Neo Soul: A Love Story, Part 2

The truth is, soul music never left. What people usually define as "soul music" originated out of the Doo Wop era of the 1950s, followed by the Motown/Stax sound and Philly Soul. Artists like the Tempations, Supremes, Otis Redding and Marvin Gaye came of age during the burgeoning Civil Rights movement that sparked not only a new direction in music, but society as a whole.

However, it was the 1970s that a true "golden age" was born. Leaving the standard, 3-minute long, Motown-influenced single behind, the soul music of the 70s was characterized by an expansion, not only in the length a song could be specifically, but an entirely new direction in general. Whereas the artists of the 1960s indirectly spoke to social injustice, artists like Curtis Mayfield and James Brown grabbed society by the throat. Songs like "Ain't No Stoppin Us Now" and "What's Goin On" were songs that served to inspire.

From a mainstream perspective, the music of the 1980s was a different animal altogether. The 70s featured protest songs from artists across genres, from soul to Rock n roll. The 80's were less rigid and direct. Soul music in the 80's, according to the purists, went through a period were electronically-enhanced music was the norm. Artists like Luther Vandross and Anita Baker seemed to be artists without a genre at times, but were situated within the "Quiet Storm" playlists of radio programmers. But make no mistake about it, the 80's were not a lost decade by no means. From England there came Sade Adu (above) with her band of the same name. Part Nina Simone, part Roberta Flack, Sade` was able to garner a significant buzz both in mainstream and underground circles with their brand of jazz-soul. She became that bridge from the heyday of the 70s and the neo-soul movement of the present day.

Where does that leave us today? Neo-soul's general fanbase, are extremely loyal to their artists. With any genre, past or present, neo-soul suffers from lack of exposure on a mainstream level, causing word of mouth to sometimes be the main avenues of knowledge. But soul music is in good hands and is converting fans everyday. It will continue to go through changes, mostly positive. True soul music has never left us and probably never will. .

Saturday Night Music Club, February 20th

Some groups leave us wanting more. The Fugees Blunted on Reality was an underground success no doubt, but it was The Score that sent them into the stratosphere. Perfecting the art of "leaving at the top", the group disbanded to concentrate on solo projects and have rarely shared the same stage since (except of course for Dave Chappelle's film Block Party).

Next month's theme for the S.N.M.C. is Bands/Groups That Should Have Never Broken Up. Let that marinate for a minute.

Neo-Soul: A Love Story, Part 1

Categorizing music has always been a useful tool for those who seek to define music by a particular style or image. It makes it easier for record companies to properly market their product, simplifies the process for us, as consumers, to instantly recognize and describe a particular sound by its aesthetic qualities.

Most, if not all Black music has fit (or has been forced to fit) this model. Labels such as "Gangsta Rap", "Conscious" and "Golden Age", have been used are examples, all titles and monikers given to different types of music that encompasses what we call Hip Hop or Rap.

During the mid-90s, another phrase became apart of the musical lexicon: Neo-Soul. This genre was characterized as a return to the instrumentation, soulful singing and an expansion of the lyrical landscape. It was seen as a departure from the electronic-driven, catchy hooks of the 1980s, personified by pop-soul artists like Janet Jackson, Bobby Brown, Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam and other artists that were classified as "New Jack Swing".

This neo-soul movement was led by two important male artists, and an equally-influential female, a groundbreaker in her own right.

The first, an artist from Virginia named D'Angelo, burst onto the music scene in 1994 with Brown Sugar, considered a "throwback" album that featured him on many of the instruments that came to define his sound; not to mention writing his lyrics and producing. Smooth and good-looking, he was an immediate hit to female fans nationwide and has created a devoted fanbase despite releasing only two albums (His Voodoo was released in 2000). Equally as impressive was Maxwell, a mysterious soul singer who wrote thoughtful lyrics, backed by tight instrumentation of a seasoned band. His Sade-like reclusiveness only serves to intrigue his fans more. His debut, Urban Hang Suite, written about a weekend love affair, was released in 1996 and has been considered a classic ever since.

What we call Soul music has always been the forte of female singers. From Billie Holliday to Aretha Franklin, to the aforementioned Sade`, what defines music more than the female voice? A voice used to describe the highs and lows of love, and the pain of loss. When Billie sang about "Southern Fruit", we heard, through her voice, what pain and injustice feels like. At times when they were discriminated against in society and in the home, female artists served as inspiration for their female sistren; a voice to the voiceless.

In 1995 there emerged a female artist, a former schoolteacher from the southwest area of Dallas. She was born Erica Abi Wright, but while singing in the local area clubs, she became Ms. Erykah Badu. It was while singing around her hometown that she caught the attention of Kedar Massenburg, the then-manager of D'Angelo, and the rest as we say, is history.

Few critics knew how to classify her debut album, Baduizm, when it was released in 1995; but those who would become fans nonetheless anointed her as the leading female in the neo-soul movement. Mixing conscious, introspective lyrics about politics and love (more complex than many of the R&B ballads of her day), Badu became the first in a long line of dynamic soul singers, Jill Scott and India.arie to name a few.

These female artists defined a new image for Black women. As the 1980s were symbolized by the importance of music videos, Black female artists were, image-like, close to Jody Watley, Pebbles and Janet Jackson were physically beautiful and ready-made for mainstream mass consumption. Although the mainstream media will most certainly give an inordinate amount of attention to lighter-skinned female singers even in the modern era (Mariah Carey, Alicia Keys for example), artists like Jill Scott and Badu are able to represent a greater cross-section of Black women; women who's everyday beautiful is often not highlighted enough.

Album of the Month - The Bridge by Melanie Fiona

Our neighbors to the North have given us many things: Hockey and Jim Carrey, to name a few. They've also produced R&B singers Tamia and Deborah Cox. Now we can add to that list the name of Melanie Fiona.

Backed by the mainstream industry (in the form of Jay-Z's Roc Nation), Fiona has been able to create a buzz with her first two singles. The first, "Give It To Me Right", uses a sample from the Zombies "Time of the Season" and got steady airplay on VH1 Soul and BET. The same can be said about her follow-up "It Kills Me", a soulful song that could prove to be her most memorable.

The product of Afro-Guyanese parents, Fiona's CD, The Bridge, incorporates not the sounds of her parents native land, but the Caribbean as a whole. If Estelle, Solange and Vivian Green morphed into one being, that would describe Fiona's debut album.

Nominated for a Grammy for "It Kills Me", Fiona's album is worth a listen for those who love a little versatility in their music.