Tag Archives: soul music

RIP Thom Bell (1943 – 2022)

“People Make the World Go Round” (1972) by Thom Bell and Linda Creed, first performed by The Stylistics

Thom Bell was een Amerikaans componist, songschrijver, producer, arrangeur, pianist, en zanger die centraal stond in de ontwikkeling van de Philadelphia soul van de jaren zeventig. Hij was het creatieve brein achter de Delfonics, de Stylistics, en de Spinners.

“People Make The World Go ‘Round” (1999) by Innerzone Orchestra, cover van bovenstaande.

Je kan hem kennen van composities zoals “Ready or Not Here I Come (Can’t Hide from Love)” (1968), “La-La (Means I Love You)” (1968), “Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind This Time)” (1970), “People Make the World Go Round” (1972), “I’ll Be Around” (1972), and “Can’t Give You Anything (But My Love)” (1975) .

Maar je kan hem ook evengoed helemaal niet kennen natuurlijk want discoproducers zoals ‘Thom Bell, Gamble & Huff, Holland/Dozier/Holland, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Patrick Adams of Michael Zager’ worden nog altijd gemarginaliseerd, schreef Brian Chin in 1997.

En in 2000 wees David Haslam erop dat ‘het traditionele jaren-zestig-discours bolstaat van de waardeoordelen en het werk van de Velvet Underground verkiest boven dat van Motown, de productievaardigheden van Brian Wilson boven die van Norman Whitfield en de maatschappelijke relevantie van John Lennon boven die van James Brown.’

Rock boven pop dus. En ook rock boven soul en gelijk welk ander genre. Dat is ‘rockisme’.

Nu geloof ik wel dat er sinds die tijd een en ander veranderd is. In 2000 kwamen Frank Broughton en Bill Brewster met hun boek Last Night a DJ Saved My Life en in 2004 kwam Love Saves the Day van Tim Lawrence.

Daarna, of gelijktijdig ermee, kwam het rockisme versus poptimisme debat op gang en kreeg de obsessie met ‘authenticiteit’ een serieuze knauw.

Rust zacht Thom.

RIP Richard Pratt (? – 2022)

Richard Pratt was an American singer and co-founder of the American band Blue Magic.

“Welcome to the Club” (1974)

Blue Magic was one of the more popular Philadelphia soul groups of the 1970s. The group was one of the earliest acts produced by Norman Harris. Backed by the MFSB house band, they are known for such recordings as “Welcome to the Club” (1974).

That song is featured on Grass Roots: Ashley Beedle (1999).

RIP Joe Simon (1936 – 2021)

“Love Vibration” (1978) by Joe Simon

Joe Simon was an American singer who worked in the soul and R&B idioms. Well-known recordings are “The Chokin’ Kind” (1967) and “Drowning in the Sea of Love” (1971).

But I give you “Love Vibration” (1978) because Larry Levan used to played it at the Paradise Garage.

Be sure to also check “The Chokin’ Kind” for its interesting percussion. Morevoer, that song was written by Harlan Howard, the same songwriter who gave us country music favorite “No Charge”.

RIP Darondo (1946 – 2013)

Darondo  was an American musician who released a couple of singles in the 1970s of which “Didn’t I” eventually became popular in the 2000s.

In view that his compositions never became hits, he was less than a one-hit wonder. However, the current upload of “Didn’t I”scored more than five million listens over the last five years.

Darondo’s voice has been described as a cross between Ronald Isley and Al Green.

In the paucity of his recorded material, he resembles Shuggie Otis and Sixto Rodriguez.

Somehow his death did not appear on my radar back in 2013. These however: Junior Murvin, Lou Reed, JJ Cale, Bobby Bland, Ray Manzarek, Vincent Montana, Jr., Kevin Ayers, Donald Byrd and Cecil Womack, did.