From: Bob Davis (earthjuice_at_prodigy.net)
Date: 2005-12-29 05:08:36
Soul-Patrol's Best of 2005...
This is getting harder and harder to do each year. The overall quality of
new releases is starting to become overwhelming and several more than a few
good CD's didn't make the cut. At the same time the "style categories" are
becoming less defined, because the artists are producing much more diverse
music. As a result you see several artists appearing in categories that you
might not have expected to see them in.
One example of this is the fact that you see an artist like Marlon Saunders
in the "Jazz" category, Angela Johnson in the "Classic Soul" category,
Martha Redbone in the "Rock n' Roll" category, etc. These artists are
usually classified by the "mainstream" as "Nu/Neo Soul". We felt that it's
high time that these artists be put where they belong, not based on the
marketing needs of the music industry, but instead on the content and the
quality of their music. This is the beginning of our evolution in that
direction.
The biggest surprise of all occurs in the "Classic Soul" category, where the
keyword in 2005 was INNOVATION and as a result we have a THREE WAY TIE for
FIRST PLACE between Will Hart - "Fonic Zone", Susaye Greene - "Brand New
Shoes" and the Motown Remixed CD. All three of these albums demostrate that
"you can teach an old dog new tricks" as they literally redefine in their
own ways, what the term "Classic Soul" may mean in the future.
What shouldn't be a surprise to anyone here is that the names of Bettye
LaVette, Victor Wooten and Nadir are right at the top of the overall list.
Taken together the music of all three of these artists could very well
comprise an audio definition of what "Great Black Music from the Ancient to
the Future" actually sounds like.
Please note that we have a new category this year for best live concerts. As
"Great Black Music from the Ancient to the Future" expands around the world,
we think that it's important to make note of the fact that you can see many
of the artists represented by CD's on Soul-Patrol's "2005 Best Of" LIVE. And
it is LIVE that they give the best possible representation of their music.
And we encourage you no matter what corner of the earth you reside, to go
and see these artists performing LIVE whenever possible.
Enough talk, now here are the lists...
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TOP 25 OVERALL 2005 RELEASES
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1. Bettye LaVette - "I've Got My Own Hell To Raise"
2. Victor Wooten - "Soul Circus"
3. Nadir - "Distorted Soul 2.0"
4. Susaye Greene - "Brand New Shoes"
5. Will Hart Formerly of the Delfonics - "Fonic Zone"
6. Various Artists - "Motown Remixed"
7. Marlon Saunders - "A Groove So Deep"
8. Julie Dexter - "Conscious"
9. Will Wheaton - "Old School Soul"
10. Various Artists - "Miami Funk At Its Best Volume 2"
11. Smokey Robinson and The Miracles: "The Live Collection"
12. Johnny "Guitar" Watson - "The Funk Anthology"
13. James Brown & Friends - "The Best of James Brown, Vol. 3"
14. Meshell Ndegeocello - "Dance of the Infidel"
15. Paul Jackson - "Funk On A Stick"
16. Melissa Forbes - "No More Mondays"
17. Various Artists - "Lackawana Blues"
18. Devoted Spirits - "Tribute to Earth, Wind and Fire"
19. Martha Redbone - "Skintalk"
20. The Legendary Orioles - "Live 2005"
21. Pure Gold - "24K Dreams"
22. Alison Crockett - "On Being A Woman"
23. Laurnea' - "The Collection"
24. Anthony David - "3 Chords and the Truth"
25. Holland Dozier Holland - "Heaven Must Have Sent You"
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TOP 10 BY STYLE: FUNK, CLASSIC SOUL, JAZZ, SOUTHERN SOUL/BLUES & NU SOUL
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I. CLASSIC SOUL
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First Place Tie: Susaye Greene - "Brand New Shoes"
First Place Tie: Will Hart Formerly of the Delfonics - "Fonic Zone"
First Place Tie: Various Artists - "Motown Remixed"
4. Will Wheaton - "Old School Soul"
5. Smokey Robinson and The Miracles: "The Live Collection"
6. Angela Johnson - Got To Let It Go
7. Holland Dozier Holland - "Heaven Must Have Sent You"
8. Notations - "Baby I Like Your Style"
9. Felton Pilate - "Nothing But Love Spoken Here"
10. Gordon Chambers - "Introducing Gordon Chambers"
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II. FUNK
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1. Nadir - "Distorted Soul 2.0"
2. Various Artists - "Miami Funk At Its Best Volume 2"
3. Johnny "Guitar" Watson - "The Funk Anthology"
4. James Brown & Friends - "The Best of James Brown, Vol. 3"
5. MFA Kera/Mike Russell - "Afro Soul (Black Heritage)"
6. Defunkt - Journey "Live"
7. John Hickey Band - "Down With the Ship"
8. Slapbak - "Ghetto Funkology"
9. Jason Miles - "Miles To Miles"
10. Carlton Smith - "Old School Fool" (EP)
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III. JAZZ
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1. Marlon Saunders - "A Groove So Deep"
2. Melissa Forbes - "No More Mondays"
3. Meshell Ndegeocello - Dance of the Infidel
4. George Duke - "Duke"
5. Skip Martin - "Miles High"
6. Eban Brown - Restless Soul
7. Marcus Miller - "Silver Rain"
8. Hugh Masakela - "Revival"
9. King Powell - "King Powell"
10. Herbie Hancock - "Possibilities"
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IV. ROCK N" ROLL
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1. Victor Wooten - "Soul Circus"
2. Various Artists - "Lackawana Blues"
3. Devoted Spirits - "Tribute to Earth, Wind and Fire"
4. Martha Redbone - "Skintalk"
5. The Legendary Orioles - "Live 2005"
6. Little Richard - "King of Rock n' Roll (the complete Reprise Recordings)"
7. Paul Jackson - "Funk On A Stick"
8. Like So - "Like So"
9. Pure Gold - "24K Dreams"
10. Ed Bentley - "Here We Go Again"
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V. SOUTHERN SOUL/BLUES
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1. Bettye LaVette - "I've Got My Own Hell To Raise"
2. Mem Shannon - I'm From Phunkville
3. Tyrone Davis - The Ultimate Tyrone Davis
4. Chi-Lites - "Lo Key"
5. Leela James - A Change is Gonna Come
6. Chairman of the Board - "All In The Family"
7. Various Artists - "Kris Records: Los Angeles Showcase of Soul"
8. B.B. King - "The Ultimate Collection"
9. Oscar Jordan and the Mighty Son's of Hercules - "Eclectic Soul"
10. Kenny Neal - "A Tribute to Slim Harpo"
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VI. NU SOUL
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1. Julie Dexter - "Conscious"
2. Alison Crockett - "On Being a Woman"
3. Tim Terry - "The Tim Terry Experience"
4. Laurnea' - The Collection
5. Anthony David - "3 Chords and the Truth"
6. Cooly's Hot Box - "Don't Be Afraid, Get On"
7. Square Egg - "Songs To Live By"
8. Anthony Hamilton - "Soulife"
9. Various Artists - 25 Strong Soundtrack
10. Michael Johnson - Servant Master
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VII. BEST CONCERTS
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1. Victor Wooten - Theatre of the Living Arts (Philly)
2. Vocal Group Hall of Fame Inductions - (Wildwood Convention Center (NJ)
3. Mandrill/Clones of Funk - Carter Baron (Washington DC)
4. Al Green - War Memorial (Trenton)
5. Angela Johnson/Marlon Saunders - Cutting Room (NYC)
6. Doo Wop & Variety Show - Queensborough Community College (NYC)
7. Bernie Worrell and the W00 Warriors - The Moose (Philly)
8. Julie Dexter - World Café' Live (Philly)
9. Marlon Saunders, Monet & Alison Crocket - Franks Place (NYC)
10. Barbara Mason - Joe's Pub (NYC)
11. Bettye LaVette - North By Northwest (Philly)
12. Billy Paul, Ray, Goodman & Brown, Bloodstone and Blue Magic - First
District Plaza (Philly)
13. SounDoctrine - Rhythm House (Pittsburgh)
14. Anthony David - Joe's Pub (NYC)
15. Kenny Vance & Planetones - Coney Island Aquarium (NYC)
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Bob Davis
earthjuice_at_prodigy.net
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