 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 My reflections on Micheal Jackson (RIP 1958 - 2009)  I was just interviewed and asked to give my reflections on Michael Jackson.Here is what I said, I dunno if this is how they will run it... "Michael Jackson was a cultural icon that surpassed all others that you might be tempted to compare him to. Unlike others such as Elvis, the Beatles or others, the legacy created by the Jackson's was totally ORIGINAL. They truly created something out of nothing and Michael Jackson was the star of that something. Although that might be considered to be an amazing thing, Black Americans have been creating something out of nothing since the beginning of time. Michael Jackson became the most famous person on the face of the earth because of his role in creating something that ultimately he found a way to eclipse. So in effect he first created a star for his family and then created an even bigger star for himself. I don't think that anyone else has come close to accomplishing that." --Bob Davis For more on Michael Jackson and the Jackson Five check out the following link: http://www.soul-patrol.com/funk/jackson5.htm RIP - Randy Cain of The Delfonics  PHILADELPHIA (AP) – Randy Cain, a founding member of the soul group the Delfonics, which had such hits as "La La Means I Love You," has died. He was 63. Cain's death Thursday at his home in Maple Shade, N.J., was confirmed by investigator Rob O'Neal of the Burlington County medical examiner's office, who declined to release other details. Brothers William and Wilbert Hart and Cain formed the group while attending Philadelphia's Overbrook High in the 1960s. The group, one of the earliest to define the smooth, soulful "Philadelphia sound," won an R&B Grammy in 1970 for their song "Didn't I Blow Your Mind This Time." Cain left the group in 1971 but returned for a later version of the group. That is what the "mainstream media" has to say about Randy Cain. However as all of you who are reading this know, that is just the tip of the iceberg. The passing of Randy Cain is a milestone in the history of Black music. The Delfonics (or Delphonics) were the "creame de la creame" of the genre of "slow jams." The fact that the original group can never perform again, is a serious milestone. Randy Cain was someone that I got to know only over the course of the past few years, thanks to our friend Wilbert Hart, here in NJ. He was a heck of a nice man. I met with Randy many times inside of the home of Wilbert Hart. He was genuinely excited at being a part of Soul-Patrol. When the Delfonics were honored at the R&B Foundation Awards a few years ago with a Pioneer Award (see picture where I got to be a "delphonic" for 30 seconds, Randy Cain is on the far left), I can tell you that Randy was on top of the world. Beyond the award itself, the thing that he seemed to be most happy about was the fact that ALL THREE ORIGINAL DELFONICS were finally re-united in what was certainly a positive public setting. But it seemed to me that he was a "troubled soul." My hope is that Randy Cain is now at peace with himself. I just spoke with Wilbert Hart via telephone and he tells me that Randy Cain's funeral arrangements are currently pending and I'll post more details as I get them... Here is a tribute to Randy Cain/Delfonics By our friend ELP... Anything that even remotely has anything to do with the Delphonics gets my interest. It should come as no surprise then that I am deeply saddened by the loss of Randy Cain. There was nothing like Randy, Poog and Wilbur doin their thang at the Uptown back in the day. As a student of Delphonics music, it has only been in the last 10 or 15 years that I realized the importance of the Delphonics, Thom Bell and their overall contribution to the vaunted 'Sound Of Philadelphia'. The term 'sexy soul' was coined and subsequently owned by these cats. Think about it. Thom Bell was a flat out genius to surround these cats with the lush orchestrations that he did but it was the trademark soaring tenor of William 'Poogie' Hart along with the seductive moaning-almost-weeping backgrounds of Randy Cain and Wilbert Hart that mesmerized. Let's see you had the french horn opening of Didn't I Blow Your Mind? The french horn....hmmm...where did we hear that sort of sound? In the movies in all of those period flicks. Hunting music. Robin Hood music. Gladiator music. Hunting music...that's all of that nostril-flaring-heavy-breathing-breasts-heaving-ruby-red-lipstick-mouth-agape sort of music. Basically ALL of the Delphonics music is like that. Ready Or Not, Walk Right Up To The Sun, La La, Break Your Promise (sexy-as-HELL guitar line), Somebody Loves You. You name one, there's more. Each and every one of em had that thing that made both men and women swoon, roll their eyes around in their heads and proceed to invoke those virile passions of unspent youth. Y'all know what I'm talkin about. Ike and Barry and even Loofah were sexy but not like this. This was no sweetly lyrical Smokey or metro-man accommodating Prince or Babyface. This was all brash If You Think You're Lonely Now sort of declarations. Sweet and nasty but pulling no punches about anything. Eric Benet brings this to the table now. In another era these cats would be smoking jacket and ascot clad lounge lizard cad types. That was then. At any rate as you can see, I LOVE the Delphonics. I always hope for a reunion. I never thought any of em would be dying so soon. At least not Randy. Que sera sera. --ELP --Bob Davis 609-351-0154 earthjuice@prodigy.net Will a (cultural) Change Actually Come??? (Check Out Gerald Alston's New Music Video "A Change Is Gonna Come")  According to the "experts", if the election were held today, Senator Obama would win. Many of those experts are suggesting that a "generational shift" is occurring. History has proven that when "generational shifts" occur, it means big changes for the culture.If we accept those three things as a fact for just a moment...Lets play pretend...and ask ourselves the question, once the "newness" wears off... What cultural changes would you predict are actually going to occur, if we were to look back at the past, 4 years from now? --Music --Film --TV --Internet --Youth Culture --General Behavior & Attitudes --Would the mere presence of Senator Obama in the White House cause these changes to occur? (or does he have to "do something specific" in order to kick start things, and what would that specific thing have to be?) --Would the deepening financial crisis cause any potential cultural changes that might occur to not occur? (will people be too consumed with issues of financial survival and "having fun" will simply be pushed to the "back burner?") --Or will there really be little "cultural change" at all, and we will look back 4 years from now and things will be relatively the "same" as they are today? While you are pondering this, watch & listen to Gerald Alston's great new video of the classic "A Change Is Gonna Come", dedicated to Senator Obama! WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS??? (send me an email and let me know what's on your mind) --Bob Davis 609-351-0154 earthjuice@prodigy.net Four Tops lead, Levi Stubbs Passes  "Levi Stubbs ........No Greater Lead Singer, in ANY Group. I'll just be damned. You couldn't have known a better man. We loved the "Tops"--mmdells What else can I say about the great Levi Stubbs? Even through the 'Tops' weren't bringing the steppin or even the real heavy doo-wop harmonies of so many of their predecessors and labelmates they brought so much more to the table. They were (similar to the Pips in this way) so much more polished and professional WITHOUT Motown's 'artist development' folk. They were always sort of an adult act in comparison with the others and Levi's bari was the quintessence of pop/soul singing. Let's face it the man could sing anything and often did. I always liked watching and listening to him. It took me until my adult years to recognize the rest of the Tops as being worth anything because I was always riveted by cool-ass Levi Stubbs. As a boy he was the artist that I sort of wanted to grow up and be like. As much as I loved JB, Jackie, Wicked, Joe Tex and all of those guys, Levi was always just cool with his stuff. He seemed to look good AND be able to sing his ass off. The honies were always at his feet. My favorite chumpie that made me go back and start listening to all of the background harmonies on their records was Still Water (Love). That's right I dug the slow intro side much better than the actual hit (Peace) because it showcased the vocal talents of these cats in an almost sacred way. Still Water (Love) was like an anthem of sorts with it's dirge-like somber tones.Almost like their contribution to the Marvin Gaye/ Flyin High In The Friendly Skies concepts of the day. As always Levi was the anchor holding things down. Another of my favorites was a sort of obscure album called Night Lights Harmony. There were two really nice cuts on there that I remember striking me as very special. One was a nice breezy little tune called We All Gotta Stick Together. Another was the powerful Let Me Know The Truth. The latter had an MFSB/Something For Nothing majesty and orchestration to it. Also how bout their version of Hey Man /We Gotta Get You A Woman that was a fave for the Soul Train line back in the day? My condolences to the family of Mr. Stubbs. Abdul Fakir is the last in one helluva line of lions. Hire A Band Peace --LP More on Levi & the Four Tops here.... http://www.soul-patrol.com/soul/fourtops.htm 
Listen To a Soul-Patrol.Net Radio Exclusive: FourTops: Breaking Thru Album + Greatest Hits- Same Old Song,I'm Falling For You, Stll Water, This Can't Be Love, On The Street Where You Live,Gee Baby Ain't I good To You,The Way Nature Planned It, Nice and Easy, Maybe Today, Stranger On The Shore, Young & Foolish, Function At The Junction Hosted by "nightrain" Norman Whitfield - RIP  No one in the media will cover this, but the recent transition of producer, songwriter, arranger Norman Whitfield is hands down the most tragic of the losses in the music world that we've sustained this year—yes, even more so than the loss of Isaac Hayes. No one had more influence on the complete revolutionizing of Motown and its expansion beyond the innocent party music of its early days to the social cognizance and acuity to the pulse of American culture than Norman Whitfield. Mr. Whitfield force-fed the Detroit imprimatur a steady diet of hard-boiled, socially aware soul. And because of Motown’s distribution entrenchment in regions and markets that other indie soul labels like Atlantic, Stax, Fame, Hi and others lacked, Whitfield serendipitously emerged as one of the key pioneers who brought soul music to the crossover masses. Indeed, Whitfield christened the label officially with its first hit, “(Money) That’s What I Want” for Barrett Strong (Whitfield’s oddly-ubiquitous writing partner) in 1959.Many a myopic critic—Black and White—has skated on the dubious postulate of the ethnic authenticity of Motown’s musical pedigree, waving a threadbare broad-brush of Motown’s squeaky clean sound being “devoid of soul.” However, “polished” is one thing; “sterile” is something entirely different—Motown’s output can be derided for many things, but never sterility. Granted, Berry Gordy made it no secret his ambitions to sell crossover records to millions of White teens and his formula involved spit-shining every song to a non-threatening, brilliant sheen. But two wrenches fly square into the gears of this argument—a stable of muscular vocalists like Levi Stubbs, David Ruffin, Marvin Gaye, The Contours and others (another argument for another time), and, secondly, the singular genius of the musical backdrops supplied by Whitefield. His magnum opus, “I Heard It Through The Grapevine,” hitting number one on two different artists with two entirely different arrangements and remaining the all-time best seller in Motown history, should have ended this contrivance a long time ago. (article continued) --Darrell McNeill http://www.blackrockcoalition.org Norman Whitfield and the Pscyhedelization of Bob Davis  I doubt seriously if "Pscyhedelization" is even a word, if it is, I have surely misspelled it!!!However I know what it means, and in my world, "Pscyhedelization" is the first step towards becoming a full fledged Funkateer. I have Norman Whitfield to thank for that, because he is the producer & visionary who created a great Funk album, in 1969 called "CLOUD NINE." The album "Cloud Nine" by the Temptations was the very first album (LP) that I was ever compelled to plunk down my own hard earned money to purchase. As an 12 year old, this was a major descion for me, I had already become hooked on buying 45's (the legal mp3 files of their day) and generally brought one or two each week. I thought they were a good investment, they cost 60 cents in my neighborhood at the time, so I thought that paying 30 cents/song was a pretty good deal and that price point fit into my budget. My allowance was $5.00/week if I mowed the lawn, raked leaves or shoveled snow that week and it was zero if I did none of the above (my oh my how things have changed......lol). Therefore making the move to purchase an LP at a price of $2.99 (at the local 5 & 10 cents store) was a risky purchasing descion, for a person who had a weekly income of $5.00/week (during the "good" weeks) and it was one that changed my life forever..... --Bob Davis PHILLY: R&B FOUNDATION 20th ANNIVERSARY PIONEER AWARDS (9/9/2008)  Well this event is done and I wanted to do a quick brain dump. We have tons of pictures, audio/text interviews. Kevin Amos, T.Watts and I worked our be-hinds off documenting all of this and although we are tired, we are smiling. We are smiling because this was a fantastic three days that have made me extremely proud to be a Black American. More often than not I find myself writing about how ashamed I am of how "mah people" treat their own culture and treat each other. However what we observed and documented at the 2008 R&B Foundation Pioneer Awards, provided a very clear picture over the past 3 days of what things could/should be like. I watched with pride as a massive, complex & multi venue event, managed by Black folks come off with few hitches. Another aspect to this pride that I felt was that these very same Black folks, although clearly in charge, did not forget that there are many white artists & others who stand as major contributors to the legacy of R&B music. We saw people like Teena Marie, Bob Babbitt, Dennis Coffy, Steve Cropper, Philly's own Butterball & Jerry Blavat and others get major props during the festivities as well. The 2008 Pioneer Awards Honorees are: Lifetime Achievement - CHAKA KHAN Individual Artist Awards - TEENA MARIE, BILL WITHERS and SUGAR PIE DESANTO Group Awards - KOOL & THE GANG and THE WHISPERS Sidemen Award - THE FUNK BROTHERS Legacy Award - DONNY HATHAWAY Leadership Award - AL BELL of STAX RECORDS The evening's hosts include: DIONNE WARWICK BONNIE RAITT JERRY BUTLER WAYNE BRADY In addtion to performances by this year's honorees and hosts, the 2008 Pioneer Awards will feature appearances by: WILLIAM BELL, JERRY BLAVAT, GARY US BONDS, G C CAMERON, STEVE CROPPER, VIVIAN GREEN, ANTHONY HAMILTON, MABEL JOHN, KINDRED THE FAMILY SOUL, KENNY LATTIMORE, JOHN OATES, JAGUAR WRIGHT BETTY WRIGHT Well this event is done and I wanted to do a quick brain dump. We have tons of pictures, audio/text interviews. Kevin Amos, T.Watts and I worked our be-hinds off documenting all of this and although we are tired, we are smiling. We are smiling because this was a fantastic three days that have made me extremely proud to be a Black American.... Click here to check out more of Soul-Patrol's coverage of R&B Foundation Pioneer Awards Report From The Blues and Spirit Symposium at Domenican University L-R: Bob Davis, Bob Jones (Legendary Chicago Blues Songwriter, Bruce Iglar of Alligator Records)  I had planed to put report of my visit to Chicago to participate in the Blues and Spirit Symposium at Domenican University, but it slipped away from me. Two recent events reminded me that I needed to get this out to yall ASAP. --Janice Monti, the organizer of the Blues and Spirit Symposium at Domenican University in Chicago, was given the Sister Mary Clemente Davlin Diversity Leadership Award. --I attended the Keb Mo/Robert Cray show last week @ the Keswick Theatre in Philadelphia. Please read the articles as well as the summaries of the topics (How to Represent Black Music in 2008, the future of record labels, tips for indy artists, etc) that I spoke on at the Blues and Spirit Symposium at Domenican University in May/2008. Also, listen to the broadcast that we did from WHPK - Chicago with brotha Gary Tyson while I was out there. And there are a few more surprises... It's all posted on the web at the following link as well: http://www.soul-patrol.com/dominican_blues_spirit_2008.htm Check it all out and let us know what cha think? Thanks in advance... --Bob Davis 609-351-0154 earthjuice@prodigy.net It's a Shame... (Pervis Jackson of the Spinners Passes)  ...That Pervis Jackson the bass singer of the Spinners passed away this week.In his honor I played both the Spinners version of "It's a Shame", as well as Monie Love's version today here at the crib. I realize that a few of yall will consider Monie Love's version to be a "sacrilege." However you shouldn't. It actually has more "juice" sung from a female perspective, considering what the song is actually about (not to mention the kick azz sax solo in this version). So don't sleep on her version!!! Later I think that I will play both versions for my daughter. I wonder if she will like either one? After listening to Monie Love's version, I then put on the Spinners version... It was a pleasure to listen to the Spinners version as well. I hadn't listened in a while and I listened to it about 10 times straight (hitting the repeat button on the CD player). I remember when it first came out and how much I dug the song, back in 1970 (I think?). I remember that I wanted to actually buy the 45, but I was too cheap to buy it. That's because seemed like "It's a Shame" was then playing on EVERY single radio station in NYC at that time, and at the age of 13 years old, with my limited record buying budget, I didn't see the need in parting with 59 cents to buy the 45 :-) ....(continued here) 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 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 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 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) 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  A great vocalist and stylist, he moved black music into the mainstream and was also one of the earliest singer/songwriters working in the soul tradition - to that extent, he was a prime early mover in the Black artist's struggle to begin to control his own destiny.
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.
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