r&b Archive
16 Oct 2023
Album Review: The Chi-Lites – A Lonely Man
If I might engage in the vernacular for a moment, streaming ain’t all that. Issues concerning fair remuneration to the artists aside, streaming platforms have many advantages for the listener. […]
09 Oct 2023
Album Review: The Lost Generation — Young, Tough and Terrible
From Chicago in 1970 came The Lost Generation. Their sleek, sensuous and soulful sounds is in line with the growing symphonic soul movement of the era. Smooth, layered vocals from […]
30 Sep 2023
More on Stax from William Bell (Part 2 of 2)
Continued from Part One… Songwriting And with music, but I found out early on, when you write honestly and you write about life itself, the generations change and the times […]
29 Sep 2023
More on Stax from William Bell (Part 1 of 2)
My feature on Written in Their Soul also drew from a conversation with William Bell. But because of space considerations, precious little of our chart found its way into the […]
28 Sep 2023
More on Stax Records from Deanie Parker (Part 2 of 2)
Continued from Part One… Isaac Hayes: I remember when he first came to Stax. I remember when he had hair. I remember when he didn’t have but two shirts. He […]
27 Sep 2023
More on Stax Records from Deanie Parker (Part 1 of 2)
Deanie Parker has an insider’s perspective on legendary Stax Records. As a staffer, recording artist and songwriter, she experienced the label to a degree that few others could even conceive. […]
26 Sep 2023
Stax Records: Written in Their Soul (Part 2 of 2)
Continued from Part One… Some of the demos on the new set feature vocal and simple accompaniment; others are more fully arranged, often including an entire band. The demos in […]
25 Sep 2023
Stax Records: Written in Their Soul (Part 1 of 2)
Most listeners never get to hear demo recordings. Created by songwriters as a guide for recording artists, those demos aren’t meant to be shared with the public. But they’re an […]
21 Sep 2023
Album Review: Sax Kari and His Orchestra – Swinging the Blues
With the benefit of hindsight, the live and career of Chicago-born Sax Kari seems worthy of a biographical tome or perhaps even a film. A musician proficient on multiple instruments, […]
20 Sep 2023
Album Review: Cyril Davies & His Rhythm & Blues Allstars – Hullabaloo
The British blues boom that launched the careers of Eric Clapton, Peter Green and Mick Taylor didn’t start with John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers. Though Mayall employed each of those guitarists (and […]