Ray Charles – Yes Indeed!
This was another Ray album I only picked up recently. Man, these old Atlantic pressings sound sweet, even . . . holy cow, 60 years later. It was only his third studio album, and...
Category: Soul
Ray Charles – Ray Charles at Newport 1958
Ray Charles. What can you say about Ray Charles that hasn’t already been said? He occupied an interesting space as I was growing up – acknowledged as a genius, ubiquitous on the “oldies” stations,...
James Brown – Solid Gold – 30 Golden Hits
Okay, normally, I don’t expect a lot out of hits collections. They’re a great way to get an introduction to a band, and they’re great for those groups that you like but don’t love...
James Brown — James Brown at the Apollo Vol. 1
I’ll have to admit to a shocking lack of James Brown in my life until the late ‘80s. I mean, I knew he existed, and I must have known some of the songs, even...
James Brown — Say It Live and Loud
I never had any idea this record existed until two weeks ago when I found it at Forever Changes. It was a beautiful evening, the weather so cooperative that on the first of May...
Booker T. & the MG’s – The Best of Booker T. & the MG’s
Despite having a great love for the Stax/Volt sound, despite loving almost everything they ever produced, I have to admit that I rarely put on Booker T and the MGs. When I go instrumental,...
Bar-Kays – Soul Finger
Having grown up in the ’60s, I was certainly familiar with “Soul Finger,” and Bar-Kays (who somehow get away without using a definite article). They were session players at Stax and became Otis Redding’s...
Atlantic Rhythm and Blues 1947-1974, Vols. 1, 2, 3, 5
A long time ago now, when I first started this project to look at my entire vinyl collection in alphabetical order, I raved about Atlantic Rhythm and Blues 1947-1974 Volume 6, which covered the...
Things We Said Today