Soul and Jazz and Funk

This is a really cool site with all the news and reviews of the soul music. Compiled by UK’s most reputed writers, Charles Waring and Bill Buckley, here you will get extensive information and reviews regarding all categories of Soul music. A great site for those who cherish the passion that music can fire.

Soul and Jazz and Funk

Soul Music Review

Soulmusic.com is an excellent website, which offer you all the latest information on soul music, ’70s Funk, Classic R&B and Soul Music, Philly Soul, Motown Magic, and definitely a lot more than that. You can read concert review, hear songs, and discover more.

Soul Music

Marvin Pentz Gay(e) - The Man With The Golden Glow

Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr., better known as Marvin Gaye was born on 2nd April 1939 and walked this earth till 1st April 1984. He was a multi-talented artist who not only wrote songs but also instruments at a vocal range of three octaves. He started his career as a member of The Moonglows which was a doo-wop group in the late 50’s. Later he went on to perform as a solo artist and in 1960 started singing with Tamla which was an auxiliary of Motown Records. Gaye earned fame as the best selling performer of the label in the 60’s after he had worked for a year as a session drummer. He was known for his hits like ‘How Sweet It Is’, ‘Ain’t That Peculiar’, and ‘I Heard It through the Grapevine’. He also delivered certain duet hits with singers like Mary Wells and Tammi Terrell and was recognized as ‘The Prince of Motown’ and ‘The Prince of Soul’

Gaye proved his mettle with hit albums like ‘What’s Going On’ and ‘Let’s Get It On’ and in the process he also inspired his fellow singers like Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson. In fact, his album ‘Let’s Get It On’ gave way to the genres of urban contemporary and slow jamming phenomena. Following his self chosen exile Gaye came back to the scenario with his hit ‘Sexual Healing’ which won him the Grammy Award and this was also accompanied by the album named Midnight Love. Following his death he was included to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the year 1987.

The music magazine in America named Rolling Stone rated him 6th on the list of ‘The Greatest Singers of All Time’ and in the list of ‘Greatest Artists of All Time’ he ranked 18 among 100 artists. Marvin also has a half brother named Michael Cooper. His second album with Motown Label was known as The Soulful Moods. This record featured the tunes of R&B ballad numbers like ‘Let Your Conscience Be Your Guide’. Unfortunately this record failed to gain fame after which Marvin produced two more albums which failed as badly.

Gaye’s first hit number was ‘Stubborn Kind of Fellow’. This song went on to become one of the major hits on Hot R&B Songs chart. This was followed by the top 40 singles by Gaye. These songs were ‘Hitch Hike’, ‘Pride and Joy’, ‘Can I Get a Witness’ in the year 1963. Gaye continued with his success story in 1964 as he came up with his hits, ‘You Are a Wonderful One’, ‘Try It Baby’, ‘Baby Don’t You Do It’ and ‘How Sweet It Is’. Gaye also made his contributions in writing ‘Dancing in the Street’ while his tie-up with Smokey Robinson for a 1966 album churned out top 10 hit singles in a row in the form of ‘I’ll Be Doggone’ and ‘Ain’t That Peculiar’. He also became a darling among the various teen shows.

TJ Grooves - Soul Music TV & Rare Soul Grooves.com

Aaron Neville - A Classic In The Making

The American soul artist and R&B singer, Aaron Neville was born in 24th January, 1941 in New Orleans, Louisiana. 1966 saw him make his debut with “Tell It like It Is” which was a major hit on the charts of Billboard R&B. However, Neville didn’t make it to the Billboard charts until the year 1989 when Linda Ronstadt tied up with him on three duet numbers in a row, namely “Don’t Know Much”, “All My Life” and “When Something Is Wrong with My Baby”. Among these three songs, the first two songs made it to the top of the Adult Contemporary charts.

Neville is credited with working on singles numbering to approximately 20. Aaron Neville is known not only for his solo performances, but also for being one of the Neville Brothers. Aaron Neville comes from an African American and Native American lineage, and his performances also reveal the Cajun influence. The other hits by Aaron Neville include the numbers like “Everybody Plays the Fool”, “Don’t Take Away My Heaven”, “Hercules” and “Can’t Stop My Heart from Loving You”. In 2005, he had to migrate to Memphis, Tennessee before the Hurricane Katrina hit.

Following the storm, he migrated to Nashville and returned to his native land, resulting in many changes to the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, which forced the Neville Brothers not to participate. It was in 2008 that Aaron and the Neville Brothers returned to the fest as it maintained its tradition and continued for seven days in a row. Neville also performed in “Louisiana 1927” for Randy Newman during a concert for the Hurricane Relief on 2nd September 2005.

Aaron also signed with Sony BMG, new Burgundy Records and worked on an album of some of the classic soul songs done by Marvin Gaye, Curtis Mayfield, Otis Redding, and Sam Cooke. The Soul Classics by Aaron Neville was a September release. This album, which was produced by Stewart Levine, offers tie-ups between Aaron and Chaka Khan, Chris Botti, David Sanborn, Art Neville, and Mavis Staples. The first single of the album was “It’s All Right” the remaking of The Impressions’ which was a 1963 classic. The U.S. National Anthem was sung by Neville in the movie ‘The Fan’. Neville also sang at Spring Stampede in 1994.

Aaron Neville has performed the theme music for the Fisher-Price Little People which is a children’s TV series. He recorded the Mickey Mouse March in 1988, and once again in 2006, Neville sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” where he was accompanied by artists like Aretha Franklin and Dr John. Additionally, Aaron performed for the songs “Great Heart”, “Bring Back the Magic”, “Homemade Music”, My Barracuda” and “Smart Woman” for Jimmy Buffett’s Hot Water. Neville made a guest appearance on a TV show ‘The Young and the Restless’, where he sang the hit numbers “Stand by Me” and “Ain’t No Sunshine”. Ivan Neville, Aaron Neville’s son, has also taken up music as his career. Neville was also included in the Delta Music Museum Hall of Fame in Ferriday.

A few of his other popular numbers are Orchid in the Storm, Warm Your Heart, Aaron Neville’s Soulful Christmas, Devotion, To Make Me Who I Am and Love Songs.

TJ Grooves - Soul Music TV & Rare Soul Grooves.com

BRAXTON BROTHERS - “They got the Soul & Jazz In their Genes!”

The Braxton Brothers group is composed of Nelson Braxton playing piccolo and slap bass, and Wayne Braxton playing the alto and tenor sax.

The brothers Nelson and Wayne got initiated Read more

Jean Carne – Soul Sweetness with a Jazzy Taste!

Jean Carne is an American R&B, Jazz and Pop singer and is well known for her contributions to the music fraternity. Her excellent vocals and impressive interpretation led her to the road for success. Read more

Roy Ayers - The Jazzy Soul Maestro

Roy Ayers is a highly acclaimed soul, funk and jazz vibraphone player. He was born on 10th September 1940 and is active since 1962 till date.

Roy Ayers has almost four decades of music to his credit Read more