
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Norman Connors

Posted by
Vel_Kam
at
4:27 AM
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Labels: Jazz, Smooth Soul
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Legend : Miles Davis

Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926 – September 28, 1991) was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, and composer.
Widely considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Miles Davis was, with his musical groups, at the forefront of several major developments in jazz music, including bebop, cool jazz, hard bop, modal jazz, and jazz fusion. Many well-known musicians rose to prominence as members of Davis's ensembles, including saxophonists Gerry Mulligan, John Coltrane, Cannonball Adderley, George Coleman, Wayne Shorter, and Kenny Garrett; trombonist J. J. Johnson; pianists Bill Evans, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, and Keith Jarrett; guitarists John McLaughlin, John Scofield and Mike Stern; bassists Paul Chambers, Ron Carter, and Dave Holland; and drummers Tony Williams, Billy Cobham and Jack DeJohnette.
On October 7, 2008, his album Kind of Blue, released in 1959, received its fourth platinum certification from the RIAA, signifying sales of 4 million copies. Miles Davis was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006. Davis was noted as "one of the key figures in the history of jazz".
On November 5, 2009, Rep. John Conyers of Michigan sponsored a measure in the US House of Representatives to recognize and commemorate the album Kind of Blue on its 50th anniversary. The measure also affirms jazz as a national treasure and "encourages the United States government to preserve and advance the art form of jazz music."It passed, unanimously, with a vote of 409–0 on December 15, 2009.
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- First Miles (1945)
- Cool Boppin' (1948)
- Birth of the Cool (1949 and 1950)
- ConceptiFon (1951)
- Blue Period (1951)
- Dig (1951)
- Miles Davis and Horns (1951 )
- Miles Davis Volume 1 (Blue Note Records, 1952 and 1954)
- Miles Davis Volume 2 (Blue Note Records, 1953)
- Blue Haze (1953 and 1954)
- Collectors' Items (1953 and 1956)
- Walkin' (1954)
- Bags' Groove (1954)
- Miles Davis and the Modern Jazz Giants (1954, with one track from 1956)
- Musings of Miles (1955)
- Blue Moods (1955)
- Quintet / Sextet (1955, Miles Davis and Milt Jackson)
- Miles: The New Miles Davis Quintet (1955)
- Cookin' with the Miles Davis Quintet (1956)
- Relaxin' with the Miles Davis Quintet (1956)
- Workin' with the Miles Davis Quintet (1956)
- Steamin' with the Miles Davis Quintet (1956)
- 'Round About Midnight (1955-1956)
- Miles Ahead (1957)
- Ascenseur pour l'Échafaud (Fontana Records, 1957 - film soundtrack)
- Cannonball Adderley meets Miles Davis(1958)
- Somethin' Else (Blue Note Records, 1958 - Cannonball Adderley quintet)
- Milestones (1958)
- Jazz Track (1958)
- Porgy and Bess (1958)
- 1958 Miles (1958)
- Kind of Blue (1959
- Sketches of Spain (1960) (RIAA: Gold)
- Someday My Prince Will Come (1961)
- Quiet Nights (1962-1963)
- Seven Steps to Heaven (1963)
- E.S.P (1965)
- Miles Smiles (1966)
- Sorcerer (1967
- Nefertiti (1967)
- Miles in the Sky (1968)
- Filles de Kilimanjaro (1969 - 1968)
- In a Silent Way (1969)
- Bitches Brew (1970)
- (A Tribute to) Jack Johnson (1970)
- Live-Evil (1971 - 1970)
- On the Corner (1972)
- Big Fun (1974_1969-1972)
- Get Up with It (1974 )
- Water Babies (1976 - previously unissued recordings from 1967 & 1968)
- Circle in the Round (1979 - previously unissued recordings from 1955-1970)
- Directions (1981 -(1960-1970))
- The Man With The Horn (1981)
- Star People (1983)
- Decoy (1984)
- You're Under Arrest (1985)
- Tutu (1986)
- Music from Siesta (1987 - film soundtrack)
- Amandla (1989)
- Aura (1989)
- Dingo (1991 - film soundtrack)
- Doo-Bop (1992)
Live recordings
- The Real Birth of the Cool (Miles’ nonet live at the Royal Roost) (1948)
Complete Birdland Recordings (1951-52)
- Miles & Coltrane (1955)
- Miles Davis Quintet at Peacock Alley (1956)
- Amsterdam Concert (1957)
- Miles Davis at Newport 1958 (1958)
- Live in Den Haag (1960)
- Miles Davis & John Coltrane. Live in Stockholm Live at the Konserthuset, Stockholm (1960)
- Olympia, 20th March 1960 (1960)
- Manchester Concert (1960) flac
- Olympia, 11th October 1960 (1960)
- Miles Davis At Carnegie Hall (1961)
- Miles & Monk at Newport (1963 release of 1958 concert)
- In Europe (1963)
- Live at the 1963 Monterey Jazz Festival (1963)
- My Funny Valentine (1964)
- Four & More (1964)
- Miles In Tokyo (1964)
- Miles In Berlin (1964)
- The Complete Live at the Plugged Nickel 1965 (1965)
- 1969 Miles Festival de Juan les Pins (1969)
- Live at the Fillmore East, March 7, 1970: It's About That Time (1970)
- Black Beauty: Live at the Fillmore West (1970)
- Miles Davis at Fillmore: Live at the Fillmore East (1970)
- Message to Love: The Isle of Wight Festival 1970 (1970)
- The Cellar Door Sessions (1970)
- In Concert: Live at Philharmonic Hall (1972)
- Jazz at the Plaza (1973 release of 1958 appearance)
- Dark Magus (1974) disc 1 disc 2
- Agharta (1975) altrn(Japan)
- Pangaea (1975)
- Miles! Miles! Miles! (1981)
- We Want Miles (1982)
- Munich Concert (1988) 1 \ 2 \ 3
- The Complete Miles Davis at Montreux (1973-1991)
- Miles & Quincy Live At Montreux (1991)
- Live Around The World (1988-1991)
- The Complete Columbia Recordings of Miles Davis with John Coltrane (1955–1961)
- Miles Davis & Gil Evans: The Complete Columbia Studio Recordings (1957–1968)
- Seven Steps: The Complete Columbia Recordings of Miles Davis 1963–1964
- The Complete Studio Recordings of The Miles Davis Quintet 1965–1968
- The Complete In a Silent Way Sessions (1968–1969)
- The Complete Bitches Brew Sessions (1969–1970)
- The Complete Jack Johnson Sessions (1970)
- The Complete On the Corner Sessions (1972–1975)
- Miles Davis: The Complete Columbia Album Collection (1955-1985)
- In Person Friday and Saturday Nights at the Blackhawk, Complete (1961)
- The Complete Live Recordings 1948-1955 (10 CD Box 2006)
- The Complete Prestige Recordings '51-'56 (8 Cd's box) - 1993
- Young Miles 1945 -1950 [4CD Boxset](2001) 1 \ 2 \ 3 \ 4
- The Legendary Prestige Quintet Sessions 16 Nov. '55-8 Dec.'56[4 Cd 's Box-Set 2006]
Posted by
Vel_Kam
at
11:30 AM
8
comments
Labels: Acid Jazz, Avant-Garde Jazz, Bebop, Big Band, Cool Jazz, Hard Bop, Jazz, Jazz Fusion, Jazz-Funk, Jazz-Rock, Latin Jazz, Model Jazz, Post-Bop, Smooth Soul
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Minnie Riperton
Biography
The tragic 1979 death of 31-year-old Minnie Riperton silenced one of soul music's most unique and unforgettable voices — blessed with an angelic five-octave vocal range, she scored her greatest commercial success with the chart-topping pop ballad "Lovin' You." Riperton was born in Chicago on November 8, 1947; as a youth she studied music, drama, and dance at the city's Lincoln Center and later contemplated a career in opera. Her pop career began in 1961 when she joined the local girl group called the Gems, signing to the famed Chess label to release a handful of singles as well as lend backing vocals to acts including Fontella Bass, the Dells, and Etta James. After graduating high school, Riperton went to work at Chess as a receptionist; following the Gems' dissolution, she also signed with the label as a solo act, releasing a single, "Lonely Girl," under the alias Andrea Davis.
In 1968, Riperton was installed as the lead vocalist of the psychedelic soul band the Rotary Connection, which debuted that year with a self-titled LP on Cadet Concepts; the singles "Amen" and "Lady Jane" found a home on underground FM radio, but the group failed to make much of an impression on mainstream outlets. While still a member of the Connection, Riperton mounted a solo career; teaming with producer/arranger Charles Stepney and her husband/composer Richard Rudolph, she issued her brilliant debut, Come to My Garden, in 1970, but again commercial success eluded her grasp. After the Rotary Connection dissolved in the wake of 1971's Hey Love, she and Rudolph took a two-year sabbatical in Florida before relocating to Los Angeles, where she sang on Stevie Wonder's Fulfillingness' First Finale and toured as a member of his backing unit Wonderlove.
Wonder agreed to co-produce Riperton's 1974 album Perfect Angel, which contained the international blockbuster "Lovin' You"; the record made her a household name, although subsequent LPs like 1975's Adventures in Paradise and 1977's Stay in Love failed to repeat its success. By this time, however, commercial woes were the least of Riperton's concerns — diagnosed with breast cancer, she underwent a mastectomy in 1976, later becoming a spokesperson for the American Cancer Society and earning a Society Courage Award from then-President Jimmy Carter. Riperton continued performing despite her declining condition, with 1979's Minnie the final record completed during her lifetime — she died in L.A. on July 12 of that year. Unreleased vocal tracks with new instrumental backing comprised 1980's posthumous collection Love Lives Forever.
Discography
1969 - Come To My Garden
1974 - Perfect Angel
1975 - Adventures In Paradise
1977 - Stay In Love
1979 - Minnie
1980 - Love Lives Forever
Posted by
zand
at
1:55 PM
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comments
Labels: Pop Soul, Smooth Soul, Soul
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Legendary Group: Earth, Wind, and Fire
- Maurice White (b. 19th December 1941, Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.A., drums)
- Verdine White (b. 25th July 1951, Illinois, U.S.A., bass)
- Philip Bailey (b. 8th May 1951, Denver, Colorado, U.S.A., vocals)
- Ronnie Laws (b. 3rd October 1950, Houston, Texas, U.S.A., saxophone, guitar)
- Larry Dunn (b. Lawrence Dunhill, 19th June 1953, Colorado, U.S.A., keyboards)
- Michael Beale (guitar)
- Wade Flernmons (vocals)
- Jessica Cleaves (b. 1948, vocals)
- Roland Bautista (guitar)
- Sherry Scott (vocals)
- Alex Thomas (trombone)
- Chet Washington (tenor saxophone)
- Don Whitehead (keyboards)
- Yackov Ben Israel (percussion)
- Earth, Wind And Fire (Warners 1971)
- The Need Of Love (Warners 1971)
- Last Days And Time (Columbia 1972) altrn
- Head To The Sky (Columbia 1973)
- Open Our Eyes (Columbia 1974)
- That's The Way Of The World (Columbia 1975)
- Gratitude (Columbia 1975)
- Spirit (Columbia 1976)
- All And All (Columbia 1977) / alternate
- I Am (ARC 1979)
- Faces (ARC 1980)
- Raise! (ARC 1981)
- Powerlight (Columbia 1983)
- Electric Universe (Columbia 1983)
- Touch The World (Columbia 1987)
- Heritage (Columbia 1990)
- Millennium (1993)
- Live In Japan (1994)
- Live in Velfarre (1995)
- In The Name Of Love (Eagle 1997) / alternate
- Live By Request (1999)
- Live in Rio (2002)
- The Promise (Kalimba Records 2003)
- Avatar (2003)
- Illumination (Sanctuary Records 2005) / FLAC
- Dance Trax (1988)
- The Eternal Dance (1992)
- Big Hits And Remixes (2002)
- The Essential Earth Wind & Fire [2 CDS] (2002)
- Love Songs (2004)
Live Bootlegs
Solo albums
- Maurice White - "Maurice White" (1986)
- Sonny Emory & Maurice White - "Hypnofunk - The Love Element" (1997)
- Philip Bailey - "Continuation" (1983) / alternate
- Philip Bailey - "Chinese Wall" (1984) / alternate
- Philip Bailey - "The Wonders of his Love" (1985) / alternate
- Philip Bailey - "Triumph" (1986)
- Philip Bailey - "Family Affair (1989)
- Philip Bailey - "Inside Out" (1990)
- Philip Bailey - "A Gospel Collection" (1991)
- Philip Bailey - "Philip Bailey" (1994)
- Philip Bailey - "Dreams" (1999)
- Philip Bailey - "Live and Love" (2002)
- Philip Bailey - "Soul on Jazz" (2002)
- 'Live In Chile' (2008) DVD
- Melvin van Peebles - OST : "Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song" (1971)" - mostly performed by EWF ; composed by Van Peebles.
- That The Way Of The World (1975) [Movie]
- Earth, Wind, and Fire at Soulwalking
- Earth, Wind, and Fire at Rateyourmusic
- Alternate links
- More alternate links
Posted by
Anonymous
at
1:42 PM
18
comments
Labels: Disco, Funk, Pop, Pop Soul, Rhythm 'N Blues, Smooth Soul, Soul
Friday, July 17, 2009
Legend: Al Green
- Back Up Train (1967)
- Green Is Blues (Hi 1970)
- Al Green Gets Next To You (Hi 1971)
- Let's Stay Together (Hi 1972)
- Al Green (Bell 1972)
- I'm Still In Love With You (Hi 1972)
- Call Me (Hi 1973)
- Livin' For You (Hi 1973)
- Al Green Explores Your Mind (Hi 1974)
- Radio Special: Self Portrait (1974)
- Al Green Is Love (Hi 1975)
- Full Of Fire (Hi 1976)
- Have A Good Time (Hi 1976)
- The Belle Album (Hi 1977)
- Truth 'N' Time (Hi 1978)
- Love Ritual (1978)
- The Lord Will Make A Way (Myrrh 1980)
- Higher Plane (Myrrh 1981)
- Tokyo Live (Hi 1981)
- Precious Lord (Myrhh 1982)
- I'll Rise Again (Myrrh 1983)
- The Christmas Album (1983)
- Trust In God (Myrrh 1984)
- He Is The Light (A&M 1985)
- Going Away (A&M 1986)
- White Christmas (Hi 1986)
- Soul Survivor (A&M 1987)
- I Get Joy (A&M 1989)
- Love Is Reality (1992)
- Gospel Soul (1993)
- Don't Look Back (RCA 1994)
- In Good Hands (MCA 1995)
- On Fire In Tokyo (Xenon 1998)
- Feels Like Christmas (2001)
- I Can't Stop (Blue Note 2003)
- Everything's O.K. (Blue Note 2005)
- Lay It Down (Blue Note 2008)
Bootlegs
- 1973 - Live at WNET Studios
- 1974-10-04 - los angeles, ca
- 1987-06-21 - Chicago Blues Festival - low bitrate, need better!
- 2008-06-20 - Rochester Jazz Festival, NY
- 2009-06-12 - Bonnaroo, Manchester TN
Compilations
- The Immortal Soul Of Al Green (4 CD set) (2001)
- Collector's Edition (3 CD, 2007)
- Al Green Sings the Gospel (1975)
- A Deep Shade of Green (1996)
- The Love Songs Collection
- The Definitive Greatest Hits (1975)
Posted by
Anonymous
at
11:36 AM
21
comments
Labels: Christmas Music, Funk, Smooth Soul, Soul, Southern Soul
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Legendary Group: The Isley Brothers
The nucleus of this enduring group are three brothers:
- O' Kelly Isley (b. 25th December 1937, Cincinnati, U.S.A., d. 31st March 1986)
- Rudolph Isley (b. 1st April 1939, Cincinnati, U.S.A.)
- and Ronald Isley (b. 21st May 1941, Cincinnati, U.S.A.)
The Isley Brothers began singing gospel in their hometown of Cincinnati, U.S.A. During the early 50's, the trio were accompanied by their brother Vernon, who died in a car crash during 1957. The group relocated to New York the following year and issued a few one-off singles before being signed by the RCA Records production team, Hugo And Luigi. One of their compositions 'Shout' built the group a reputation during live performances. The song sold well in the black market, and has since become an R & B standard and covered by several rock artists including the Beatles and Lulu.
The Isleys switched labels to Wand in 1962, where they enjoyed another sizeable hit with a cover version of the Top Notes' 'Twist And Shout', another song covered by the Beatles. The following years the group recorded for the labels, Wand and United Artists. A brief spell with Atlantic Records in 1964 saw the release of , 'Who's That Lady?', that did not do well at the time, but was to see a renaissance a decade later on.
The Isleys then formed their own company, T-Neck Records, in 1964, something not encouraged by a mainly white run music business at the time. The first release on the label, 'Testify', showcased their young lead guitarist, Jimi Hendrix. That record's experimental sound went largely unnoticed, and the Isleys, T-Neck and Hendrix went their separate ways.
The Isleys then signed a contract with Motown Records. At the Motown outset the group were teamed with the songwriting partnership of Holland / Dozier / Holland. By 1966, the song 'This Old Heart Of Mine' became a huge hit in America and a hit four years later in the U.K. 'Behind A Painted Smile' and 'I Guess I'll Always Love You' were reissued in the U.K. and became hits in the U.K. towards the end of the 60's.
The Isleys reactivated T-Neck in 1969 and took on a different look to refurbish their image. The group added two younger brothers: Ernie Isley (b. 7th March 1952; guitar) and Marvin Isley (bass) as well as a cousin, Chris Jasper (keyboards).
In America, 'It's Your Thing' and 'I Turned You On' scored at the end of the Sixties, whilst the U.K. were catching up with several earlier Motown releases. These records employed a funkier sound, inspired by the likes of James Brown And The JB's. Between 1969 and 1972 a live double set featured extended versions of their recent hits, and 'In The Beginning', a collection of their 1964 recordings with Jimi Hendrix.
In the early 70's, the Isleys incorporated into their repertoire a variety of rock material by composers such as Bob Dylan, Stephen Stills, Todd Rundgren and Carole King. By 1973, the album '3 + 3', became the first album issued via a distribution agreement with CBS Records. This albm set the course for several excellent outings throughout the Seventies and early Eighties. Ernie Isley's guitarwork (influenced by Jimi Hendrix) became central in the Isleys' sound, and was featured on the album's lead single, 'That Lady', a more successful version of their underrated 1964 single on Atlantic. '3 + 3' also contained soft soul interpretations of material by Seals And Croft, James Taylor and the Doobie Brothers.
'Highways Of My Life' demonstrated Ronald's own developing songwriting skills. 'The Heat Is On' in 1975 showcased the two sides of the groups' songwriting stylings. Side one would become the funkier, social commentary side of the groups writings. Side two would highlight their more romantic leanings, epitomised by the soul standard 'For The Love Of You'. It was this formula that stayed with the band for the following late Seventies and early Eighties offerings.
'Harvest For The World' (1976) proved to be one of the Isleys' most popular recordings. The song became a hit, in 1988, within the pop charts for the Christians. In the late 70's, the Isley's albums became popular within the Disco genre with Black & White audiences. 'The Pride', 'Take Me To The Next Phase', 'I Wanna Be With You' and 'Don't Say Goodnight' all topped the black music charts. 'It's A Disco Night', a U.K. hit in 1980, came from the double album 'Winner Takes All', which also included the excellent 'Let Me In Your Life'.
In the mid Eighties, Ernie and Marvin Isley and Chris Jasper left the group to form the successful Isley, Jasper, Isley combination. The rest of the group still recorded under the Isley Brothers banner, however, when O'Kelly Isley died from a heart attack on 31st March 1986, the group rested for a while. Ronald and Rudolph dedicated their next release, 'Smooth Sailin', to him. That album was produced by Angela Winbush with the title track highlighting.
Angela took over the artistic control of the group, and she wrote and produced their 1989 release 'Spend The Night', which was effectively a Ronald Isley solo album.The Isley Brothers legacy, has influenced several artists during the Nineties onwards, notably R Kelly on his 'For The Love Of You' sounding, 'Your Body's Calling'. Their 1996 release 'Mission To Please' attempted to move them into the same smooth urban soul territory as Keith Sweat and Babyface.
In 2001, the group returned to recording releasing 'Eternal', which featured vocal and production input from R Kelly, Raphael Saadiq, Avant, Jill Scott and Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis. An album entitled 'Body Kiss' was released in 2003 for the Dreamworks imprint. Their series of US hits from the 50's to the 90's is one of the major influences on Black American music.
Albums
- Shout (RGA Victor 1959)
- Twist And Shout (Wand 1962)
- Twisting And Shouting (Wand 1964)
- In The Beginning (Isley Brothers & Jimi Hendrix) (1964)
- This Old Heart Of Mine (Tamla 1966)
- Tamla Motown Presents: The Isley Brother (1967)
- Soul On The Rocks (Tamla 1967)
- Behind A Painted Smile [UK] (1969)
- It's Our Thing (T-Neck 1969)
- The Brothers: Isley (T-Neck 1969)
- Get Into Something (T-Neck 1970)
- The Isley Brothers Way (1970)
- Givin' It Back (T-Neck 1971)
- Brother Brother Brother (T-Neck 1972)
- The Isleys Live (T-Neck 1973)
- 3 + 3 (T-Neck 1973)
- The Isley Brothers (1974)
- Live It Up (T-Neck 1974)
- The Heat Is On (T-Neck 1975)
- Harvest For The World (T-Neck 1976)
- Go For Your Guns (T-Neck 1977)
- Showdown (T-Neck 1978)
- Winner Takes All (T-Neck 1979)
- Go All The Way (T-Neck 1980)
- Grand Slam (T-Neck 1981)
- Inside You (T-Neck 1981)
- The Real Deal (T-Neck 1982)
- Between The Sheets (T-Neck 1983)
- Masterpiece (Warners 1985)
- Smooth Sailin' (Warners 1987)
- Spend The Night (Warners 1989)
- Tracks Of Life (Warners 1992)
- Live (Elektra 1993)
- Mission To Please (Island 1996)
- Eternal (Dreamworks Records 2001)
- Body Kiss (Dreamworks Records 2003)
- Taken To The Next Phase (2004)
- Baby Makin' Music (Def Soul 2006)
- I'll Be Home for Christmas (Def Soul Classics 2007)
Isley, Jasper, Isley
- Isley Jasper Isley - Broadway's Closer to Sunset Boulevard (1984)
- Isley Jasper Isley - Caravan of Love (1985)
- Isley Jasper Isley - Different Drummer (1987)
Solo albums
- Chris Jasper - Superbad (1987)
- Chris Jasper - Time Bomb (1989)
- Chris Jasper - Amazing Love (2005) PW = Mr. Moo
- Chris Jasper - Invincible (2007)
- Chris Jasper - The Best Of Chris Jasper (2003)
- Ernie Isley - High Wire (1990)
- Ronald Isley - Here I Am (sings Burt Bacharach) (2003)
- Ronald Isley - Mr.I (2010)
Live Bootlegs
- with Brooklyn Bridge and Edwin Hawkins: Live At Yankee Stadium (T-Neck 1969)
Compilations
- The Ultimate Isley Brothers (2000)
- Take Some Time Out -The Famous Isley Brothers (United Artists 1964)
- Doin' Their Thing (Tamla 1969)
- Beautiful Ballads (1994)
- 'Mellow' Isleys (1995)
- The RCA Sessions (1996)
- Brothers In Soul [The Early Years] (1993)
- It's Your Thing (1999) [3Cd Boxset]
- For The Love Of You (1993)
- Greatest Hits Live (2005)
- Summer Breeze: Greatest Hits (2005)
- The Definitive Collection
- Bedroom Classics Vol 3
- The Essential Isley Brothers (2004)
- Privilege - Privilege (1969) - produced by the Isleys on T-Neck
- Baby Cortez - The Isley Way (1970) - T-Neck keyboardist, solo album covering Isley tracks.
- The Isley Brothers at Soulwalking
- The Isley Brothers Discography at Rateyourmusic
Posted by
Anonymous
at
2:24 PM
32
comments
Labels: Disco, Funk, Funk-Rock, Pop Soul, Psychedelic Soul, Rhythm 'N Blues, Rock 'N Roll, Smooth Soul, Soul