Prince ‘BlkMagic’ Damons

Soul music has been on the comeback trail for some time now. No, Otis Redding, Diana Ross and Aretha Franklin haven’t put out new records, but new lineups of soulful artists have emerged. John Legend, Corinne Bailey Rae and Lyfe Jennings are just a few sipping from the purifying spring waters of legendary soul music. To many, the next generation of soul is fresh and unique yet strikingly familiar to the classic tunes of yesterday. The obvious similarities forces one to pose the question - have today’s artists really improved soul music or are they simply remixing the same tunes we’ve already heard? Let’s delve further into the subject with comparisons of current artists and some of the old school legends.

Robin Thicke vs. Marvin Gaye

Son of TV dad Alan Thicke, Robin Thicke is compared to many vocalists but none more so than Marvin Gaye. Female fans will tell you that his voice is pure bliss, a soulful sound that gracefully reaches out to the masses and accentuates the late night mood. Marvin had a similar aura about him, a versatility that allowed him to stroke the hearts of lovers with “Sexual Healing” and bring a divided nation together with “What’s Going On”. Though Robin is a relative newcomer, some have already deemed him as the new king of soul.

Anthony Hamilton vs. Sam Cooke

With his remake of the classic “A Change is Gonna Come,” it is no surprise that Anthony Hamilton is often paired up with Sam Cooke. Cooke wrote the song during the Civil Rights movement, a very sensitive time in America. The track has been covered by everyone from Bob Dylan and Al Green to Aretha Franklin and Leela James. Anthony Hamilton did a fine job adding his name to the list, complimenting the timeless classic with the majestic voice that turns everything he sings into gold.

Beyonce vs. Tina Turner

After honoring the legendary diva at the 2008 Grammy Awards, the comparisons between Beyonce’ and Tina Turner were bound to surface. No one rocked the stage with as much energy and emotion as Tina - until Beyonce’ that is. With the release of her multi-platinum selling album, Dangerously in Love, Beyonce’ stood out from her Destiny’s Child counterparts and established herself as one of the most alluring figures in the music industry. The passion, intensity and sex appeal of these ladies certainly warrants a comparison.

Prince Damons vs. Quincy Jones

With diversity that enables him to perfect genres ranging from hip hop to every element of soul, Princes Damons is being put in the league of renowned producer, Quincy Jones. Jones is perhaps best known for his work on Michael Jackson’s Thriller but has produced for artists that range from Sammy Davis Jr. and Frank Sinatra to Miles Davis and Barry White. Likewise, Prince Damons’ mesmerizing sound has complimented industry standouts that include E-40, Too Short, Lenny Williams, Goapele and a host of others.

Whether it’s Kobe vs. Jordan or the Lakers vs. Celtics, comparisons always make for intriguing conversation. When it comes to soul music however, things are a bit different. Most artists long for individuality and would prefer not to be compared to anyone. This is quite understandable as the soul artists referenced in this article have a dynamic appeal that places them in a league of their own.

Forms of poetry have existed as early as 1700 BC, back when the Indian Vedas and Zoroaster’s Gathas where devising ways to aid in memorization and oral transmission.  Spoken word as we know it today got its claim to fame in the early 1990s. Films, such as Poetic Justice in 1993 and Slam! in 1998, receive much of the credit for the current spoken word explosion. Poetic Justice saw actor/singer Janet Jackson use poetry as an outlet to deal with inner conflicts and express her emotions. Her character, Justice, was traumatized by losing her boyfriend to a violent shooting. The only method able to soothe the feelings of loss and agony was writing poetry. Though you could argue that this wasn’t the best movie, it did touch on the impact of spoken word and even gave us some passages from renowned poet Dr. Maya Angelou.  In Slam!, Saul Williams’ character, Ray Joshua, used poetry to rehabilitate himself and rejoin society following a stint in prison.

Both of the films mentioned above opened our eyes to spoken word but none more so than the 1997 release of Love Jones. Starring Larenz Tate and Nia Long, this film made poetry hip and sexy. The poems in Love Jones were driven by emotion, unleashing a side of spoken word that most people didn’t know existed. When Larenz Tate’s character, Darius Lovehall stepped on stage, his risqué, flirtatious poem, “Brother to the Night,” captivated the audience of movie extras and film lovers across the nation. The poetry was so deep that ladies in the streets suddenly found themselves bombarded by guys spitting romantic pick up lines patterned after Lovehall’s influential poetry. It is no doubt– Love Jones was a film that paved the way for new age spoken word, resulting in the revival of coffeehouses and bookstores that opened the doors to open-mic nights and a barrage of soulful, jazzy poetry.

Neo soul is the name of a fresh new genre that meshes the best of spoken word with soulful music. Often referred to as spoken word soul, it contains elements of jazz, funk, R&B and electronic sounds. This movement originated in the late ’90s, introduced by hip hop notables like Common, The Roots and Mos Def, and then ascended to popularity at the turn of the century and into the present. Indie artists such as Dr. Cornell West and Coco Brown have fully grasped the original foundation of doo-wop and gospel tunes, merging powerful spoken words to form the center of which all music is based.

Artists like Gil Scott-Heron, Floetry, Slum Village, Jill Scott, and Talib Kweli are considered the progenitors of this new style of soul. Their success has powered the underground culture and inspired unsigned hype to stop waiting for the big name record companies and use other mediums to promote their talents. Some of the artists you’ve never even heard of can be found on a number of web-based outlets including CD Baby, Dusty Groove, MySpace and YouTube. Donald “Dee M” Manor, Shades of J co-founder and producer, is one of many who believe that this soulful, poetic movement will “always be relevant.” Leaving us with the final though, that from old to new, soul will be a large part of our musical culture.