aren't many who would agree with that opinion. In fact it's my opinion that many of those same people would in fact like to see the genre called "Blues" disappear anyhow. Those people would like to see the "Blues" continue to "morph" into something that is completely disconnected from it's creators. The music & philosophy of Billy Jones is diametricly opposed to the desires of those people. That is why I was extremely honored earlier this year to be asked by the Black & Tan Record Label to write the liner notes for Billy's latest album, entitled "My Hometown". What higher honor can there possibly be for a music fan than to be actually made an official part of a great album by an artist that he truly loves? You can read my liner notes for the album Billy Jones - "My Hometown" right at the very top of Soul-Patrol.com's Southern Soul & Blues portal at the following link: http://www.soul-patrol.com/soul/south.htm I haven't said much about this new album, but certainly not because I don't think that it's any good. It is an excellent album that features great great original music, featuring Billy Jones and his continuing quest to make the Blues genre relevant to the modern day concerns of it's originators. I am personally conflicted in providing commentary on an album in which I am an "official" part of. And that keeps me from providing commentary on the album itself. "Bluez From The Ancient To The Future" Click here to read the liner notes.... http://www.soul-patrol.com/soul/south.htm --Bob Davis Album Review: Ledisi - Lost & Found (Nu Soul)  This is the one we have all been waiting for. This album is on the level of the great female artists of the past. No need to make any comparisons to the Erykah Badu's or Jill Scott's of the world this time. Now it's time to compare Ledisi to the great female song stylists of the past. In no way is this "retro" or "throwback" in any respect whatsoever except for the fact that it's thoroughly listenable from start to finish. In fact to illustrate that point the album is designed much like the book Ulysses, the end of the album puts you right back at the beginning of the album. In other words we finally have an album that tells a coherent story from end to end, just like great albums are supposed to. There aren't any "throwaway" or "filler" tracks here. If you buy the album, you won't feel cheated (like with most Neo Soul" albums) or feel like instead of paying 15 dollars, you should have paid only three dollars because there are only 3 good songs on it. It's actually a great and fully realized concept album full of fresh original songs that will grab you the very first time that you listen. These songs stand alone. They also stand as a collection of artistic gems that link together the full range of female emotions over the course of up's & downs of modern relationships. All of this is anchored by the classic voice and tone of the best and top Indy artists of this century. Ledisi is ready to become a household name and if this album doesn't do it for her, then Black music fans should be ashamed of themselves, because it truly means that they are in a "catatonic state." Ledisi - "Lost & Found" is an album that you will not only want to rush out and purchase immediately (release date 8/28), but you will also immediately want to encourage your friends to buy it as well. Ask yourself honestly, when was the last time that you felt like that about an album?Check out Lost and Found My Day with Chuck Barksdale of the Mighty Dells (8/19/2007) (Classic Soul)  Sometimes when I am writing I often wonder if anyone is reading.I mean, after all, in reality, who am I to think that anyone should be interested in anything that I might have to say about anything? In fact, the only true way of knowing with any sense of realism if anyone even bothers to read what I write, would be if someone replied with a response, right? Usually whenever we write something on the internet, you just simply have to take it on faith that "someone else" is out there reading it, even when there is no written feedback. So as a result I learned long ago to simply accept the fact that "someone else" is gonna read what I write, that is something that I have to believe in. Because if I don't believe it, then for me there is no point in writing at all. I have to feel that the act of writing something down and sending it out is going to have an impact, even if it's a small one. In short, I have to feel that I have a "fan" out there, "someone else" that I am communicating with, even if that communication is "one way." Communication is a basic human need and in many ways, its one of the primary purposes that is filled by the internet. Well I know that I have at least one "fan" out there. "Someone else" that I know is reading whatever I write, be it "profound", "silly" or "stupid". And that person would be Mr. Chuck Barksdale, best known as the bass singer of the Dells, and this past Monday I got to spend the better part of 5 hours with Chuck in a hotel room just outside of Philadelphia. It is said that when Lyndon Johnson was the Majority Leader of the United States Senate, he was able to get many things done, because of his physical size. It is said that Lyndon Johnson was able to actually change the votes of his fellow US Senators, by simply putting his hand on their shoulder as he talked with them, using his physical size as an intimidating factor within the context of the conversation. Chuck Barksdale is a big dude. He is "NBA power forward sized" and combined with his deep bass voice is an imposing and intimidating conversationalist, much as I would imagine that Lyndon Johnson was as a United States Senator. To be in a hotel room with him for 5 hours means that you are going to be doing a whole lot more listening than you will talking. And that is why he is the "spokesperson" for the Dells. Some people say that Soul-Patrol got the Dells into the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame. No doubt we played a role in that. However I always tell people that it was Chuck Barksdale who got the Dells into the ROCK N' ROLL HALL OF FAME. I personally watched him lobby and schmoose the members of the ROCK N' ROLL HALL OF FAME Nominating committee with the same kind of political skills that Lyndon Johnson must have used in the United States Senate. Read the rest of this profile of Chuck Barksdale at: http://www.soul-patrol.com/dells --Bob Davis Commentary - A Real Blues Artist and Innovator (by Chick Willis) ("Blacks & Blues")  Intro: I find this letter to be both disheartening and yet inspirational to me on a personal level at the same time.You see I always try to learn something from those who have come before me, since they have seen more and done more, they usually have something of value to offer to me. Although it is usually not possible to right the wrongs of the past, it doesn't mean that we can't change our current behavior in order to effect change in the future. That is something that we have absolute control over and our failure to change our own behavior may in some cases be just as bad as was the original injustice. My hope is that people read this piece, absorb what Chick Willis is saying and figure out for themselves if there is any modification of behavior that they can do on an individual basis in order to influence the future. And even if upon some reflection, you find that there is nothing that you can personally do within your own behavior that can effect any changes, one of the things that I know that you can do is to circulate this email to other people who might be willing/able to challenge themselves to change their behavior in an attempt to make the future just a little bit better? --Bob Davis ....(click here to read the rest of the Chick Willis's commentary) --Bob Davis earthjuice@prodigy.net Concert Review: The Blues Is Alright Tour 2007 - Marvin Candy Licker Sease, Mel Waiters, Shirley Brown, Bobby Blue Bland, Floyd Taylor, Johnnie Taylor Revue (March 2, 2007 ~ Columbus, Ohio)  The Blues Is Alright Tour 2007 arrived in Columbus stop number 10 on a scheduled 19 city tour ended in Columbus, Ga, March 25Th loaded with the veterans of soul to set Columbus and the Palace Theatre on fire. Mission accomplished and we've not seen the end of the noise yet. Young entrepreneur Julius C. Lewis (my maiden name-no relation) hooked this lineup up so it is alive and jumping right out the shoot. Chatting with him briefly afterwards he is a young black man on a mission. I certainly intend to keep close tabs on this brother to encourage him to draw close to Professor Bob Davis and the international Soul-Patrol community. Those of you who know anything about me know I'm about being about it and doing it on a win win premise. Anyway: It do be about the show. Believe it or not everything was on time, tight, polished, professional and off the enjoyment scale. Opener was the ever young and athletic Bobby Rush. Bobby treated the men to eye candy with singer/dancers who gave got it so hot up in there the management had to put on the air condition. Next came Theodis Ealey who did his thing. Handsome, sexy Latimore told the young men to do it right "so you don't have to be all up in there all night!" Then came young Floyd Taylor and his Johnnie Taylor Revue), Floyd paid homage to his dad and his dad's best friend Tyrone Davis. Floyd did a medley of both men's famous hits and entertained us with some of his own. I personally had the pleasure of meeting Johnny in Harlem years ago so it was a double pleasure for me to see and hear his lookalike son. And yes-- Floyd got his daddy's pipes if y'all wondering. The man can "sang." The entire lineup was a phenomenal treat. Marvin "Candy Licker" Sease, Mel Waiters, Shirley Brown and the incomparable Bobby "Blue" Bland. All the favorites, all the juke jumpin, stompin in the middle of the building show stoppers. Folks got to feeling good after a few libations and were hand dancing in the aisles, men and women cried, laughed, shouted, got up out they seats and moved--some of 'em got to running! Hands stayed up in the air applause broke out unexpectedly, men shouted and women swooned. It was truly a sight to be seen. Sometimes it was hard to tell if I was at a blues convention or Sunday night at church....(click here to read the rest of the review) Album Review - Anthony Hamilton - "Southern Comfort" (Southern Soul/Nu Soul/Funk)  ***STOP THE PRESSES THIS IS THE REAL DEAL***Anthony Hamilton and Leela James have come to symbolize "the best of breed" in today's mainstream music marketplace among younger artists in the "post Erykah/Jill era". Both have received heavy radio and television exposure and deservedly so and yet, neither has really been able to rekindle the embers burning away slowly inside of the bellies of soul music fans. However with the album "Southern Comfort", Anthony Hamilton turns those long festering embers into a blazing inferno of the kind that can only be generated by the very best of Motown/Stax/etc. translated into a modern context. This album is so good that it has the potential to turn the entire music world inside out, if it can be exposed to the masses. The album "Southern Comfort" is by far the best album thus far released in the career of Anthony Hamilton. Yet it consists of tracks that were left on the "cutting room floor". That says volumes about the ability of major labels to actually select the correct songs for someone who could possibly be the "monster mainstream soul music artist of the decade". I am reluctant to say much more about this album, because you may accuse me of "over hype". However I will tell you a little story........(click here to read the rest of the review) --Bob Davis earthjuice@prodigy.net Flipping the Script - Introducing The New Single from Matte'  Remember how back in the day DJ's used to sometimes take a 45 and flip it over and play the "B Side"? Well this is exactly what we are doing on Soul-Patrol to introduce you to the brand new single from Matte' on the High Pyramid Record label out of Pensecola, Fl....Click here for for more on Matte's off tha hook remake of the classic slow jam "Hypmotized", originally done by the late great Linda Jones...Whatever Happened To Archie Bell (Music, Interviews, Concert Reviews and more) 
On the morning 8/20/2006I woke up early on a Sunday morning despite having been out late the night before attending the Hil St. Soul show in Philly. That's because I had the honor of interviewing the legendary...MR. ARCHIE BELL (from Houston Texas) at an "undisclosed location" in NYC earlier today. Actually it's less of an "interview" and more of a "conversation" that also included Mrs. Juanita Bell (Archie's wife)and Soul-Patrol's NYC Coordinator Cheryl Russell. Our "conversation" lasted about 1.5 hours and included the following topics... - The TRUE story of "Tighten Up". - Former NFL great Ricky Bell (Archie's Brother) - Archie's Years @ Atlantic Records - Archie's Years @ Philadelphia International Records - Archie's Years @ TK Records - Legendary Houston DJ/Manager Skipper Lee Frazier - Artist Rip-offs (then and now) - The effects of Hurricane Katrina on Houston Texas - MFSB - What's a "Drell"? - Texas FUNK - FAKE versions of Archie Bell and the Drells - The book "House on Fire" (the story of Philadelphia Soul) - The past, present and future legacy of Black Music - and more As you can imagine this 1.5 hour "conversation" was not only a whole lotta fun, but quite educational as well. Thanks Cheryl for helping out. So listen, learn and let us know what cha think??? Bob Davis: earthjuice@prodigy.net NEW ALBUM: Angel Rissoff - Where Have You Been (Soul/R&B/Beach) 
Influenced by Little Richard, Hank Ballard, Howard Tate and BB King, Angel started singing rhythm and blues on street corners when he was twelve. It would take forever to list all of his favorite singers, but a few standouts are Sonny Til, Nolan Strong, Pookie Hudson, Arthur Prysock, and Billy Eckstine. When Angel was 15, he joined his first band as a bass player and eventually played with the legendary "Grandfather of Rock 'n Roll" Chuck Berry. He was the lead singer for the South Florida group The Kollektion and had his own group called GC Dangerous with Gene Cornish of the Rascals. Angel was the lead singer for the critically acclaimed group Diamond, Angel and Crooks. He has worked with such notable people as Dion, Matt (Guitar) Murphy, Bobby Byrd, Robbin Ford, Darlene Love, John Lee Hooker, Chuck Jackson, Paul Schaffer, The Blues Image, Harvey Fuqua and The New Rascals. CLICK HERE TO FOR MORE ON ANGEL... Drop me a quick email and let me know what cha think? earthjuice@prodigy.net PHILLY: Soul-Patrol Was in the House For The 2006 R&B Foundation Pioneer Awards  Of course we were in the house for the 2006 Pioneer Awards. For the very first time the setting for this event was in Philadelphia. We congradulate all of the winners and we are quite proud of the three members of Soul-Patrol that were honored (Delfonics, Bettye Lavette & Barbara Mason). We spent the entire day and night in Philly for the event and as usual we have interviews and commentary (both text and audio) from the 2006 Pioneer Awards.... --2006 R&B Foundation Press Confrence: Speeches from - Delfonics, Barbara Mason, Bettye Lavette, Chubby Checker, Katie Connelly, Kenny Gamble, Kendall Minter, Claudette Robinson, Jerry Blavat, David Nathan. Plus wrap around commentary and analysis from Bob Davis and Kevin Amos.. Listen at the following link... http://www.soul-patrol.net/rbf_press_conf.ram --Soul-Patrol's Kevin Amos interviews R&B Foundation Board Member Kenny Gamble: Economic Empowerment via the Arts, Preserving R&B, & the R&B Foundation. Listen at the following link... http://www.soul-patrol.net/gamble.ram --Soul-Patrol's Kevin Amos interviews R&B Foundation Board Member Claudette Robinson: Artist Rights, Why are the Miracles not in the RRHOF, Pre Civil Rights Conditions, & the R&B Foundation. Listen at the following link... http://www.soul-patrol.net/rb_claudette.ram
Please check out some of the pictures that we took.... Felton Pilate: "Nothing But Love Spoken Here" 
Soulful crooner Felton Pilate has been wowing audiences for decades as the lead vocalist for R&B funksters, ConFunkShun. His silky falsetto highlights quiet storm slow jams the likes of "Straight From The Heart,"" "(Let me Put) Love On Your Mind," "All Up To You," and "Baby I'm Hooked ( Right Into Your Love)."With the debut release of his solo CD "Nothing But Love Spoken Here," on Escapi Urban Music, Pilate presents listeners with a 10 song set of pure unadulterated tributes to the emotion known as love. Lush signature arrangements provide the melodic backdrops to songs that evoke sensual "ear- rotic" desires of the heart. Warm, sweet and intimate, "Nothing But Love Spoken Here" is the backdrop for an evening of romance....Click here for more Felton.... CD Review: Persuaders - "Made To Be Loved" (Classic Soul)  For me writing CD reviews is a passion and as we all know sometimes where there is passion there can also be pain. Sometimes a legendary artist releases a CD of new music the process can be quite painful because the new music simply "doesn't measure up". And it becomes painful because quite naturally I am rooting for the legendary artist to "bust a knutt", but instead they end up "shooting blanks" (as happened several times during 2005).In this case, that was far from the case and I am pleased to tell yall about a BRAND NEW 2006 release to kick off the New Year. This new release, called "Made to Be Loved" by the legendary 1970's group the Persuaders is going to end up getting more than a few people pregnant (and I mean that quite literally..lol). CD Review: "Introducing Gordon Chambers"  Gordon Chambers is no stranger to the music industry. He has written tunes for over 60 recording artists. You have been hearing his work for quite some time now. Brownstone, Anita Baker, Aretha Franklin, Mark Anthony, Freddie Jackson, Will Downing, Phyllis Hyman and Paul Taylor are just a few folks he has written songs for. His compositions have been performed at the ESSENCE awards, the American Music Awards and the Goodwill Games--as well as six major motion pictures. I have been playing his CD on the radio in Pittsburgh for several months now and I have several favorites. The tune "Slippin' Away" takes a departure on Spandau Ballet's "Still" and takes it to another level. I predict the tune "Never Fall In Love" will receive major radio airplay...mark my word. It's Grammy material. You will enjoy this recording over and over again..... --Funkoverlord (Kevin Amos) Click here to read more about Gordon Chambers and listen to the new CD "Introducing Gordon Chambers" Sam Cooke: Soul Music Pioneer Listen to the performance of his own 'A Change Is Gonna Come' and fail to be moved by it and it probably means you shouldn't really be reading anything about soul or blues music - you can't be interested!! We would like to take this moment in time to not only pay homage to the musical genius of Sam Cooke, but also to introduce to you a brand new book entitled"Our Uncle Sam: The Sam Cooke Story From His Family's Perspective" , recently published by one of our Soul-Patrol members, named Erik Greene. Erik is the nephew of Sam Cooke and his book gives us for the very fist time the perspective of Sam Cooke's family on his life, career and death (still one of the great unsolved mysteries of the 20th Century).As you read, please take a moment to click on the links about the book and check out the online chapter that Erik has provided for us. --Bob Davis earthjuice@prodigy.net  WILL WHEATON - OLD SCHOOL SOUL Featuring Our Resident Love Man WILL WHEATON. Some SERIOUS '3am FUNK' in the tradition of Isaac Hayes, Teddy P, Chuck Jackson, Barry White.
Subscribe below and get the
The intent of Soul Patrol, is to be a celebration of Great Black Music From The Ancient To The Future. It's all about Soul, Jazz, Blues, Rock, Funk, and the culture they evolved from. 
|
Soul-Patrol.com || Soul-Patrol.Net Radio || Soul-Patrol Times || Soul-Patrol Event Calendar
© 1999 - 2002
Davis Industries
All Rights Reserved.
