Remembering Rhythm & Blues: February 2007

A Soundtrack For My Life... Love Jones

When Darius Lovehall spoke of his Blues For Nina in this poem, I was utterly Hopeless. Ten years later (yes it's been THAT long), I'm definitely deep in love with this movie. I watch it and I just feel enthralled by each scene. The characters were so vivid. I felt like I wanted to hop on the next plane to Chicago, step into their favorite club, and live a few moments wrapped in the energy that flows between Darius, Nina, Savon, Josie, Sheila, Hollywood, and Eddie. Lucky for me, I didn't have to waste money on plane tickets. HA! Instead, I was able to get my lovely hands and ears on the soundtrack to this urban love story. As Bolin put it in his Rhapsody album review, "mixing smooth neo-soul jams, traditional jazz standards, mellow party funk, and spoken word poetry, this soundtrack became a huge hit along with the film that inspired it". Ain't that the truth! Each song told of the highs and lows of Darius and Nina's love affair. From Lauryn Hill's endearing The Sweetest Thing to Cassandra Wilson's You Move Me to Trina Broussard's remake of Inside My Love to Duke Ellington/John Coltrane's In A Sentimental Mood to the funk of Marcus Miller/Me'Shell Ndegeocello's Rush Over to Melky and Day's sensual track I Got A Love Jones For You to Maxwell's Sumthin' Sumthin': Mellosmoothe (Cut), each jam rocked me right back to the moments in this film. Hmmm. Not to get off on a tangent, but Mr. Sumthin Sumthin needs to give me that new single from Black Summer's Night like yesterday!!! But anyway, back to Love Jones. The movie is excellent and the soundtrack followed up quite nicely. Like Nina said in her poem, I Am Looking At Music, I am remembering love. Yes indeed Nina and I wish you and Darius would make it again. I'm seriously jonesin' for a part two!

Brotha To The Night (A Blues For Nina) - Darius Lovehall

Darius and Nina's First Date

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posted by Soulfull @ 2/17/2007 , , , links to this post

Back Around With The Spinners

The Headline Reads: Spinners Singer Billy Henderson Dies at Age 67; original Funk Brother Joe Hunter both pass

The times they are a'changing and with these new times comes an even greater responsibility for the younger generation to create timeless music. Rest in peace to all the legends that have recently passed and here's some history on The Spinners...

The Spinners are a Detroit, Michigan-based soul vocal group active since 1954 (see 1954 in music), and most popular during the 1970s. The group still tours as of 2006.

The Spinners are known in the United Kingdom as The Detroit Spinners or The Motown Spinners because a Liverpool-based folk band had taken the name "The Spinners" in Britain during the 1960s. In 1954 a group of friends in Ferndale High School in Detroit came together to make music. Billy Henderson, Henry Fambrough, Pervis Jackson, C.P. Spencer, and James Edwards called themselves The Domingoes. James Edwards lasted only a few weeks; he was replaced by Bobbie Smith, who sang lead on most of the Spinners early records. C.P. Spencer left the group shortly afterwards, and would later go on to be a member of the Voice Masters and The Originals. He was replaced by George Dixon. The group would also rename themselves The Spinners at this time. Read more here

I'll Be Around (Karaoke Version)

Working my way back to you / Forgive me girl

Could It Be I'm Falling In Love

The Spinners Billy Henderson

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posted by Soulfull @ 2/05/2007 , , , links to this post

Dreaming of A Glamorous Life With Shelia E

In the middle of doing my sociology homework, Shelia E's 1984 hit, The Glamorous Life, interrupted me. Now those of you who know this song should know that there was no way ANYONE could just go back to concentrating on ANYTHING with the horns and heavy drumbeat pounding through your speakers. Shit, my thoughts on jobless poverty and the economic state of our urban areas went RIGHT out the window when this song started to thump. My girl Shelia is a drumming fool on this joint...

Sheila Escovedo (born December 12, 1957, in Oakland, California), known by her stage name Sheila E., is an American musician, perhaps best known for her work with Prince and Ringo Starr.

Sheila Escovedo is the daughter of percussionist Pete Escovedo, with whom she frequently performs. Sheila E's uncle is Alejandro Escovedo, formerly with Delphine Neid's first-wave punk rock group The Nuns, now with The Alejandro Escovedo Orchestra. The late Tito Puente was Sheila's godfather. Escovedo is of Mexican, African American and Creole heritage. Coke Escovedo was also her uncle. She made her debut with jazz pianist George Duke. She is a remarkable drummer and percussionist and also plays violin and guitar. She had also played with Lionel Richie, Marvin Gaye, Herbie Hancock, and Diana Ross by the time she was in her early twenties.

The story goes Prince met Sheila performing at a concert with her father in the early 80's and was thoroughly impressed by her talent. After the show he met her and prophetically vowed that one day she would join his band. The two would eventually join forces during the Purple Rain recording sessions.Though taken under Prince's wing, she proved to be a first-rate artist in her own right. In 1984 she scored hits with "The Glamorous Life" (Hot 100 #7, and regarded as something of an '80s classic), "The Belle Of St. Mark" (#34) and "A Love Bizarre" (#11). Sheila E. was nominated for American Music Awards and Grammys for "The Glamorous Life," and opened for Prince on his wildly successful Purple Rain Tour in 1984–85. Sheila recorded three albums during the '80s, The Glamorous Life, Romance 1600, and Sheila E. She appeared in three films, Krush Groove with Run-DMC, LL Cool J and Blair Underwood in 1985, Prince's concert film, Sign 'O' the Times in 1987 and Chasing Papi in 2003. And, she is well-known for her co-vocals with Prince (musician) on his most famous B-side single, "Erotic City," from 1984.

During the Sign 'O' the Times and Lovesexy period of Prince's career, including the Lovesexy World Tour, she served as his drummer and musical director in his highly regarded backup band, dubbed the New Power Generation not long after her departure. She also served as a writer and musician on many of Prince's records, as well as on the albums of his protégées such as Madhouse. After leaving the Prince organization in 1989, Sheila recorded a few more albums, Sex Cymbal, Writes of Passage, and Heaven. However, a serious issue with her health at the time prevented her from promoting Sex Cymbal, and the album garnered little attention.

Sheila E. was the leader of the house band on the short-lived 1998 late night talk show, The Magic Hour, starring Magic Johnson. Sheila E. has performed three stints with Ringo Starr & His All Starr Band, in 2001, 2003, and 2006. Her drum "duets" with Starr are a moment of comic relief in the show, where they play the same parts but he quickly falls behind, shrugs and smiles as she takes off on an extended percussion solo.

So I went over to her website and found these pictures of an amazing woman who is still working it on tour! My goodness I can only hope to rock it as hard as Shelia in my 50s. She's got big thoughts, big dreams... Damn, let me get back to my homework, but this is my MF'ing song ya'll...