History Lesson - Vernon Reid In Africa, music is not an art form as much as it is a means of communication. A Negro has got no name. Quite often, the words of the song are meaningless. A Negro has got no name We are wearing the name of our master SOUL-PATROL NEWSLETTER INDEX PHILLY/SOUTH JERSEY: OLD SCHOOL CLASSIC SOUL SHOW & DANCE w/JERRY BUTLER, MAD LADS & JOHN CONKLIN @ STARDUST BALLROOM, BELLMAWR, NJ SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 4th Stardust Ballroom 363 West Browning Road, Bellmawr, NJ 08031, (856) 931-4000 (Close to interstate 295, and easy to get to from anywhere in the Philly/New Jersey/Delaware/ areas) http://www.stardustbellmawr.com How would you like to attend a Classic Soul event? No, no, no.....I mean a REAL Classic Soul event!!!! Well it just so happens that there is one coming up and Soul-Patrol.com will be involved it. HAVE YOU EVER SEEN JERRY BUTLER IN CONCERT???? Well if you haven't you are going to be in for a treat and if you have, you already know that this is something that you shouldn't miss. I have and I am going to see him again on September 4th at the fabulous Stardust Ballroom in Bellmawr, NJ. Mr. Jerry Butler is the person whose face you will see in the dictionary, right next to the word Classic Soul. Mr. Butler is not only one of the greatest recording artists/live performers in the history of the music, but he is also one of it's greatest ambassadors. Between hosting TV shows, appearing in documentaries, serving on the board of the R&B Foundation, (not to mention his long association with the Soul-Patrol.com website), Jerry Butler is one of the most eloquent stockpersons today for the cause. Add to that, his outstanding live performances around the country as one of the "4 Kings of R&B" (along with Lloyd Price, Gene Chandler and Ben E. King) and his solo performances around the country. HAVE YOU EVER SEEN THE MAD LADS IN CONCERT? Well if you haven't you are going to be in for a treat and if you have, you already know that this is something that you shouldn't miss. I have and I am going to see him again on September 4th at the fabulous Stardust Ballroom in Bellmawr, NJ. The Mad Lads are simply awesome!! As you all know, his legendary group recorded for the STAX label during their heyday. However what yall don't know (and I am here to tell you) is that they give one of the baddest live performances that I have ever seen. Don't believe me? Check my review of them from a V&W Productions show in Baltimore here at this link: http://www.soul-patrol.com/soul/elgins.htm THE VIBE/CULTURE: While you are there on that page I also want you to take notice of the type of vibe that V&W Productions brings to an event. Between the food, the DJ, the dance floor (the bar..LOL), you are going to be transported back into a time and place that will feel familiar. You are going to be transported back to an era when Black culture, was truly "Black culture." It was something that not only were we proud of, it's the culture that everyone from around the world, from Hollywood, to Documentary Filmmakers, to European Disc Jockeys to "Retro Soul" artists (ex: Amy Winehouse, Robin Thicke), to various internet sites/radio stations seek to emulate. (But will NEVER quite get right, simply because "they weren't there & quite simply "don't know what they don't know!!!") I am quite happy that V&W Productions, is bringing this type of experience to the New Jersey/Philadelphia area suburbs, right off of interstate 95 and easy to get to from anywhere in the Philly/New Jersey/Delaware/ areas. http://www.soul-patrol.com/soul/elgins.htm Anyhow, Soul-Patrol will be in the house on September 4th at the fabulous Stardust Ballroom in Bellmawr, NJ. We will have an informational booth there, disributing information and a few giveaways (but we will really be there to PARTAY OUR AZZES OFF.) You should be as well, if you want THE REAL DEAL!!!! & if you are the type of person who has NO INTEREST in attending a REAL CLASSIC SOUL EVENT, plewase pass this information along to someone who loves not only the music, but also loves the culture that it represents PHILLY/SOUTH JERSEY: OLD SCHOOL CLASSIC SOUL SHOW & DANCE w/JERRY BUTLER, MAD LADS & JOHN CONKLIN @ STARDUST BALLROOM, BELLMAWR, NJ SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 4th Stardust Ballroom 363 West Browning Road, Bellmawr, NJ 08031, (856) 931-4000 (Close to interstate 295, and easy to get to from anywhere in the Philly/New Jersey/Delaware/ areas) http://www.stardustbellmawr.com EVERYONE IS INVITED!!!! For tickets and information call 215-747-2431 --Bob Davis 609-351-0154 earthjuice@prodigy.net Co-Founder www.soul-patrol.com Blues, Hip Hop and Soul Music Director www.radioio.com PRESS RELEASE: CALVIN RICHARDSON IS AMERICA'S MOST WANTED SOUL MAN EDITORS NOTE: I am really pleased to be able to share the news of CALVIN RICHARDSON'S NEW RELEASE CALLED "AMERICA'S MOST WANTED" with you all today. Calvin's proven to be quite a popular artist here on Soul-Patrol and on RadioIO.com, for good reason. He is one of the few "mainstream artists" out thre today who isn't afraid to do H-A-R-C-O-R-E S-O-U-L!!! He's going against the grain, he's winning and we are quite happy to support him in that quest. I've listened to "America's Most Wanted" and I love it. Check out the links and give it up for Calvin!!! (Bob Davis) "Calvin Richardson is one of the most talented artists in the business." - Charlie Wilson Whether categorized as "retro-soul," neo-soul or simply soul, the decade-plus trend of resurgent soul music has only accelerated recently. Artists as diverse as Janelle Monet (doing a James Brown homage on David Letterman), Raphael Saddiq (who evoked Motown on his most recent album), Leela James, Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, Raheem DeVaughn, Amy Winehouse and more have ridden the soul bandwagon. For Calvin Richardson, affectionately dubbed The Soul Prince, soul music is more than a trend or even a musical style; it is a set of values that he has been living since even before his debut release in 1999. He translates the essence of soul music into a contemporary context and consistently brings the music to the people via constant touring with a full band. His persistence seems to be paying off. In the past year he has seen his classic soul composition "There Goes My Baby," collaboration with Babyface, become one of the biggest R&B hits of the year, thanks to Charlie Wilson's great version. On June 25 2010, Calvin received an ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Award for writing and publishing the song which topped the R&B/Hip-Hop Music Charts in 2009. Calvin Richardson also scored two Grammy nominations for his last album, Facts Of Life, his heartfelt tribute to one of soul music's greatest creators, Bobby Womack, an honor topped only by a personal benediction from Mr. Womack himself. With the release of his new album, American's Most Wanted, by Shanachie Entertainment and his own Numo Records on August 31, 2010, Calvin Richardson is poised for the breakthrough many have been predicting. American's Most Wanted is a straight-forward assertion of soul music with no gimmicks-great songs beautifully sung, top-flight musicianship, much of it live in the studio, devoid of samples-that represents Calvin coming into his own as songwriter, singer and producer. "This album is all original," notes Calvin, "and as always I write about things that are important to me, that I deal with directly or indirectly on a day-to-day basis. I think the major difference on this album is that I continue to grow as a producer as well as a writer. I paid closer attention to not only lyrics but the melodic structure. This one definitely says a lot about the space I was in when I was recording and this time I was in a beautiful place in life." The album's title track, for instance, lays out a scenario of a man and a woman who come from very different stations in life and yet through love can build a wonderful relationship. Indeed the power of love is a recurring theme on such songs as "Adore You," "You're So Amazing" (the first single), "Never Do You Wrong" and "Reach Out." "Adore You," Calvin explains, "was inspired by my 17 year-old daughter. She has the most beautiful spirit and is so sweet and loving. She was over for the weekend and before going to bed she came in my writing room and the words just fell out of the sky. "You're So Amazing" is basically about that one person in your life that everyone either has had or will encounter and fall in love with and even if life takes you in extremely different directions you will always love them unconditionally and no one will ever take their space in your life and heart." Although the theme of love is explored on American's Most Wanted, which was recorded mostly in New York and Los Angeles, not all of the songs revolve around this topic. The sensual side of life is expressed on songs such as "You Posses My Body" and "Sexin When We Dancin" and wider messages are explored on songs such as "Monday Morning" and "Thug Livin." The latter song shows a young man at a cross-roads, tired of the destructive "street" lifestyle and ready to make a change-a real-world dilemma experienced by large numbers of young men in urban America. "Come Over" shows a more vulnerable side of The Soul Prince. "I love 'Come Over' so much," Calvin says, "because it really put me out there in the sense that it kind of opens the door to how I spend the other 80% of my life, which is alone. Because I'm an entertainer I get love from so many people so no one would think that when I go home it's to an empty house. Sometimes nothing else will do but that one individual, if you know what I mean." Calvin Richardson came by his soulful style honestly. Born in Monroe, North Carolina, the fifth of nine children, Calvin had a strong musical upbringing. His mother sang in the local gospel group, The Willing Wonders, and he sang with them as a youth but he was able to listen to secular soul music and funk and was particularly inspired by Bobby Womack, Sam Cooke, Otis Redding and Donny Hathaway. Singing on the gospel circuit, he met and became friends with Cedric "K-Ci" Hailey and Joel "Jo Jo "Hailey, who went on to form the hit-making group Jodeci in the early Nineties. Calvin was inspired by their success to form the urban contemporary vocal group Undacova, whose song "Love Slave" was included in the New Jersey Drive soundtrack in 1995. When Undacova folded, Calvin launched a solo career that resulted in his debut solo album Country Boy on Uptown/Universal Records in 1999. Despite strong material, including a great cover of Womack's "I Wish He Didn't Trust Me So Much," the album failed to sell, possibly due to confusion engendered by the album's title. While Calvin was working on this follow-up, Angie Stone heard a demo of his song "More Than A Woman" and invited him to duet with her on a version of the song for her album Mahogany Soul. A second album for Universal was shelved before release but Calvin's album 2:35PM, named after the time one of his children was born, was released by Hollywood Records in 2003. The album went on to sell 250,000 copies without a breakthrough hit. Though lumped in with the neo-soul trend, 2:35PM revealed Calvin as an authentic soul singer bringing a classic vocal style to a contemporary production sound. 2008 saw the release of Calvin's Shanachie Entertainment/Numo Records album When Love Comes, with its single "Sang No More" hitting the Urban AC charts. 2009 brought success via Charlie Wilson's hit rendition of Calvin's co-write with Babyface, "There Goes My Baby" and with Facts Of Life, his powerful live-in-the-studio tribute to Bobby Womack that garnered two Grammy nominations, one of which was for his duet with Sounds Of Blackness powerhouse Ann Nesby. "I didn't give myself the name or title 'The Soul Prince'" Calvin notes, "but that I am. I don't actually know where it started but some things just happen and it's a title not easy to live up to. I exist wherever there's Soul music i.e. R & B, blues, gospel and southern Soul. I earned the title and I'm not giving it up. I think soul music has taken its place and probably will never be the front runner as far as the industry is concerned but it's alive and well. As long as I'm around it won't break down. I see myself as the keeper of Soul music so I live a very soul-filled life!" Calvin Richardson - American's Most Wanted --Bob Davis 609-351-0154 earthjuice@prodigy.net Co-Founder www.soul-patrol.com Blues, Hip Hop and Soul Music Director www.radioio.com PRESS RELEASE: Jacques Schwarz-Bart - "RISE ABOVE" (featuring Stephanie McKay) EDITORS NOTE: I wanted to make you all aware of the following press release, but before I do I would like to add a few items... 1. The new album from Jacques Schwarz-Bart called "RISE ABOVE" (featuring Stephanie McKay) was released yesterday. Check it out at the following link: www.brotherjacques.com 2. Of course many of you will recall Stephanie McKay and her fantastic song "RAINBOW" from the Soul-Patrol Digital/Virtual Album back in 2007. You will also recall that song was named by VIBE Magazine (Mark Anthony Neal) as one of the top 10 releases of 2007. (http://www.soul-patrol.com/newsletter/in/view1.php?id=202) and of course has been featured on the Nu Soul @ RadioIO channel 3. Well the song RAINBOW - STEPHANIE MCKAY gets it's official/official release on the album "RISE ABOVE" by Jacques Schwarz-Bart (and we are extremely happy about that!!!) In fact Stephanie can be heard singing on most of the songs on the album. www.brotherjacques.com 4. As a part of the celebration of the release of "RISE ABOVE" Jacques Schwarz-Bart & Stephanie McKay will be doing a residency during the month of September @ the NuBlu club in NYC at 62 Avenue C, New York, NY 10009-6916. 5. And to top it all off, tomorrow (9/2) is my brother Mike's birthday. We will be at the NuBlu club tomorrow night to check out Jacques Schwarz-Bart & Stephanie McKay LIVE. Come on out and join us if you are in the NYC area & if you can't, check out some of the other September dates in NYC. 5. I have listened to the album "RISE ABOVE" and I like it quite a bit. If you loved the song "RAINBOW" then you are going to dig this album as well. It's just about as perfect a blend of Jazz/Soul/Funk as we can possibly ask for in 2010. www.brotherjacques.com Anyhow, enough of my ramblings. Here is the press release... (Bob Davis) Jacques Schwarz-Bart "RISE ABOVE" www.brotherjacques.com Soulful sax man Jacques Schwarz-Bart makes his Dreyfus Jazz recording debut with Rise Above, an eclectic blend of jazz and neo-soul with the earthy rhythms of the Gwoka music from his native Guadeloupe. featuring the stirring vocal stylings of former Brooklyn Funk Essentials singer Stephanie McKay. Rise Above is an epic culmination of this son of a Black Guadeloupean mother and a French Jewish father's diverse experiences. "The great common denominator between all the styles I love, being Gwoka, Jazz, or Soul, is that the music starts with the drums. It is all about the feel," he says. "Each of these musical forms offers me an opportunity to express my personal feelings and unique story. I always felt that they needed to come together". Following his arrival in New York a decade ago, Schwarz-Bart first received widespread exposure as a member of Roy Hargrove's AfroCuban big band Crisol. He was later an important part of the trumpeter's groundbreaking RH Factorband - one of the first and most successful jazz/urban crossovers. Schwarz-Bart's tune "Forget Regret," featuring McKay's vocal, became a hit single from the band's much acclaimed Hard Groove album. Succeeding Hargrove as leader of the horn section for neo-soul god D'angelo, the saxist began writing tunes based on a mixture of soul and jazz with gwoka flavors. After connecting with soulmate Stephanie McKay, he started writing the songs with lyrics that would come together on Rise Above: "Adding her vocal presence completed the concept, allowing me to embrace a wide range of emotions, and find an artistic balance between simplicity and abstraction," says Jacques. The sound of Rise Above reflects Schwarz-Bart's impressive resume which includes work with such popular music luminaries as Erykah Badu, Meshell Ndegeocello, Eric Benet, and Soulive, as well as jazz barrier breakers James Hurt, Danilo Perez and David Gilmore, but it's concept is distinctively the leader's own, reflect his unique background and heritage. "This is my oldest project, and yet the one that took the longest to achieve, he says. "I was waiting to have enough experience before taking on this complex musical chemistry." Rise Above is a concept album where each tune is whole and complete while at the same time taking a crucial part in the overall balance, like a planet in a galaxy. First and foremost it is a melodic album where every theme can be sung, which is done beautifully by both McKay vocally and Schwarz-Bart instrumentally. Each of the ten tracks on Rise Above blend the different earthy rhythms of gwoka with jazzy harmonies and chosen nuggets of soul and funk that "thicken the sauce," giving a modern dimension to the sound that is sure to appeal to hip audiences. In addition to the proven hit "Forget Regret," other notable tracks include lead single "Feel So Free" (see video at http://vimeo.com/11641706), "Rainbow" and the closing "Home," co-written with Meshell Ndegeocello. September 2 - NuBlu - NYC September 7 - Zinc Bar - NYC (http://www.zincbar.com) September 9 - NuBlu - NYC September 16 - NuBlu - NYC Jacques Schwarz-Bart "RISE ABOVE" www.brotherjacques.com --Bob Davis 609-351-0154 earthjuice@prodigy.net Co-Founder www.soul-patrol.com Blues, Hip Hop and Soul Music Director www.radioio.com Soul-Patrol @ the Dell East (Covering Great Black Music & More in Philadelphia) I would ask that you all take a moment out of your day to take a look at some of the fantastic concert reviews (Teena Marie, Keith Sweat, War, Urban Guerilla Orchestra (UGO), Latin Jazz Ensemble, Martha Minuzzi, Marvin Sapp & Winans, Bobby Brown, Johnny Gill & Ralph Tresvant, George Clinton and P-Funk All Stars, Masters Of Funk - Con-funk-shun, The BarKays, The Ohio Players, The Dazz Band, Slave, Teena Marie, Unison TV/Motown Revue Project, Dave Koz, Jonathan Butler, Sheila E, Zoe) that we have been gathering at the Dell East in Philly, which you can view at the following link: http://www.soul-patrol.com/funk/dell_shows.htm As you read through those reviews (written by our friend ELP), I would like you to consider the following.... The Dell is a pretty special place, located in the North Philadelphia Black community of Philadelphia, an unknown (outside of it's general area) jewel in the crown that we call the historical legacy of Black music (past, present and future.) We have been covering events there for years, but this is the first saeason that we have commited to covering EVERY EVENT at the Dell. To put it bluntly, if you could imagine a family oriented venue with the same history as Apollo Theatre that was 5 times larger and located outside, that would be the Dell East. This summer we have covered some of the biggest names in Classic Soul, Jazz, Gospel, Neo Soul, Funk, New Jack Swing and more at the Dell East, which seats almost 7,000 people (including lawn seats.) In addition many up and coming local performers serve as opening acts for the big names, so these large audiences are getting a pretty good taste of the future of Black music as well. Ticket prices are inexpensive, so anybody who wants to come can do so and even if you can't afford a ticket, even if you simply come, you can hear the music outside of the Dell East. http://www.soul-patrol.com/funk/dell_shows.htm The atmosphere at the Dell East is not unlike what you see on the streets and inside of the homes of Black America at large. You see it all on display from blowhard Black politicians making speeches, to street vendors selling CD's, T-shirts, hats, etc (sometimes of "questionable origin") on the perimeter of the venue, to families tailgating in their cars/suv's/vans in the parking areas, to little kids without tickets on bicycles pushed up against the fence listening to the music, to local media personalities promoting their endeavors, to hard working blue collar types for whom going to a show represents a momentary escape from their daily drudgery to people dressed in the hippest summer attire wanting to "be seen to be seen" and more. In other words, you will see a microcosm of Black America that sometimes makes you smile, sometimes makes you sad, but always makes you glad to see on full display. Our culture "is what it is" and above all else, we must always be engaged in making certain that it is not only preserved, but also extended into the future. The Dell East, located in North Philadelphia is one of the primary mechanisms that we have where people don't simply talk about that mission of preserving/extending OUR culture, but where it actually happens every single time that the gates are opened up. This is a mission not unlike that of Soul-Patrol and thus makes me especially happy to be a part of it. http://www.soul-patrol.com/funk/dell_shows.htm Institutions like the Dell East used to exist everywhere in Black communities across the United States and were a major part of the fabric of life for these communities, much in the same way that Black Radio was, before it became "polluted." Over the years as Black Americans became more "suburbanized" along with municipal budget cuts in cities across America, we have seen this type of institution disappear from the landscape of Black America and we have been worse off because of it. Fortunately, the City of Philadelphia (yes...the same "blowhard" Black politicians I mentioned earlier....LOL) have seen the value of insuring that the institution called the Dell is in a position to not only sustain it's existence, but to be extended into the future. The Dell has been closed for the past 2 seasons as it underwent a 10 million dollar rehabilitation of it's physical facilities. The venue, which was originally constructed during the depression now look beautiful, is state of the art and I would dare say is now one of the best concert facilities in the United States. Interestingly enough, despite it's "inner city location," the Dell is also easily accessible via major interstate highways by automobile. Therefore all of the history & the environment represented by the Dell is something that all of those "suburbanized Blacks," who live within 50 - 100 miles of the facility (NJ, Delaware, MD, & the Western Philly Burbs) can also partake in with a automobile drive not to different from what some of their daily commutes might be. What a great & inexpensive way to expose your family to the REAL BLACK AMERICAN CULTURE (not the one presented on the KOON SHOWS of cable TV & Knee-gro radio) (It's just an idea, thanks for listening.....) http://www.soul-patrol.com/funk/dell_shows.htm Here is what's coming up: Whispers, Regina Belle, Carol Riddick (8/16) O'jays, Mindi Abair, Eric Roberson 8/23) Brian Mcknight, Kindred The Family Soul (8/30) Frankie Beverly & Maze --Bob Davis 609-351-0154 earthjuice@prodigy.net Co-Founder www.soul-patrol.com Blues, Hip Hop and Soul Music Director www.radioio.com (Al Goodman) Moments and thoughts of life and love and soul As I was waiting to see a show at the Dell Entertainment Center last night with our fearless leader Bob Davis he softly said to me: "guess what"? With Bob that could mean anything. He said to me that Al Goodman is dead....all flat and whatnot. I looked at him looking at me, trying to see how much if at all this registered and I the same. When I came aboard the Soul Patrol at about the beginning of this new millennium, one of the individuals spoken of most (along with at that time Rio Soul, Sonny Boy, Carlton J Smith, The Dells and Cliff Perkins and The Soul Generation) was Al Goodman of Ray, Goodman and Brown. I've seen him at our conventions and even had the opportunity to actually meet him. Over the years I've become fairly close to Bob and have come to better understand the methods to his madness. It's never the artist per se but who that artist is and for what he stands. Most importantly it's about said artist's understanding of his place in our history through our culture. You can't hang around Soul Patrol and not know who you are or why you're here. It's for this reason that Al Goodman's significance is so special. He's not only been around like forever but he supported this the best internet outlet for black music of all kinds. Al's support along with the unerring support of folk like Mickey McGill, Chuck Barksdale, Billy Brown and Marshall Thompson and many, many more that came before me helped make Soul Patrol what it is today. Al Goodman told me when I met him that if you're with Bob Davis then you're with us (meaning any and everybody within the sound of his voice backstage at the Liacouras Center.) A joker, shit talker and entertainer of the highest order, Al Goodman would MAKE you laugh as soon as you met him. He's one of those cats that make you laugh just buy laughing himself. Y'all know this kind of brother. He says something and begins smiling and laughing even before he's through saying it. It's part of the rhythms of the street. Right up there with the dap or slapping five. For Al Goodman to take the time and share a little part of his soul with me in an everyman sort of way always impressed me. No star aspirations for this cat. Of course he WAS a star but he was waaaay past that. One of the icons of some of the best slow drag music ever, Mr. Goodman was just that: a good man and I'm so glad to have made his acquaintance.....(more on Al Goodman) Concert Review: BB King @ Keswick in Philly (July 5th, 2010) A day late and a dollar short I'm here to review the B.B. King concert of July 5th, 2010 @ The Keswick Theatre in Glenside, Pa.. The Keswick is fast becoming the venue for seeing a concert featuring a wide, almost Ed Sullivanian array of artists. The crowd, their antics and opinions often equal the main attraction for provocative ness and entertainment value. More about that later. The opening act for Mr. King was a band named for it's leader: Lukas Nelson. The irony is not lost on me that as Willie Nelson's cousin, Lukas and band represent a new generation of blues. As representative of his family we all know how famously Willie loves to straddle that thinnest of lines that exists between bluegrass/C&W/Country-Rock and the blues and rhythm and blues. Willie Nelson's recordings with Ray Charles are legendary and Ray himself made a short but prosperous living dabbling in C&W. Lukas Nelson did not disappoint as he and his four band mates (drums, percussion, bass and keys) tore through a set that was reminiscent of the Big Brother and the Holding Company/Elvin Bishop/Hot Tuna sort of sound as well as the percussive Latin tinged rhythms of Carlos Santana. You see if you don't know now you know. ALL IS THE BLUES! Everything or mostly everything you hear and dig has some sort of connection no matter how oblique to the blues. The fact that Lukas Nelson learned his lessons well and applied his teachings appropriately with such a young group of cats indicates that there IS hope! Now if some of my more melanin enhanced brethren could turn away from the pro-tools, vocoders, autotunes and other various 'perfect-beat providers' and pick up and instrument we might really see some hell raised but for now we have Lukas Nelson and band to provide for us the very best in diverse blues. The main act Mr. B.B. King himself came on after a brief intermission. At 84 years old Mr. King eased onto the stage after the band- review-style- tore up a couple of unidentifiable but really funky tunes. At this point folk like B.B King, Herbie Hancock, Willie Nelson, Madonna, Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin are slices of what is called Americana. They are icons and it really doesn't matter what they do...(review continued). Concert Review: Sugarfoot's Ohio Players, (Masters Of Funk) @ Dell Music Center in Philly (July 5th, 2010) I now will get into a masterful yet truncated Sugarfoot's Ohio Players set. First of all let it be said here that Leroy 'Sugarfoot' Bonner is easily one of the great soul/funk icons of all time and as it turns out a wonderfully honest and loving human being. His awareness of all around him and his need to include that into the context of his compositions both musically and spiritually make him one of my funk heroes. We interviewed Mr.Bonner and it should be up on the Soul Patrol site by week's end. I wont say anything else personally about the man because I don't want to take away from this beautifully conducted interview involving myself, Bob Davis and Mr. Bonner. There's always a headliner of the actual Masters themselves. This band is the only band that shows up in complete and they take the stage as a band unto themselves. Other Masters Of Funk may perform with them but mostly it's just that band's set. This occurred before with The SOS Band and tonight this role was reserved for Sugarfoot's Ohio Players. Weaving in and out of the Master's set smoothly, this version of the Ohio Players is soooooo good that it makes one wonder if we can get a Night with Sugarfoot's Ohio Players-all to themselves playing ALL of the hits. As George Clinton, Stanley Clarke and Charlie (Uncle Charlie) Wilson have done previously Mr. Bonner has assembled some fine YOUNG (clearly no one over thirty) musicians. He's trained em, taken all of their chops and finely honed them to fit laser-like through the eye of a needle and in so doing has created a musical entity that comes as close to any of their recordings LIVE as any of the older Ohio Players groups have EVER done.....(review continued) INTERVIEW: Larry Graham (BY: "Dr G": Darden and DJ Mike Hall) "Dr G": The best known up and coming rapper known as Drake says you are his uncle. Are you Drake's uncle? Larry Graham: I have not met him yet to verify this. I have read it but I don't know. My daughter responded to his MySpace so we have reached out to him but they have not yet responded. We could be related but I don't know yet. "Dr G": The first time I saw GCS was at a small club in Atlanta in 1973. I was a poor Morehouse student and you walked me into the club with your arm around me. I had no money but you and Hershall Happiness made sure I saw the show. This was your first show in Atlanta as GCS. How are Hershall and Chocolate doing and how is her funk box? Larry Graham: Chocolate is living in LA. She toured with us a little while back and she is on the "Live in London" video soon to be available for you to see. Hershall is also on that video. I heard from him in the last 2 weeks. David Dynamite is no longer with us and Willie Wild came to a show recently. I talked to Butch a couple weeks ago. DJ Mike Hall: The group we saw at The Birchmere the other night was very tight. When I imagine Larry Graham today, I envision a musician living his dream. You work at your own pace, enjoying family & friends, enjoying the benefits of your successes. You are not a slave to the music. You seem to be on top of things. How do you achieve that and what would you say to the young musicians about how to achieve that? Larry Graham: Put spiritual things first and like Jesus said, you can't serve two masters. If spirituality is first and you love the music it's much more enjoyable and you are not so concerned about material things. You don't want to be a slave to the music and strive after those things like King Soloman did in the Bible. They don't know who their real friend is. We put spiritual things first and music is always a joy. I don't have a bunch of bills so it becomes a joy and I can work when I want to. "Dr G": You want to speak on your spirituality and how it affects Brother Nelson (Prince) and your beautiful wife Tina. Larry Graham: I had heard about Tina braiding hair. On the first GCS album cover you see everybody's hair braided except David Dynamite. She breaded everybody's hair. "Dr G": People ask you everywhere? Larry Graham: It took her 8 hours to braid my hair. The whole time we talked about the Bible and God. Then Tina's mom was baptized as a Jehovah Witness in 1974. Tina attended and contacted me and we both started studying. I was baptized a year later. I met Prince 12 years ago. GCS played the amphi-theater in Nashville while Prince was at the arena. He asked me to jam with him at a small club in Nashville. I didn't know he was raised on my music from Sly to GCS. He had tons of questions about the Bible and eventually asked me to move to Minnesota to teach him the Bible. We were going to move from Jamaica anyway, so we moved to Minnesota to help Prince study the Bible. DJ Mike Hall: I just want to say that the tour with you and Prince was the last time I remember you being in the DC area and that conversation on stage between you and Prince was one of the most amazing moments that I have seen on stage. That just lives with me. What's coming up next? Go here for the rest of the review: http://www.soul-patrol.com/funk/graham.htm "Dr G": Darden and DJ Mike Hall Soul-Patrol.com June 21, 2010 MINT CONDITION + LEDISI (3/26) @ the Keswick Theatre Once again ... you did it!!! May Allah forever Bless you, and thank you!!! The Keswick Theater in Glenside, PA was LEANING SIDEWAYS & ROCKIN'!!! WHAT???!!!!! These performers were OFF THE CHAIN this evening! You know that I'm a Ledisi supporter, but I'd yet to see Mint Condition. I've loved their music, but I'd not had the chance to see them live. They were TIGHT!!! This show had so much vapor, it filled in the spaces that steam didn't cover!!! Ya know what I'm talkin' about???!!! They took a serious bite outta life, and shook it around 'til it was ripe, tender & ready! The crowd was off their seats, and clamoring for more once their individual sets were complete!!! They showed no signs of tiring on either side, the audience nor the entertainers. Their opening songs were just as exuberant as their last, and vice versa! This was a "power punchin' " show! At first I'd wondered if the show's coordinator knew what the juice he/she was doing! Having Ledisi on first just wasn't computing with me. I knew this Sistah was a headliner, so what was she doing opening the show? I mean . . . her performance, her band, her presentation filled the stage with sound, and with presence! There was no void/room available! When Mint Condition entered, I thought, "It's looking a little sparse up there!", because there were fewer personnel. I grew up in the entertainment industry, so I know the stage. If you can work it, it'll seem like it's hard put to find a baby roach with enough room to live! Well, my proverbial "hat's off" to the coordinator! I don't believe I'd be able to decide who would appear first (not unless they did a "ladies before gentleman" thing, or an "L before M" situation! They're both power house entertainers! I was more than elated from the energies shared at this show! Both Mint Condition and Ledisi fuse Spiritual, R&B, and some serious Funk, and the results are polished like fine Black Marble!!! Ledisi rang out a message from The Creator, "Put Me First"! How appropriate! This is something that we ALL need reiterated on a constant basis! She satisfied the audience's booming request by liquidly shelling out "In the Morning" and "It's Alright". Each of them using the back and forth "feed back" by having the audience as participants with the background. She humbly announced that she was a Grammy nominee for her astounding music! What a phenomenal accomplishment, Sistah!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!! You've done us proud!!! During each selection, either those posted here or any others, Ledisi embraced the entire crowd, and made sure they felt included, and weren't just spectators! And the warmth continuuuuues!!! A half an hour intermission (where more people were rehashing the recent stimulation Ledisi offered with her solid tones, and resonating voice), and a silent roar grew to jubilation when Ledisi was making her way through the audience & waving --- this being her exit from the theater . . . her last moment of touching, and showing that she cares in more ways than one! Now a new kinda kick (for me, that is)! Mint Condition!!! Mint Condition!!! Mint Condition!!!!!!! Being analytical, I thought I was about to experience the kind of boring show I had witnessed when I saw John Legend (Ooooops!!! Did I say that?!? I tried to be diplomatic when I wrote the review for that brother's show, but MERCY!!! Well, back to the show at hand!) Shock doesn't even describe my reaction to the rocket that hit the stage when Stokley Williams started dealing his spread alllllll over the theater (No! I am not stutterin'!!!) He is so totally engrossed in every note, every beat!!! His body reminded me of electrons firing in the brain . . . he was all over the place!!! He missed NO NOTES, he was soulful, he wasn't breathless, the brotha was just BAAAAAD!!! The band was fantastic!!! Jeffrey Allen - Ricky Kinchen - Homer O'Dell - Lawrence Waddell --- together these brothers took it to another dimension! Music felt like a huge vibratin' rubber band . . . Bouncin' back in time, jumpin' into tomorrow, scoopin' ya up today! Yaaya!!! They were jammin'!!! They kicked out "If You Need Someone to Love", "I'll Be What You're Lookin' For", "Nothin' Left to Say", and a dynamic tribute to the king, Michael Jackson---"Heartbreak Hotel" ---that would've made the whole Jackson family stand up and JAM!!! "What Kind of Man", was like ringing the washcloth, and shakin' it out, giving it all that pound of refreshing air! Fulfilled and satisfied, yet sad that it was over, everyone was bubblin'!!! Effervescence was everywhere from the night's experience! Brother Bashir said, "They should find a way to put both Ledisi & Mint Condition on stage to perform together! Now that's a thought!!! Sistah Habibah Abdul-Shaheed Commentary - Memo From The Grave of Lee Atwater: "When In Doubt Always Employ Race Baiting, It's a Winning Strategy" Who in the hell is Lee Atwater? (and why am I wasting time writing about him, instead of an album review?) Well Lee Atwater is an "old family friend" of the Soul-Patrol.com website. In fact the very first award that we ever got was because of Lee Atwater. Back in 1997 I wrote an essay entitled: "Lee Atwater and the Destruction of Black Music" http://www.soul-patrol.com/funk/lee_at.htm In 1998 Yahoo Internet Magazine (at that time a print publication) named Soul-Patrol.com as the Best Soul/R&B website on the entire internet. As a part of doing so, they also wrote a detailed review of the website where they sited Soul-Patrol.com as being a place that explored music on a much deeper level than just track listings, discographies, artist biographies, etc. And they said that essays like "Lee Atwater and the Destruction of Black Music," were a big part of the reason why it was a required destination for music fans who wanted to know more than simply chart information or record industry propaganda. And of course, today we still continue along that same path (much to the displeasure of some of you) Lee Atwater was a young political consultant from South Carolina who was the protégé of Mr. Harry S. Dent. In 1968 Harry Dent devised something called the "southern strategy" for the Presidential campaign of Richard Nixon. Of course the 'southern strategy" was indeed a winning strategy for Nixon. While Harry Dent created the "southern strategy," it was Lee Atwater who perfected it. Lee Atwater was a person who was extremely knowledgeable about Black culture, in fact he was not only a big fan of Black culture, he was even a Blues musician. Some of you may even remember Lee Atwater playing the guitar alongside BB King, back in 1980's. He was able to use his knowledge of Black culture to refine the "southern strategy" into the science that propelled the winning elections of Ronald Reagan and George HW Bush in 1980, 1984 & 1988. Using his knowledge of Black culture, Lee Atwater developed the brilliant "Welfare Queen," "Willie Horton," and other ad's that scared the hell out of white voters. Lee Atwater passed away in the early 1990's. On his deathbed he is said to have asked Black Americans for their forgiveness in using them as a "pawn" to attract white voters to the candidates that had hired him. As you might well imagine, that essay I wrote about Lee Atwater over a decade ago has generated a whole lot of feedback over the years. I have gotten email from the KKK to Lee Atwater's children about that essay. Of course if you read the essay (it's still in it's raw form, written in a burst of energy at 3am with lots of typos & mis-spellings,) you will see that I am in firm agreement with Nelson George and his book; "The Death of R&B." In the book, Nelson George says, that "R&B ended around 1980." I go one step further and suggest that the fact that R&B ended was no accident and for that we have Lee Atwater to thank. The whole point of using "race baiting" tactics in politics, isn't really to hurt Black folks. The point is to scare the hell out of white folks, into voting differently. You scare them by suggesting that anytime Black folks make any sort of advancement, the only way that can occur, is at the expense of white folks. Race baiting is a political strategy that is used all of the time, across the United States in all sorts of elections. It's usually most effective whenever Black folks are advancing and start to get a little bit too comfortable with their success. It's even more effective during challenging economic periods. --Today in 2010 Black America is still celebrating the historic election of Barrack Obama as President. --What type of an economic climate are we in today? --What does history tell us is a winning type of electoral strategy this climate ripe for? I am certainly no fan of Obama's policies to this point. He had a chance for greatness, but he seems to squandered it at this point. He has caved in so much to the right wing maddness on key policy matters, that could have actually resulted in a positive transformation (health care, energy, economy, etc.) he might as well switch parties IMHO. However I would hate to see him get "race baited" out of office, and unfortunately that is what he is allowing to happen. Every time these wingnuts and teabaggers attack someone who is Black and associated in some way with Obama, the reaction of Obama is to "throw that Black person under the bus." Does that sound like a good way to be a successful President? IMHO if he doesn't want to start acting like he is the President, he might as well just resign and let Joe Biden have the job, Hell at least we know that Biden's got a set of balls :) Obama either needs to grow a set of balls, or perhaps borrow Biden's. He needs to stop caving in to the right wing, drop the whole Jackie Robinson routine ("I'm not allowed to fight back") and start acting like a leader. This country has far too many major problems that need to be fixed. That is what he was elected to do. Even if his second term is not meant to be, he needs to go down fighting. Instead anytime someone even mentions the word "race," Obama freezes! Despite his passing, the legacy of Lee Atwater continues to this day. We can see his continuing legacy in the work the men that Lee Atwater trained, such as Karl Rove, Roger Ailes and others, who have in turn trained others. As we can see from the headlines over the past year or so, the very same strategy that was perfected by Lee Atwater continues to be a winning strategy here in 2010. For example, this morning as they drink their coffee millions of white Americans are being forced to watch a very articulate Black woman named Shirley Sherrod discussing how she was thrown under the bus, by President Obama, then proceed to discuss the whole race issue in modern day America, while the mass media says that we need to have a "national discussion about race." Meanwhile the 17 million unemployed people are watching and saying, "we don't need a national discussion about race; "we need to have a President who will be focused on getting me a damn job, how soon can we get rid of this idiot and get a white man in there who will get me a damn job?" It's 'race baiting' at it's most subtle & effective. In the end, Lee Atwater said that he was sorry for what he had done. For that I will always admire him. He realized that sometimes winning isn't worth the price that you have to pay. I think that if Lee Atwater is paying attention to the current US landscape, that he is even more ashamed of himself, then he was on his deathbed. However I think that Black folks should be ashamed of themselves for allowing themselves to be used by Atwater as pawns in his game. It will be interesting to see if Black Americans in 2010 will allow history to repeat itself? "Lee Atwater and the Destruction of Black Music" http://www.soul-patrol.com/funk/lee_at.htm --Bob Davis 609-351-0154 earthjuice@prodigy.net Co-Founder www.soul-patrol.com Blues, Hip Hop and Soul Music Director www.radioio.com Culture War In Black Music/Culture (maybe oil & water really doesn't mix?) Never has it been laid out more clearly for me.... 1. REVELATIONS (FEATURING TRE WILLIAMS) @ HECKCHER PARK IN HUNTINGTON, NY This Sunday I was out on Long Island and I attended a free concert at Heckcher Park in Huntington. It was a hot night, which got even hotter because the Revelations (featuring Tre Williams) absolutely ignited the evening with a smokin mix of Soul, Blues & Rock. If you closed your eyes and listened as the music cut thru the thick humidity you might have easily imagined yourself at a concert of the STAX review in 1968 featuring Otis Redding, Sam & Dave & Johnny Taylor backed up by Booker T & the MG's/Bar-Kay's as the sweet/powerful sounds of H-A-R-D-C-O-R-E S-O-U-L M-U-S-I-C makes you forget about a depressed economy, 100,000 barrels of oil/day sh*tting on our way of life, millions unemployed while a catatonic Amerikkka and greedy corporate interests stand by watching. Then you open your eyes and see that besides my own family and a few others the crowd was 100 percent white and they were rockin to the music. After the show I learned who the "few others" were. Seems that Tre Williams has also brought his crew of sons, daughters, brothers, cousins, etc. with him. Together with my family that was the extent of the Black folks in attendance. It was great meeting Tre's family and it was wonderful to see them out supporting him. It reminded me once again of all of the reasons why "family unity," has always been the key component to the survival of Black people/culture. For more on the Revelations featuring Tre Williams on Soul-Patrol.com go here: http://www.soul-patrol.com/funk/revelations.htm this is one of the key artists to keep your eye on as GREAT BLACK MUSIC Expands into the future. We have featured Tre Williams and other new artists like him here on Soul-Patrol.com in the past and plan on continuing to do so in the future for a good reason 2. BET KOON SHOW ON CABLE TV After the concert we went over to my mom's house & flipped on the TV to the BET Awards show, which is advertised as being an awards show showcasing the best in Black culture. Instead I thought for sure that I had stumbled upon a large televised meeting of an ESL (english as a second language) group, that had actually failed the course. Viewing this program almost required a scroll of subtitles in order to understand what was being said. I suppose that it was a nice thing that the producers of the show allowed tributes to both Michael Jackson & Prince during the show. However whatever the cultural good and/or motivation that those tributes might have had in reversing the slippery slope towards oblivion that Black culture seems to be descending into, was quickly lost & forgotten. Watching this program makes one quickly understand exactly why a depressed economy, 100,000 barrels of oil/day sh*tting on our way of life, millions unemployed while a catatonic Amerikkka and greedy corporate interests stand by watching, has become "the new normal." The optical difference between these two events and the fact that they exist in what seems like a parallel universe, literally "bizzaro worlds," was not lost on me. It seems to me that we are at a true crossroads and some conscious descions are required by people on an individual level to figure out what the proper path is. (or maybe it's too late?) We have some VERY serious problems here to address folks, and much like Pogo, the solutions to those problems can be found right in the mirror... 3. THE REAL ISSUE IMHO BET is an inherently evil institution that capitalizes on the ongoing "slave mentality" of Black Americans for corporate profiteering. The long term effect of this strategy as demonstrated over the past 20 years has been the continuing marginalization of Black Americans. The longer it continues, the more we will continue to be marginalized within the Amerikkan landscape. Those black Americans who allow themselves and their children to be marginalized in this manner by koporate amerikkka will find their opportunities to be extremely limited in this country. That was the point of what I wrote (comparing the cultural environment presented by Tre Williams vs. the cultural environment presented by the BET KOON SHOW.) People have a choice to make and those who make the wrong choice are going to insure not only that they will suffer, but also that their descendents will suffer as well. However, the problem of BET and it's KOON PROGRAMMING STRATEGIES is but a symptom of a much larger issue. IMHO the biggest problem facing Amerikkka right now is how big corporations (ex; BP, Goldman Sachs, Major Record Labels, Clear Channel, etc) are destroying everything good about this country. VIACOM (the owner of BET) falls into that same category as far as I am concerned. 4. HERE ARE SOME IDEAS.... The government has to break up these big corporations. The government has to stop protecting these companies from the forces of the free marketplace We need to get rid of the notion of "too big to fail." The American people have to begin to understand that this is what is ruining the country. And it doesn't matter if we are talking about "Big Oil," the Financial Services arena; Clear Channel, Viacom, etc. These companies need to be broken up so that they can begin to not only serve the interests of their shareholders, but also to serve the interests of the public. For example, just imagine if there was no BET, but instead we had a Black TV station in each of the 10 largest cities in the USA and each one of those Black TV stations were available on cable TV? This would create something called COMPITITION, as opposed to what are essentially government sanctioned MONOPOLIES we have today. Something as basic & American as apple pie and it would create an exciting oppurtunity for artists & fans alike. Once that happens then the public can make better buying descions, because there will be a competitive environment with a level playing field, as opposed to the monopolistic environment which we are under today. However the biggest obstacle to this remains the corrupt nature of the relationship between government and these large corporations. After all it is these same corporations that also provide most of the campaign contributions I fully realize that many of you didn't subscribe to this newsletter to read this. You possibly thought that I was going to talk about the "who, what, where, why, how and when" of the BET KOON AWARDS, however those of you who know me well (know that I couldn't possibly have ever done that, without discussing the larger context of the problem, of which it is only a symptom of..) And more to the point, this also explains why new music from artists such as Revelations featuring Tre Williams, Jaye Q, Donnie C, Teeny Tucker, SonnyBoy, Nadir, Chidi, Ryan Shaw, Pat Cooley, Wendell B, Christian Scott, Homemade Jamz Blues Band, Billy Jones, Macy Gray, Bettye LaVette, Nnenna Freelon, Black Joe Lewis, Calvin Richardson, Leela James, Ledisi, Mighty Sam McClain, and others. And I hope that yall don't mind when we do choose to focus on such artists? In the meanwhile, I'll just take a pass on THE BET KOON SHOW. I hope yall don't mind? --Bob Davis 609-351-0154 earthjuice@prodigy.net Co-Founder www.soul-patrol.com Blues, Hip Hop and Soul Music Director www.radioio.com Concert Review: REST IN P - A TRIBUTE TO GARY SHIDER (RIP) - NY/NJ: July 11, 2010:Funkraiser for P-Funk's Garry "Starchild" Shider This event delivered as promised. This was essentially a great "oldies show." An "oldies show" performed in tribute to a man (Gary Shider) who was perhaps the most significant stage persona of a group that was at their height when most of the performers on stage at BB Kings in NYC last night were either toddlers or not even born yet. The key here of course is that this was a great "oldies show," and for me the best barometer of that wasn't my reaction or that of the many musical experts gathered in the room. For me the ultimate barometer was the reaction before, during & after the show from "Mrs. Earthjuice." Initially, "Mrs. Earthjuice" wasn't interested in attending this show. When I told her who the performers were going to be, she balked and said; "why can't they have the actual members of P-Funk doing the tribute." My response; "that wouldn't be as much fun..." "Mrs. Earthjuice" likes going to BB Kings. I can't stand it. To me BB Kings is the very definition of what a "clip joint" is, and I hate the thought of putting one additional dime into their pockets. However to "Mrs. Earthjuice" BB Kings actually represents what a NYC nightclub is supposed to be like (Disney version.) She immediately stakes out a nice table and pulls out the menu. I immediately knowing that there is a minimum amount of money that one must spend to even sit at a table inside of BB Kings ("clip joint") announce; "Oh I have business to take care of back stage off & on for most of the night, just make yourself comfortable and I'll pop back over here from time to time and check in on you." She said, "you're just being a cheapskate, you don't want to waste money on the over priced drinks they have here. I have to have a place to sit, I'm not like you, I can't just be walking around and be on my feet the whole time..." Guess what happened???? ("Mrs. Earthjuice" was on her feet for most of the 4.5 hours of this show) And she was for good reason.....(THE POWER OF THA FUNK) You see, for better or for worse, I get to listen to this music almost every day. Hell, I just saw P-Funk live a few months ago and I'll be seeing them again this Saturday night in Philly. I suppose that one could suggest that I have become jaded, complacent and take the music for granted. However that was far from the case for "Mrs. Earthjuice." There was something almost magical about these 35 - 40 year old songs when they were first released back in the 1970's and as anyone who was a part of the generation of Black folks who were influenced by this music back then will attest to. So as a result the predictable happened. "Mrs. Earthjuice" spent most of the 4.5 hour show on her feet movin and groovin to an entire evening of songs from the extensive catalog of P-Funk. 35 years ago the fundamental organic power of these songs had been successfully implanted into the DNA of "Mrs. Earthjuice." All that was needed to release that DNA was to hear the songs like "BOP GUN," ONE NATION UNDER A GROOVE," "SUPER STUPID," RED HOT MAMMA," "COSMIC SLOP," "MOTHERSHIP CONNECTION," etc. being performed live once again "in living color." The young musicians (Funk-Kin, 24-7 Spyz, Living Colour & the BRC Orchestra) perfumed the songs from the catalog with a passion that made me proud. I paid careful attention to the expressions on their faces as they made the difficult look easy. Mixing in the required amounts of "technical virtuosity" with just the right amount "stank sloppiness," required to play P-Funk's music just right, is no small task. It made me wonder if 200 years from now, there would be similar configurations of young musicians attempting to pay tribute to the music of P-Funk, in the same manner that young musicians today will play the music of Bach? The thought of that makes me smile. How about that for taking the concept of "great black music into the future?" After being on her feet for most of the previous 4.5 hours, I expected that "Mrs. Earthjuice" would be asleep for the vast majority of our 2 hour combination train ride/car ride back home in the middle of the night. Instead she went on and on about what a good time she had, how great the music was and how happy she was that she had come out. As I am typing this, 24 hours after the show was over, she is still raving about the show... And at the end of the day, this was something like a metaphor for what this is all about. At first "Mrs Earthjuice" balked at even attending, because there weren't going to be any "big names/celebrities" in attendance. Instead she found herself swept away by the sheer quality/quantity of the music itself. Something that she had forgotten was to vital, today feels empowering. (she remembered what she thought that she had forgot) This show wasn't about "reality show fame," "chart position," "tabloid headlines," "american idol victories," "fake award shows," etc. IT WAS ABOUT SOME STANK AZZ MUSIC (in "living color") After reading this, I know that a few of you will be waiting for the YouTube video's to appear online. I for one hope that this show never appears on YouTube. That's because if you see it on YouTube, your perception of what it is/was will be distorted. Sorry folks, for this one.....YOU HAD TO BE THERE and shame on you if you are a music fan, could have been there and YOU WEREN'T THERE Shout outs to the BRC, Sweet Relief, and all of you who gave up a comfortable Sunday evening in front of the idiot box, and chose instead to get FUNKED UP. BIG UP'S To our friend Darrell McNeil for overseeing the proceedings and doing the lions share of the work behind the scenes. For those of you who stayed home (doing your nails) or weren't able to attend for some other reason, you can still make a donation here online to assist the family of Rock n' Roll Hall of Famer, P-Funk Guitarist Gary "Doowop/Diaperman/Starchild" Shider at the following link: http://www.garryshidermedicalfund.com & for you artists out there....GET YOURSELVES A DAMN INSURANCE POLICY, so your family doesn't have to do this for YOUR BLACK AZZ) ALL PROCEEDS FROM THESE EVENTS WILL GO DIRECTLY TO THE SHIDER FAMILY! http://www.garryshidermedicalfund.com or http://www.sweetrelief.org --Bob Davis 609-351-0154 earthjuice@prodigy.net PRESS RELEASE: Meet Pat Cooley & Her New Release: "Cougar" Editor's Note: I am so very pleased to share this press release with all of you. That's because I am a BIG fan of the music of Pat Cooley (www.patcooley.net). In fact I am such a big fan of her music, that when I first started the NU SOUL @ RADIOIO.COM channel, I used the music of Pat Cooney's album "OLDER WOMAN, YOUNGER MAN," to help kick things off there and her music has been in the rotation ever since. Her new release "COUGAR" is even better. We will have more here on Soul-Patrol.com about Pat Cooley in the coming weeks & months, but for now just check out the press release and then boogie on over to her site (www.patcooley.net) and check out some of the music from her new album called "COUGAR." (Bob Davis) ATLANTA, GA; L & L Records is proud to announce that Marietta, Ga native Pat Cooley has released her 4th album entitled "COUGAR." The album has been described as a sounding like a taste of Betty Wright, Millie Jackson, Shirley Brown, Bettye LaVette, Barbara Mason and Linda Jones all rolled into one. http://www.patcooley.net This diverse 10 song album covers Soul, Funk, Blues, Pop and Slow Jam territory includes songs such as "Hungry Woman," "Hold Still," "Be A Man", Get Out and a remake of the Bill Withers song "Use Me". Because of it's diversity and strong social commentary, it's no surprise that it has excited many radio programmers and reviewers across the country (and across genres/formats.) Pat started singing at the age of 10, at a church choir anniversary in her hometown of Marietta, Ga. While attending school she sang in the senior and junior church choirs. She also took private voice lessons from Worldwide Opera star Lillian Sullivan. After graduating school, Pat started singing in R&B Clubs in the Atlanta area and performing sound a like tapes for a local recording studio. While appearing in local clubs she was approached by Clarence Carter who was interested in recording her. She began working for Clarence as his secretary in his recording studio and would help in the studio sometimes doing back-up work or laying demos. This led to her eventually becoming the opening act for the legendary Clarence Carter!!! Pat recorded her first album entitled "DOUBLE TALK". She then went on to record her CD's entitled "WARM HUG" and "REAL THING". Pat then recorded a single entitled "OLDER WOMAN, YOUNGER MAN", from the compilation CD, Blues, Soul, and Old School, produced by BIGG ROBB. Her CD entitled "BOY TOY" is a continuation of the "OLDER WOMAN" saga. That CD has many good songs including her hit single "BOY TOY" and her last single "HYPNOTIZED". Internationally applauded, Pat has toured the world, including places like South Africa, Japan, Italy, Amsterdam, Paris, Turkey, Greece, Beirut, Italy and Spain. She has even done a Department of Defense (DOD) Tour with a Country & Western Band, which turned out to be quite a success. She also entertained troops in Beirut and sang on the USS Iwo Jima and the USS Portland. WHAT THE CRITICS ARE SAYING ABOUT PAT COOLEY - "COUGAR": --One of the best CD's I've heard in years ~ Mike Roberts WQMJ 100.1 FM (Macon, GA) --"COUGAR", is a nice variety of well produced southern-style get down, leaving nothing desired by a saangin' soul sista who knows all about "puttin' it to you" & leavin' it there ~ Jimy Bleu WFDU - 89.1 FM (Teaneck,NJ) --Appropriately titled "COUGAR", Pat Cooley's latest effort truly exemplifies her well roundedness and maturity as a vocalist and songwriter. Pat Cooley has arrived and it only gets better. ~ Lee Henzel WRFG 89.3 FM (Atlanta, GA) --I can't understand why a cd this good couldn't go mainstream ~ Funky Larry Jones (Soul and Blues Report) --Ms. Pat Cooley has become one of the true divas of Southern Soul. This release of primarily mid-tempo tunes is a strong representation of Pat's straight ahead, smooth R&B style and vocal delivery ~ Soul Dog (Beachmusic45.com) The fact that "COUGAR" is Funky, Bluesy, Soulful, and Funny isn't a surprise if you are a fan of Pat Cooley . What is surprising are the badd azz slow jams and message songs, which make it right on time for 2010 ~ Bob Davis (Soul-Patrol.com / RadioIO.com) "Cougar" is available at CD Baby via Pat's website at http://www.patcooley.net Contact Connie Cooley for interviews, servicing & booking @ 404.200.4683 --Bob Davis 609-351-0154 earthjuice@prodigy.net PRESS RELEASE: Grover Washington Jr. - "Grover Live" Editor's Note: I really like this album a whole lot. In fact there are alreay tracks from it in heavy rotation on the NU SOUL @ RADIOIO.COM channel(Bob Davis) Grover Live, a New CD Documenting the Late, Great Saxophonist Grover Washington Jr. in a 1997 Concert With His Touring Band To Be Released on G Man Productions on May 18, 2010. Pre-Release Orders Now Available @Amazon.com The godfather of today's urban contemporary jazz scene, Grover Washington Jr., was one of the most popular and influential saxophonists of the '70s and '80s. And while he may have paved the way for such easy-listening artists as Kenny G, Najee, George Howard and Gerald Albright, none of those popular saxophonists play with the chops and sheer intensity that Grover demonstrated on the bandstand from night to night throughout his career, which spanned three decades. And as the newly discovered Grover Live demonstrates, the man was clearly on top of his game well in to the '90s. Recorded on June 7, 1997 at the Paramount Center for the Arts in Peekskill, New York, Grover Live , produced by Jason Miles (Miles Davis, Luther Vandross, Sting), captures the consummate pro in concert and at the peak of his powers, blowing with unbridled conviction and a sense of risk-taking on a collection of his tunes spanning three decades. From familiar hits like "Winelight" and "Mr. Magic" to a medley of early numbers like "Inner City Blues," "Black Frost" and "Just the Two of Us" to more recent offerings like "Mystical Force," the hip-hop flavored "Uptown" and a contemporary spin on the old school groover, "Soulful Strut," Grover and his crew - Adam Holzman and Donald Robinson on keyboards and synthesizers, Gerald Veasley on electric bass, Richard Lee on guitar, Pablo Batista on percussion and Steven Wolf on drums - stretch out in dynamic fashion on this exhilarating live CD. Washington sets the tone for the evening on the engaging opener, "Winelight," which showcases his wonderfully relaxed style and big, beautiful tone on the tenor sax. This tune, and several others on Grover Live , instantly reveals Washington to be, as Gil Evans once said of Miles Davis, "a great singer of songs." And while his mellow approach to melodic material established a school of playing that ultimately led to the smooth jazz movement, Grover can be heard wailing in pure spontaneous and aggressive fashion on a stirring cadenza, full of upper register squealing and virtuosic scalar runs that elicit wild shouts from the Peekskill crowd. "Take Another Five" from the 1992 release Next Exit is a funkified take on Paul Desmond's "Take Five" the jazz anthem debuted by the Dave Brubeck Quartet on 1959's Time Out and showcases the individual band members stretching out with abandon. Again, Grover's delivery is relaxed and imbued with soul before he unleashes his mighty chops at the 3:15 mark. "Soulful Strut," the title track of Washington's current Columbia CD at the time of this concert, is a contemporary remake of the instrumental hit by Young Holt Unlimited from 1969. The atmospheric "Mystical Force," co-penned by Grover and his musical director Donald Robinson, is a smooth jazz offering with a funky edge while the slamming "Uptown," which has Grover switching nimbly from soprano to tenor sax, features sampled rappers, churning conga from Batista and some warm, Wes Montgomery-inspired octaves work from Lee. "Sassy Stew" is a slow grooving lyrical number from 1984's Inside Moves that gradually builds to a passionate crescendo that Washington wails over with signature abandon. Pre-Release Orders Now Available @Amazon.com PRESS RELEASE: Jaye Q - "From My Soul" EDITOR'S NOTE: Usually press releases are full of hype, this one is no different. However in this case it's all true!!! Jaye Q's new double album currently occupies a permanent spot very close to the CD player in my car. Usually when someone says they have a "Jazz/Funk album" a certain picture emerges in our mind. The first disc reminds me of a Marvin Gaye + Prince + ZAPP album. The second disc reminds me of a Herbie Hancock + David Sanborn + Lonnie Liston Smith album. So In this case it really is a "Jazz/Funk album." Anyhow, I'm not really supposed to be reviewing the album here, so I'll stop now, so that yall can read the actual press release… and then go to Jaye Q's website (www.jayeqmusic.com)so that you can take a listen (Bob Davis) Jaye Q. is proud to release a new double CD album entitled "From My Soul." Soul-Funk and Soul-Jazz combined will prove to be one of the groundbreaking albums of 2010. Produced, arranged, composed, and performed by Jaye Q., his new double CD "From My Soul," captures the essence of true musicianship revealing his vivid imagination through song. Los Angeles, CA, February 28, 2010: Jaye Q. is releasing "From My Soul" out of his own Q-Ball Studios in Los Angeles. This project is long overdue, but certainly not the first for Jaye Q. His previous projects include: As a teenager he performed as a percussionist on Aretha Franklin's album titled, "Aretha." In 1996 he started his own label and put out his debut album entitled, "Sensual Thoughts," which was produced, arranged, composed, and performed by him. In 2001 he joined an R&B group called "Shakespeare Jones" which later became "Forbidden". While with the group he toured Japan as a drummer and back-up singer leading to a signed deal with Priority records. In 2004 he teamed up with Michael Kreple, Joe Drock, and Patrick L. LaTouche, forming the "JQ Band." They released their debut album "Funky World Order," performing at the following venues: Viper Room, Key Club, House of Blues, and BB Kings. The JQ Band opened up for Shanice Wilson and Jon B. at the Rumba Room where they were asked to perform on a regular basis. Jaye Q brings his diverse talents and experiences together to make "From My Soul" an immersive experience for the listener. His album cover has a quote that accurately points out that "What's missing in today's music is Diversified Soul-Jazz funkster Jaye Q." Jaye Q - "From My Soul" http://www.jayeqmusic.com PRESS RELEASE: Mighty Sam McClain & "Love Duets" on YouTube This is a Press Release, however if you are a lover of good....I MEAN GREAT SINGING, then you owe it to yourselves to check out this material from our friend Mighty Sam McClain, teamed up with Iranian singer Mahsa Vahdat. Check out the links below and I guarantee that what you find when you get there will bring a smile to your face…--Bob Davis Please visit these sites on YouTube to listen to Mighty Sam's newest project recorded at Cedar House Sound and Mastering in Sutton, NH. This is Mighty Sam McClain as you have never heard him before. "Scent of Reunion -- Love Duets Across Civilizations" is now available in Europe at http://www.kkv.no and will be available in the US in January 2010. Downloads may be had soon at http://www.valleyentertainment.com http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HMA97Bnf6Q and http://www.nme.com/awards/video/id/lbvlx-5eLoc/search/vahdat Here is a link to a thorough, in-depth and insightful interview / review of this outstanding CD: http://thebluegrassspecial.com/archive/2009/october2009/bordercrossingoct09.php Let us know what you think and remember that his newly released "Betcha Didn't Know" is available nation-wide and at http://www.mightysam.com --Bob Davis 609-351-0154 earthjuice@prodigy.net NEW RELEASE: Chuck D - Tear Down This Wall EDITOR'S NOTE: Guess where we stand on the new Arizona immegration law??? (Bob Davis) 1989 US President Ronald Reagan chastised the then Iron curtain of communist countries about the separatist existence of the Berlin Wall. There presently is a multi billion dollar wall funded by the United States with similar isolationist separatist policies ...the wall between the US and Mexico. Chuck D addresses the growing tangible and intangible wall existing between the black and brown people in North America. In Mexico, new figures have been released showing more than 5,000 Mexican migrants have died trying to reach the United States since 1994. Mexico's National Human Rights Commission says an average three migrants lost their lives every two days in the US-Mexico border region in 2007 and 2008. And now by default its attached to being a themed commentary to the recent passed one sided racist immigration LAW in the State of Arizona... This statement from Chuck D and his wife Dr Gaye Theresa Johnson Professor Of Black Studies and Chicano Studies UC Santa Barbara. 'Jan Brewer's decision to sign the Arizona immigration bill into law is racist, deceitful, and reflects some of the most mean-spirited politics against immigrants that the country has ever seen. The power that this law gives to police, to detain people that they suspect to be undocumented, brings racial profiling to a new low. Brewer's actions and those of Joe Arpaio, Russell Pearce, the Arizona State Senate are despicable, inexcusable, and endorse the all-out hate campaign that Joe Arpaio, Russell Pearce, and others have perpetrated upon immigrants for years. The people of Arizona who voted for this bill, as well as those who crafted it, demonstrate no regard for the humanity or contributions of Latino people. And for all of those who have chosen not to speak up, shame on you for silently endorsing this legislated hate. In 1991 I wrote a song criticizing Arizona officials (including John McCain and Fife Symington) for rejecting the federal holiday honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The same politics I wrote about in "By the Time I Get to Arizona" are alive and well in Arizona today, but this time the target is Brown people. These actions must stop. I am issuing a call to action, urging my fellow musicians, artists, athletes, performers, and production companies to refuse to work in Arizona until officials not only overturn this bill, but recognize the human rights of immigrants. This should include the NBA playoffs, revisiting the actions of the NFL in 1993, when they moved the Superbowl to Pasadena in protest against Arizona's refusal to recognize Dr. King. We all need to speak up in defense of our brothers and sisters being victimized in Arizona, because things are only getting worse. What they're doing to immigrants is appalling, but it will be even more damning if we remain silent.' --Chuck D Download TEAR DOWN THIS WALL by Chuck D: http://www.slamjamz.com/music/viewdlsingle/471 --Bob Davis 609-351-0154 earthjuice@prodigy.net UPDATES - NU SOUL @ RADIOIO.COM br> Thank goodness I have an excellent venue available to me to do this and to also share it with all of you as well. The Nu Soul channel @ RadioIO.com is a great place here online to find solace and escape from the overall dreary state of what Black music has allowed itself to become on the commercial/terrestrial tip. Don't let the name of this channel mislead you, it's content is far different than what it's name might suggest to some of you. It contains what the commercial/terrestrial arena would call; Classic Soul, Southern Soul, Neo Soul, Jazz, Black Rock, Beach Music, Conscious Rap, Spoken Word and Funk. It contains NO OLDIES and is "eclectic" by design. It's all blended together as a "gumbo of musical styles" that sounds exactly like the type of New Music, for people who think that Black music should have a future that is in synch with it's past as it sprints past the "stars" of BET, Knee-Gro radio and Reality TV shows to provide a foundation for the future. Of course as the person who selects and programs the music for this channel, I am quite biased. However I have been getting so much feedback not only from folks here, but from all over the internet and mobile worlds, that after I made the updates (new add's) below, I decided to do some intense listening yesterday, in between my shifts of digging out of the latest east coast storm --Some of this music is serious and made me think --Some of it is funny and made me laugh --Some of it is by old favorites from my distant past, and it made me feel warm --Some of it was stank azz phunky, and made me want to dance --Some of it was super erotic, and it made me want to grab "mrs earthjuice" --Some of it was jazzy, but somehow not boring/smooth --Some of it was by artists that I had just discovered and made me excited about the future In short I discovered that what my listeners from around the world were telling me was true, this channel has truly evolved into what it set out to be. A place where BRAND NEW BLACK MUSIC can be heard and appreciated in it's proper context and provide a sensible direction for the future. HERE THE RECENT NEW ADD'S: All-4-One - I Luv That Girl All-4-One - My Child Angela Johnson - Be Myself Angela Johnson - Indie In Me Angie Stone - I Aint Hearin U Angie Stone - I Dont Care Angie Stone - Unexpected Angie Stone - Why Is It Archie Bell - Do That Thang Again Avant - Joy and Pain Barbara Carr and Roy Roberts - Its Only You Bettye LaVette - Salt Of The Earth Bill Curtis and Friends (Fatback) - The Booty Line Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears - I'm Broke Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears - Sugarfoot Carmen Rodgers - Heartless Chantels - Beseme Mucho Chico Debarge - Oh No Chidi - So Naturally Chidi - They Tell Me Christian Scott - The Roe Effect (Refrain In F# Minor) Chuck Roberson - Change Is Gonna Come Da Twinky Man - Livin On a Fixed Income Darren Rahn - What Cha Gonna Do for Me Doggett Brothers - Azure Sky Dramatics- Bad Girl Eric Roberson - Borrow you Erykah Badu - Window Seat FitzAndTheTantrums-BreakinTheChainsOfLove Global Noize - Wanna Be With U 3 GRADY WASHINGTON -LETS BE MORE THAN FRIENDS Grover Washington Jr - Sassy Stew Guitar Shorty - Please Mr. President Jaye Q - Partytown Jaye Q - Remix Joe - Can't Get Over You Ke Ke Wyatt - Peace On Earth Kenneth H Williams - Never Gonna Let You Down Larry Buford - Down Behind the Front Larry Buford - Things Are Gettin' Outta Hand Latimore - Around the World Laura Izibor - Dont Stay Ledisi - Goin' Thru Changes Ledisi - Happy Feelings Lee Shot Williams - Wrong Bed Leela James - I Aint New To This Leela James - Party All Night Leela James - Tell Me You Love Me Lenora Jaye - Do You Wanna Macy Gray - Real Love Macy Gray - That Man Malina Moye - Yaah Maxwell - Pretty Wings Maya Azucena - Get It Together Recall Mix Mayer Hawthorne - A Strange Arrangement Mayer Hawthorne - Just Ain't Gonna Work Out Maysa - A Woman In Love Maysa - Honey Bee Maysa - Spend Some Time Maysa - The Lady In My Life Monet - Navajo Mood Mz Pat - Fair Play (Turn Around) N'Dambi - Free Fallin' N'Dambi - The World Is a Beat Nessa Morgan - Treat My Baby Right Nona Hendryx - Ballad Of Rush Limbaugh Omar Wilson - Get To Know You Better featuring Angie Stone Patafunk - OK LA Patafunk - Venezuela Prince - Better With Time Rena Scott - In This Life Rogiers - The Reason Ryan Shaw - Get Previous Ryan Shaw - In Between Ryan Shaw - It Gets Better Ryan Shaw - Morning Noon & Night Ryan Shaw - The Sweetest Thing Ryan Shaw - We Don't Give Up Now Shanell Renee - From Me to You Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings - Better Things Sharon Musgrave - Beautiful Music Simone - Starting Over Smokey Robinson - Dont Know Why Stephanie Renee - Imperial Theme Steve Arrington - Holla Steve Arrington - I'm On Fire Steve Arrington - Pure Thang Steve Arrington - Soul Food Steve Arrington - Sunrise Sugar Stick - Couldn't Love Another Sugar Stick - The Boy Who Wanted Too Much The DigiDonz + Mallia Franklin - Can You Help Me Wit Some 2 Eat The Revelations Featuring Tre Williams - How Do I Tell Him The Soul Survivors - Hitch Hike The Soul Survivors - I Do The Soul Survivors - What Does It Take (To Win Your Love) TJ Hooker - Got To Get My Money Right Tortured Soul - Did You Miss Me Vivian Green - Beautiful WendellB - cus she was an angel Will Downing - Love Suggestions I realize that some of you aren't familiar with some of the names or the songs, but don't let that stop you. This station is all about DISCOVERY and if you are of a mind, that you are open to the discovering something fantastic, which flies in the face of the status quo, then Nu Soul channel @ RadioIO.com is the the place for you. The rest of you would probably be best served by pretending that you haven't read what I have just written and return to BET, Knee-Gro radio and Reality TV shows, cuz I can't be of assistance to you at this time :-) Check it out at the following url: http://www.radioio.com/genres/HipHop-Soul When you get there, just scroll down and click on "NU SOUL"...Let me know what cha think!!! --Bob Davis 609-351-0154 earthjuice@prodigy.net BLUES @ RADIOIO.COM IS GONNA START A REVOLUTION OF THE MIND!!! (Da Blues, Da Blues, Da Blues is alright!!!) ....And one of the main reasons why DA BLUES IS ALRIGHT IN 2010 is because this is just about the only Black music style that is talking about the issues and concerns of people. Just why that is, I don't know, but my hats are certainly off to the artists. We are living in one hell of a time and it's certainly a time for the artists to use their art ti speak out on the issues of the day. Sadly it would seem that Blues is currently the only Black music style where the artists have the B*LLS TO SPEAK OUT. (and they are getting major props from me this month on the radioio.com Blues channel. HERE ARE SOME OF THE RECENT NEW ADD'S: Al Miller - Big C Blues Al Miller - Blues for John Littlejohn Al Miller - Fallin Rain Al Miller - I Don't Play Barbara Carr and Roy Roberts - Its Only You Billy Jones - Bluez Comes Callin Billy Jones - Crystal Billy Jones - Deal Wit Da Devil Billy Jones - Marry My Mother In Law Billy Jones - My Hometown Billy Jones - Personal Manager (Live) Billy Jones - Revolution Bluez Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears - Big Booty Woman Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears - Bobby Booshay Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears - Get Yo Sh*t Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears - Gunpowder Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears - Humpin Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears - I'm Broke Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears - Master Sold My Baby Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears - Sugarfoot Boo Boo Davis - Don't Wait Too Late Boo Boo Davis - There's a Roach Crawlin Calvin Richardson - That's The Way I Feel About Cha' Chuck Roberson - Change Is Gonna Come Da Twinky Man - Livin On a Fixed Income Eugene Hideaway Bridges - Bluesman Eugene Hideaway Bridges - I Got the Blues Eugene Hideaway Bridges - Jump the Joint Eugene Hideaway Bridges - Rome Wasn't Built in a Day Guitar Shorty - Please Mr. President Guitar Shorty - Temporary Man Guitar Shorty - Texas Women Guitar Shorty - True Lies Holmes Brothers - Dark Cloud Holmes Brothers - Edge of the Ledge Holmes Brothers - Pledging My Love Holmes Brothers - Put My Foot Down Izzy & Chris - Leavin' You Baby Izzy & Chris - Preachin' the Blues Janiva Magness - I'm Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down Janiva Magness - Slipped, Tripped And Fell In Love Janiva Magness - The Devil Is An Angel John DAmato - Got No Shame John DAmato - Stormy Monday Karl Denson - Shake It Out Karl Denson - Where It Counts Latimore - Around the World Lee Shot Williams - Wrong Bed Luther Lackey - Fake It Till You Make It Luther Lackey - I Got Caught Butt Naked Luther Lackey - If Shes Cheatin On Me I Dont Wanna Know Luther Lackey - It Aint Easy Being The Preachers Wife Luther Lackey - Mister Can I Shine Your Shoes Luther Lackey - What It Takes To Get her Is What It Takes To Keep Her Marcus Bonfanti - Goin' Down Marcus Bonfanti - Will Not Play Your Game Mr Groove Band - Bold Soul Sister Mr Groove Band - Rocket 88 Mr. Groove Band - Funky Mule Otis Clay - I Just Wanna Testify Otis Clay - Love & Happiness Otis Clay - Nickel and a Nail Otis Clay - Respect Yourself Ryan Shaw - Morning Noon & Night Tail Dragger - Baby Please Don't Go Tail Dragger - Blues With a Feeling Tail Dragger - Bought Me a New Home Tail Dragger - Everything Gonna be Alright Tail Dragger - I'm in the Mood Tail Dragger - Keep it to Yourself Tail Dragger - Louise Tail Dragger - Ooh Baby Hold Me Tail Dragger - She's Worryin' Me Tail Dragger - Stop Lying Tail Dragger - Wander The Homemade Jamz Blues Band - Alcoholic Woman The Homemade Jamz Blues Band - Blues Concerto The Homemade Jamz Blues Band - Grits Ain't Groceries The Homemade Jamz Blues Band - I Got Blues for You The Homemade Jamz Blues Band - In the Wind The Homemade Jamz Blues Band - The World's Been Good to You The Homemade Jamz Blues Band - Voodoo Woman The Homemade Jamz Blues Band - Who Your Real Friends Are The Homemade Jamz Blues Band -Boom Boom The Revelations Featuring Tre Williams - How Do I Tell Him Tinsley Ellis - Rockslide Tinsley Ellis - Slip and Fall Tinsley Ellis - Speak No Evil Tinsley Ellis - Sunlight of Love TJ Hooker - Got To Get My Money Right Check it out at the following url: http://www.radioio.com/genres/HipHop-Soul When you get there, just scroll down and click on "BLUES"...Let me know what cha think!!! --Bob Davis 609-351-0154 earthjuice@prodigy.net WHERE DOES GREAT BLACK MUSIC COME FROM IN 2010? The picture above is of the panel "Meet the New Soul - Same as the Old Soul?" that I participated in @ SXSW/2010 this on March 20th 2010. Pictured from left to right; Bob Davis (Soul-Patrol.com/RadioIO.com), Dave Marsh (XM/Sirus/Rolling Stone/etc), Judy Tint (R&B Foundation), Claudette Robinson (Miracles/R&B Foundation), and Rhymefest (Rapper/Activist). My thanks to Judy Tint (our moderator) for inviting me to participate. I thought that SXSW was pretty interesting. I'm not sure if I would go back again or not because things are so disorganized it's difficult to figure out how best to spend your time there. Here is a link to an article from the Austin Chronicle that was writen about the "Meet the New Soul - Same as the Old Soul?" panel: http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/story?oid=oid:983193 Obviously the author of the article didn't quite understand the panel. His big gripe was that none of the panelists used the term "retro soul." What the panelists did instead was to connect the historical legacy of Soul music to some of the current day music. This was done in order to illustrate the point, that there really isn't anything new. But the issue instead is one of lack of mainstream exposure for much of the great soul music being produced in today's environment and that issue may well be an opportunity (ie; not to be tied into the network of established record labels and corrupt knee-gro radio stations) My reply is kinda chopped up into different sections because the Austin Chronicle system wouldn't allow me to post the entire thing as a single comment.. Quite a few Soul-Patrol.com readers & RadioIO.com listeners from around the country showed up to see/hear the panel so it was nice to meet those folks in person for the first time. In addition to those folks I got to meet a whole bunch of indie blues, jazz, & soul artists/journalists/label managers, etc. The pictures below (taken by Soul-Patroller Chip Barnett) are from a concert I attended featuring Mayer Hawthorne, Black Joe Louis, Raphael Saadiq, Smokey Robinson and Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings (not pictured). The concert was fantastic, not only was it like seeing the NUSOUL @ RADIOIO station come to life right before my eyes, it was also kinda like seeing a modern day version of the TAMI Show, right before my eyes. In short it was a show that contained many of the elements that a Soul music fan would drool over; Mayer Hawthorne (Philly Soul), Black Joe Louis (James Brown/Ike Turner/Jimi Hendrix), Raphael Saadiq (60's Motown), Smokey Robinson and Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings (Funk/Chicago Soul). But with a slammin 2010 presentation!!! I also saw a whole lotta really awful rock & hip hop performances... One thing for sure, SXSW has shown to be an excellent source for new music for me to present both here on Soul-Patrol.com and on RadioIO.com. I came away with lots of excellent music, some of which you will see represented in the updates below for NU SOUL @ RADIOIO and BLUES @ RADIOIO. For example, I was walking down 6th Street in Austin and the manager of UK Blues artist Marcus Bonfanti, literally chasing me down the street and begging me to come & see his artist perform. I took the bait, loved his show and now his music is in the BLUES @ RADIOIO playlist. Mayer Hawthorne & Black Joe Louis got on my RadioIO.com playlist as a result of me seeing them perform live in Austin as well. However there are many sources for some of the great Soul Music being produced today. A week after I got back from SXSW I was asked to do a presentation for an event in NYC called the Indie Soul Mixer. This was a yearly gathering of the local NYC "neo soul artists." I did a presentation wi8th covered the topic of "economic survival of independent artists. Unfortunately I had to leave as soon as I finished delivering the presentation in order to attend the Christian Scott concert that I reviewed here on Soul-Patrol a week ago. As I was about to leave an absolutely gourgous young woman ran up to me and said; "I enjoyed your presentation very much Mr. Davis. Please take a copy of my CD and if you like it, let me know." I said; "I'll do even better than that. If I don't like it, I'll let you know that as well." Needless to say, as soon as I listened to the first song, I was hooked. Her voice reminds me of Valerie Simpson and she's got an entire album of "compelling music." Her name is Chidi and as you will see there are two of her songs now in the playlist for NU SOUL @ RADIOIO. Sometimes it comes from the recommendation of friends; Myron Ruffin (Leela James), Rickey Vincent (Steve Arrington), Rio Vergini (Jaye Q), Iris Smith (Dramatics), Jason Miles (Grover Washington Jr. Live), etc. Sometimes it comes from the artists themselves, (ex; Archie Bell, Billy Jones, Sugar Stick, Patafunk, DigiDonz, etc)And yes, sometimes it comes from record labels, who give me GREAT BLACK MUSIC MUSIC THAT WOULD NEVER GET PLAYED ON KNEE-GRO RADIO STATIONS (ex; James Hunter, Macy Grey, Global Noize, Karl Denson, Swing Out Sister, Calvin Richardson, Maysa, Lee Shot Williams, N'Dambi, etc) Anyhow, scroll down to see the recent add's for NUSOUL @ RADIOIO and BLUES @ RADIOIO. But don't just stop at reading the lists, take a moment to actually tune in and listen, even if you don't recognize some of the artist/song names. If you have read this far, it's because you are a fan of GREAT BLACK MUSIC. Rest assured that if you thought that the days of GREAT BLACK MUSSIC are over & done with, you are sadly mistaken. The whole point of this issue of the Soul-Patrol Newsletter is to show you the lengths that we go to to make GREAT BLACK MUSIC in 2010 easily available to you in a radio format that is easy for you to digest, right here online. ::::GO AHEAD & BE BOLD:::: ::::IGNORE KNEE-GRO RADIO::: ::::GET OFF THEIR PLANTATION:::: :::::SUPPORT GREAT BLACK MUSIC:::: LISTEN TO THE MUSIC (SHARE IT WITH YOUR FRIENDS IF YOU DARE) NUSOUL @ RADIOIO and BLUES @ RADIOIO --Bob Davis 609-351-0154 earthjuice@prodigy.net Co-Founder www.soul-patrol.com Blues, Hip Hop and Soul Music Director www.radioio.com Revisionist History - Rod Stewart - Soulbook, (The Greatest Soul Singer of All Time) (Soul) WHO OWNS HISTORY? It is often said that one should never pick a fight with someone who "order's ink by the barrel." That is of course a reference to picking a fight with the press, because you simply can't win. They will overwhelm you with written documentation. The same concept can also be applied to individuals who would like to adjust their historical legacy in whatever way that would make their legacy somehow different for people who don't have first hand knowledge, than what the reality of the memories of the people who did have first hand knowledge of what that individual's actual legacy was. Individuals who control the written (including text, graphics, video, audio) documentation about their own historical legacy are in a position to frame that legacy in whatever manner they would like to. These individuals know that their written documentation will outlast the "opinions" of people who have firsthand knowledge of the truth. Thus they are in a position to create their own version of history with the full knowledge that 100 years after the fact, it will be their version of history that will be regarded as the factual truth as opposed to the "opinions" of other people, who are now dead. THOSE WHO TAKE THE TIME TO DOCUMENT IT I say all of this to let you know that is exactly what is occurring in the case of Rod Stewart and that it was predicted by Soul-Patrol many years ago, when we analyzed the 1 hour broadcast on VH-1 of "Rod Stewart: Behind the Music.".....(Commentary Continued Here) PRESS RELEASE: Bob Davis Presents American Popular Music Evolution @ Keswick Theatre in Glenside, PA (12/1/2009) PRESS RELEASE: Bob Davis Presents American Popular Music Evolution @ Keswick Theatre in Glenside, PA (12/1/2009) (http://www.keswicktheatre.com) "A most unique, constructive and instructive approach to hold a class on American Popular Music, its history, its innovators and its social/political impact over the past 100 years…" I want to let all of you know about this upcoming seminar/presentation that I will be giving in Philadelphia on 12/1/2009. If you are an educational institution in the area, I would strongly advise you to contact the Keswick for information on how your students can participate. If you are outside of the Philadelphia area or can't make the date, and are interested in this seminar contact me directly at 609-351-0854 for information on how to bring this educational program to your area. I have delivered this program to elementry schools thru universitys and to community organizations. This interactive session highlights the most influential artists, producers, record labels, entrepreneurs across American Popular Music Styles (Blues, Country, R&B, Rock, Jazz, and Hip Hop) and cross references the two way impact across American History. It combines historical data with analysis/commentary, and multimedia capabilities, this fast paced overview a leaves the student with a clear understanding of the tapestry of the American Music Art Form and it's intersection with American Cultural/Social/Political History. The session is easily adapted/targeted for diverse audiences and has been presented to both small and large groups from the elementary school level to high schools, universities, community organization and seniors. Brooklyn native Bob Davis, the creator/instructor of this class, holds degrees in Political Science and Economics from the University of Pittsburgh. After a successful career on Wall Street, he co-founded Soul-Patrol.com as a "hub" for gathering music and information. This site, one of the largest and oldest of it's type offers many different music industry types, across multiple genres including, performers, executives and owners, writers, producers, radio and club DJs, historians and of course music fans. Mr. Davis is also a Music Director at RadioIO.com on of the Internet's largest radio networks, where he is responsible for programming 8 different types of R&B, Rock, Hip Hop and Blues stations for a worldwide audience. Bob Davis has consulted with entities such as Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame, R&B Foundation, Future of Music Coalition, STAX Museum, Black Rock Coalition, Universal Music, Concord Music, Chiltin Circuit Magazine, Rhino Music, Philadelphia Black Heritage Festival, Purpose Records, Shanachie Records, Wake Forest University, and others. Bob consults with artists/labels and small businesses on Internet strategy and technology deployment. Soul-Patrol is also engaged in software development and innovative content distribution projects (ex: Soul-Patrol Virtual Album) focused on improving the deployment of music/culture on the internet. With all of this information archived, Bob has "connected the dots" to establish not only a time line, but the connection between the various "styles" of music. The obvious and not so obvious interrelationships between Blues, Country, Rock n' Roll, Jazz, Blues, R&B. and Hip Hop, showing a virtual "tree" and the branches of that same "tree" and the interconnection of the styles that have been the uniqueness of American Music. The student gets an elaborate account of the evolution of these musical styles and the corresponding impact of American history. The course will compel the participants to dig even deeper. CONTACT: Bob Davis, 609-351-0154 earthjuice@prodigy.net --Bob Davis 609-351-0154 earthjuice@prodigy.net PRESS RELEASE: Latimore - All About the Rhythm and the Blues “Latimore’s new album titled All About the Rhythm and the Blues is his best work in years,” says the legendary Henry Stone, who was involved from the first note recorded on this album. According to Stone, “Latimore has created a masterpiece.” Latimore’s always smooth, rich, full vocals and masterful keyboard performances, along with Stone’s unique approach of guidance and top recording industry pros, like George “Chocolate” Perry on bass, percussion, state of the art audio recording and mix engineering skills, as well as true grassroots Blues guitar man, Warren ”Roach” Thompson, perform the soulful Blues grooves with a style and drive that is unstoppable. The melodies, the riffs and the rhythms, will reach deep down into that place that makes you close your eyes and bob your head. It is that, “Oooh! It sounds so good, I can feel it in my chest,” that puts that easy blues look on your face. You know the one! When you don’t care who is watching or what you’re doing, it just grabs ahold of you and makes you groove! Please exercise caution when operating a car or heavy equipment. You want to keep your eyes open. And keep a look out for this amazing new album from Latimore, set for release on the LatStone Label, September 18, 2009. Get the CD direct from the www.HenryStoneMusic.com web store. And digital download the album from your favorite online provider. One listen and you will know that it is All About the Rhythm and the Blues. --Bob Davis 609-351-0154 earthjuice@prodigy.net ALBUM REVIEW: Mighty Sam McClain - Betcha Didn't Know I was introduced to Mighty Sam's music on Soul Patrol many years ago. I had the pleasure of meeting Mighty Sam and his wife a few years ago, along with a few of my SP friends from Chicago. (and he's a very nice person) He has a new CD out entitled "Betcha Didn't Know". 13 tracks that I'm sure you will enjoy. What I like about Mighty Sam's music is that it's real, and he uses a real band. (no keyboards, drum machines, etc; REAL MUSICIANS and a kick ass horn section!) Plus, Mighty Sam sounds like he's having a great time in the studio. From the opening track "I Can't Stop The Funk", is exactly what the title of the song says. A nice funky groove that will get you on your feet dancin'....(review continued here) --Gary Tyson Radio Daze (online, offline & otherwise) Clearly internet radio represents the future of radio. And one of the reasons for this is because of the phenomenal amount of choice and diversity that is available. For example, in preparation for my interview a few weeks ago w/Chuck D's AirAmerica Radio show I did a little bit of research (cuz I always like to have a few stats.....lol) over on Shoutcast, which is a server that aggregates some internet radio traffic. On a Sunday afternoon at about 3pm Shoutcast showed that there were 500,000 + listeners streaming about 29,000 different radio stations. In my opinion these numbers are phenomenal. It's a clear demonstration that internet radio fills the listening needs of a large segment & ever increasing segment of the population and it shows that there is a wealth of diversity in listening choices. This past week I discussed this same topic among others on the Our Common Ground with Janice Graham show on the USA Talk Network as well. Of course I am extremely biased and I think that the internet radio that I am personally involved in both here at Soul-Patrol.Net (podcasting) and at RadioIO.com (continuous stream) represents just that type of diversity & relevancy as well. The listenrship numbers continue to grow. For example the podcast that we did the other day on Soul-Patrol.Net radio for the artist Donnie C's new album, had 4,000 listeners on a single day (pretty good exposure in one day for an "unknown artist"). At the same time the RnB Mix Channel (continuous stream) over on RadioIO.com gets hundreds of thousands of tune ins per month. -- Soul-Patrol's audio outlet at www.Soul-Patrol.Net averages 70,000 + listeners each month. -- The 8 stations I run on www.RadioIO.com (Classic RnB, Nu Soul, Classic Hip Hop, RnB Mix, Blues, Today's RnB, Top 20 HipHop & Top 20 RnB) total millions of tune ins each month. And these people don't just tune in. They stay and leave the station on all day long at work or at home, regardless of what "segment" of the Black music marketplace each one of those stations represent. I know this because they email me all day long with running commentaries on what they are hearing. These numbers continue to grow month after month, especially with the increasing adoption of mobile devices that are capable to tuning in these stations. Much of my email & feedback related to internet radio is coming from folks listening on Blackberry's, iPhones & other mobile devices. And the good news is that many of these mobile users are plugging their devices into their car stereo systems and listening in their vehicles, as Chuck D told us that he does during the interview. So clearly lots of folks are listening and more importantly, finding what they are looking for and listening from whatever devices suits their lifestyle. And that is really the whole point, being able to find what you are looking for and consuming the content in the manner that you want to consume it. And truth be told, this is what the terrestrial broadcasters (Clear Channel, Cathy Hughes, etc.) fear even more than the passage of a bill that required them to pay the very same performance royalties to artists that internet radio has been paying for years. As far as Black Radio is concerned, that ended in the 1980's, when Black radio stations abandoned the communities that had made them successful and decided to go "corporate." When you stopped hearing commercials for "Pookie's Funeral Parlor on 119th & Malcolm X Blvd." and started hearing commercials instead for "Enormous Corporate Scottish Brand Name Generic/Unhealthy Hamburgers", that was the end of Black radio. These stations lost their "community focus", because the person paying the bills (the advertisers), were no longer a part of nor did they care about the community. As a result the stations became just as bland & predictable as the "generic hamburgers" they advertised. PREDICTION: Old skool Black radio oddly enough in the technologically advanced age we are in now has a chance to return. Black owned businesses (large & small) will now be in a position to sponsor both internet radio/tv programming. As the sponsor, they will be instrumental in insuring the voice of the community is heard. (stay toooned....) NP: "Give The People What They Want" --O'Jays --Bob Davis 609-351-0154 earthjuice@prodigy.net 2008 Best Black Music Albums, Tracks & Live Shows (Classic Soul, Jazz, Southern Soul & Blues, Funk, Neo Soul, Rap & Rock n' Roll) Also posted at: http://www.soul-patrol.com/newsletter/2008/news7/bestof2008.html These rankings are also posted on www.soul-patrol.com and www.radioio.com as well as other places around the internet. Feel free to repost them wherever you hang out at online. I really do hate making lists. That's because they have a beginning, a middle and an end. Which means that something is going to get left off, and no doubt I have left something out. At any rate I have compiled a list of what I think are the very best ALBUMS (listed in rank order) and SONGS (listed in rank order/Black music style) released in 2008. In addition to the rankings, clicking on the links below will enable you to listen to sound bytes from the associated albums and songs. If you are thinking about buying any of these, rest assured that you can buy them "sight unheard", they are ALL wicked, jazzy, funky, soulful, rockin joints that it is my extreme pleasure to turn you on to.This is a great year for Black music (Classic Soul, Jazz, Southern Soul & Blues, Funk, Neo Soul, Rap & Rock n' Roll), probably the best this decade! So we as music lovers had quite a bit to smile about in 2008. Thanks in advance for your consideration... Bob Davis - Soul-Patrol 798 Woodlane Rd Suite 10264 Mount Holly, NJ 08060 earthjuice@prodigy.net Also posted at: http://www.soul-patrol.com/newsletter/2008/news7/bestof2008.html Best of All Time in Funk/Jazz/Soul/Rock/Blues & Culture Quite a few people have been writing in to me complaining about various lists that have been published by Rolling Stone Magazine over the years. The complaints have ranged from a lack of knowlege to outright rascim with respect to these lists. In my opinion it makes little sense in 2008 to complain about lists produced by Rolling Stone or any other entity. We are on the internet, we have mailing lists, we have message boards, we have blogs, we have the capability to create and publish our own list of who we think are the best artists, songs, etc. THEREFORE I SAY F#@#&@#*K ROLLING STONE MAGAZINE, WE CAN CREATE OUR OWN And over the years we have done exactly that here at Soul-Patrol.com. Not only do we announce our listing of best releases each year (and we will do so again for 2008 later this week), we also conducted a little survey of our readership back in the year 2000 of the BEST OF ALL TIME. As selected by the "Soul-Patrol Board of Directors", back in the year 2000, we think these are the tops in Funk, Jazz, Soul, Rock, Blues and Culture, thru the year 2000. We published these results at the following link: http://www.soul-patrol.com/2000 These results are also published in this newsletter. Scroll down and see if you concur. Share it with your friends, argue about it create your own if you like. And if you disagree, why not consider creating your own list on your MySpace page, your website, etc. In 2008 you all have the ways and means to do so, and I would encourage you to follow suit. But whatever you do, don't complain to me about Rolling Stone, who really gives a crap about what they have to say about this topic. This is OUR music and if we actually care about it, lets start with ourselves and give it the props that it deserves. Photos by James VandeZee Check it out at the following link: http://www.soul-patrol.com/2000 Thanks in advance for your consideration...and next week look for Soul-Patrol's Best of 2008 In Black Music. Bob Davis - Soul-Patrol 798 Woodlane Rd Suite 10264 Mount Holly, NJ 08060 earthjuice@prodigy.net http://www.soul-patrol.com/album http://www.soul-patrol.com/album If you would like to ask a question about Soul-Patrol feel free to contact the owner Bob Davis.   )   If you would like to ask a question about Soul-Patrol feel free to contact the owner Bob Davis.

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