Top 25 Voices Ever

In this flaccid, useless period I'm currently existing in, I've had time to think about doing lots of things--knitting sweaters, alphabetizing my CDs, rearranging the furniture in my bedroom--fun, constructive things like that. Unfortunately, the more idle I am, the lazier I get, as evidenced by my recent purchase of bottled water to save me from descending stairs for refreshment. (Sad, so very sad.)

Despite my hatred for all things metabolically challenging, I have done plenty of music downloading and listening (all legal, I swear *fingers crossed*) and have come to some small epiphanies regarding my taste. My weird dispassion for Marvin Gaye, Minnie Riperton, and others of that ilk? Explained away by my recent tide of music acquisitions. Let me walk you through it.

Despite my current heathenry, I grew up in the Baptist church and was impressed with some pretty strong musical memories. Sitting in the pulpit (for hours--both for Sunday school and regular service) was one hell of a job, but the choir almost always redeemed the whole exercise; the sense of communal belonging, submitting together to our imperfections before some larger being and, for a moment, without ego, is something I miss. I simply don't have that type of community around me anymore. It makes plenty of sense, then, since I'm super nostalgic anyway, that I would miss those sounds now that I have little access to them. All of this to say I love churchy sounding folks---the burly, stout church-sounding folks, the ones that remind me of those buttery pancake and sugary grits Sunday school breakfasts. This is why I prefer Donnie Hathaway over Marvin Gaye and Millie Jackson over Minnie Riperton; their sounds are so much more raw and earnest, so much closer to the sounds I remember from those long-ass hours in church as a child.

Often these folks go unsung (check your local listings for a pretty awesome four-part miniseries on Donny Hathaway, Phyllis Hyman, The Clark Sisters, and Debarge on TV One), so I thought I'd take some time to appreciate my top 25 voices in music, take a little of my space to give them the accolades they deserve and to expose my two or three readers to them. Enjoy.



To start, in no particular order, we have:

25. Johnnie Taylor - I've gone on and on about him on this blog, and in some ways, he doesn't really belong here since he's been a successful artist. However, he's not a household name and that is simply not acceptable, so it doesn't really hurt. From taking over lead duties after Sam Cooke left the Soul Stirrers to his early millennium hit about a broke and stranded woman at the casino (Hi, Mom!), this mans voice turned almost everything he sang into straight platinum. I still regret never seeing him live. (It almost happened. I was supposed to see him at the 2000 Blues Fest, but he died of a heart attack soon before.)

Who's Making Love


What About My Love


When the Gates Swing Open w/ The Soul Stirrers


24. Meli'sa Morgan - I still don't get the apostrophe. Melly-suh? Whatever. This woman helped define my early tastes, those that were my own and not just an extension of my parents'. Sorry, y'all, I do prefer her version of "Do Me Baby."

Do Me Baby


Fool's Paradise (Extended Version)


Love Changes w/ Kashif



23. Rachelle Ferrell - Homegirl can just sing, for no reason, retarded notes and shit. It's ridiculous. I'd always liked her, especially the early-90s material, but once I saw her at the African Festival of the Arts some years back, it was solidified.

Nothing Has Ever Felt Like This w/ Will Downing


You Don't Know What Love Is


Til You Come Back Me


22. Sharon Bryant - I have always wanted her voice. I mean, Barbara Weathers can sing and everything, but Sharon led the Atlantic Starr I love most. Too bad that solo career didn't work out too well.

When Love Calls (Atlantic Starr)


Circles (Atlantic Starr)


Am I Dreaming? (Atlantic Starr)


21. Lou Rawls - My fellow Chicagoan had a voice like chocolate fudge, rich and oh so satisfying (take that, take that, take that!). My dad always sang "Tobacco Road" when I was a youngin', but "You'll Never Find" was, of course, the song. His back up vocals on Sam Cooke's "Bring it on Home to Me" didn't hurt either.

Bring it on Home to Me w/ Sam Cooke


Southside Blues/Tobacco Road


You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine


20. Bobby Womack - Not just a singer, but a writer, producer, and session player. Another alumnus of The Soul Stirrers and responsible for my favorite Rufus/Chaka Khan song.

I'm in Love


Across 110th Street


California Dreamin' (Live)


19. Rahsaan Patterson - Rahsaan Patterson loves Chaka Khan. This is evident. However, that does not change the fact dude got some serious go. See him live and tell me otherwise. He'll stand on stage with a drink in one hand, a cigarette in the other, and show off.

It Ain't Love


Street Life


Where You Are (Silk's Old School Mix)


To Be Continued

Doe, a Deer ...

Up.
Early in the morning, dressed in black...

Well, not really. More like drinking green tea.

It's Sunday and the impending Monday dread is settling in the pit of my stomach. I still hate the shortness of weekends. Anyway...

Friday was payday (woooo!) and true to form I spent a chunk of change at a chosen spot (check the technique, losers). This time, Dusty Groove got my money. Rather than talking about my craptacular life, I figured I'd share a little piece of me, something you, dear readers, can take and tuck away in the cockles of your emotional warehouses. Walk with me readers, tour my most recent music purchases and, in doing so, take a tour of through the deepest part of me.

(Let me catch my breath. Okay.)



Most people know that I'll hit you in the face for talking crazy about Extra P. "Queens represent/Buy the album when I drop it." Yeah, I waited and when it did finally drop, a decade or so later, I got two copies, but I digress. Included here, on Breakin Atoms, are some of the best songs ever. I knew that it was the beginning of the end when a dude I was seeing said that he thought "Looking at the Front Door" was just okay. "Watch Roger Do His Thing," pure d. 90s in its earnest tone and drum pattern. Why don't more people praise William's lyrical prowess? Sure, he's no G. Rap or Rakim, but he's no Lil Dap either. One of the best albums of the 90s. If you don't think so, I don't respect you ... at all.



What a disappointment. I'm used to the Island Records Lewis Taylor, the white, slightly more creepy version of Marvin Gaye with sonically enhanced vocals and lush, layered instrumentals. This brit pop/acoustic approach does not do it for me. There is one winner, however; the acoustic version of "Lucky," which originally appears on his '96 self-titled, is a winner. Other than that, tread lightly.



I'm old. See this post for confirmation. I listen to blues artists unapologetically and I like wine coolers. So, my love for Johnnie Taylor is no surprise. I'm sure everyone knows "Last Two Dollars" and "Disco Lady," but the man had a career that spanned decades. This compilation of two of his most ridiculous albums proves why. With song titles like "Your Love Is Rated X" and "Not Just Another Booty Song," you're either a fan or you're not. If you are, pick this one up. The trademark questionable lyrics and husky voice are in full effect.



Eric muthafreakin' Roberson. I do not understand why this guy isn't a star. His songs are quite nice to the shit, he's consistent, he releases an album about every year...I just don't get it. People everywhere should be groovin to good ole Eric. Anyway, this is a live CD and DVD collection of a DC show that he apparently performed almost verbatim here in Chicago. The track list is the same, the interludes are about the same and the "ad libs" are, that's right, the same. Doesn't matter, Eric's a talented dude and deserves all the success he finds. Fans, buy this disc if you'd like live versions of some of his songs. My only gripe is that he chooses to perform some of his more cheesy hits; however, my favorites ("Couldn't Hear Me," "Right Back To You")do appear here as well.



And Eric again. This is his latest studio album and I'm not disappointed. I expected some good shit and I got it. True to form, the first four songs are bangers (his first four songs are always that shit) and the rest plays quite nicely; as a matter of act, I only dislike two songs ("ILuvU2Much" w/ Algebra and the bonus track). Out of fourteen tracks, that's pretty impressive, especially since I consider liking half of an album a triumph (M-Chill says I have the toughest ear in the City).



Yo, this chick's weird. There are no choruses or verses here, just words. The tracks are spacey, bloopy, free jazz-styled hip hop tracks, and she's obsessed with salt having a negative charge. Georgia Anne Muldrow is weird. That said, there are moments here. When she's not being super preachy or howling over tracks that sound like space farts, she's at least interesting, at most kinda engaging. Apparently, she produced, performed, wrote and recorded all 21 tracks, which is impressive. She should actually look into producing for other artists; some of these tracks bump.



Let me admit something, and please don't attack me for it. I have always thought of Marvin Gaye as a crappy singer. Furthermore, I never really gave him credit for having talent as my favorite album of his was pretty much Leon Ware's work (I Want You). I'm sorry, Marvin lovers; I was simply too busy admiring the likes of Donny Hathaway and Stevie Wonder to pay Marvin much attention. To me, he was just a falsettoed ladies' man with some sexy songs, which is a shame since I own or have heard many of his albums that negate this theory, including Trouble Man and What's Going On. So, I finally buy and listen to Here, My Dear. Really. All I can say is, "Oops." He really uses his voice on this album. Pain, laughter, wryness, bitterness--it's all here. It's like a double album precursor to Erykah Badu's "Green Eyes." And who knew that Marvin was so clever, smart, funny and vindictive? Just hand me a late pass on this one cuz I was seriously sleeping. I think it has to do with the personal pain index. I tend not to really appreciate artists until they're forced to emote publicly and on record. His divorce allowed him to do that, so we are now cool. RIP Marvin. Sorry I slept.



I love crazy rappers with senses of humor. Ghost is a crazy rapper with a sense of humor. I love Ghost. See how that wonderful chain of logic works? So, Dusty Groove didn't have More Fish, but they did have this, so I bought it. Unfortunately, I have most of these songs already. Fortunately, they appear on this disk with much better sound quality. Not much to say here. Most of these songs are great ("The Watch," "The Sun"), some suck. If you aren't a bad person who scavenges the Internet to illegally download "lost" Ghostface tracks, I'd recommmend that you get this collection.