Soul Week
Friday, February 10, 2012
The Reefer Soul Week Politics Clout City My life as a writer in the kleptocracy of Chicago
Posted by Ben Joravsky on 02.10.12 at 03:43 PM
- Titration451/Wikimedia Commons
- Northwestern University
At one point Mick got so excited he started break dancing.
Well, that's not entirely true. Mick didn't sing or dance. He did run through several of his favorites as we headed over to the school. Though that’s not really the reason I'm writing this bit. Just wanted to get in on "Variations on a Theme" before it ended.
No, Mick and I went to Northwestern to speak to a political science class taught by Don Gordon, the Rogers Park activist who ran for 49th ward alderman in 2007.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Soul Week Crickets Music Minnie Riperton's "Reasons"
Posted by Miles Raymer on 02.09.12 at 08:00 AM
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Soul Week Music Post No Bills Soul music: not just dusties
Posted by Peter Margasak on 02.08.12 at 08:00 AM
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Soul Week Music The five worst covers of "The Tracks of My Tears"
Posted by Tal Rosenberg on 02.07.12 at 02:32 PM
- Crimfants/Wikimedia Commons
In the process of being horrified by a song I previously thought to be infallible, I realized something important about the Motown sound: Everyone loves it. That means every no-talent bucket of contagious hate has to produce a rendition of a classic Motown song. As a result, the prisoners at Guantanamo Bay have an inexorable soundtrack for their stay.
Here are the five worst covers of “The Tracks of My Tears.” Proceed with caution.
Soul Week Music The five best covers of "The Tracks of My Tears"
Posted by Tal Rosenberg on 02.07.12 at 08:00 AM
On a dig last summer through the 12-inch soul bins at Dusty Groove, where I browse on at least a biweekly basis, I snagged a radio playlist promo of some of Motown’s greatest hits. The A-Side is Smokey Robinson & the Miracles’ “The Tracks of My Tears,” a song I had always loved but hadn’t heard in some time. A few weeks later, DJing at a neighborhood bar with a superlative sound system, I played the record and was blown away hearing it at that volume with sound quality that pristine. The few patrons seemed to enjoy it too, as I spotted smiles, head nods, and waved arms as the song streamed through the worn lacquer of the bar.
Monday, February 6, 2012
Soul Week Music The greatest Soul Train performance?
Posted by Tal Rosenberg on 02.06.12 at 08:00 AM
I've spent the past few days trawling YouTube for clips from Soul Train, and I've been floored by many of the performances from the show's 70s heyday, but one performance in particular stood out from the rest.
Inside the Reader Soul Week Behind Our Scenes Starting today on the Bleader: Soul Week
Posted by Tal Rosenberg on 02.06.12 at 07:00 AM
In honor of the late Don Cornelius, who passed away suddenly and sadly last week, we're devoting a whole week to soul music. If you haven't read Jake Austen's story on Soul Train in Chicago, you can read it here. And here's some early Don Cornelius memorabilia, courtesy of Tom Weinberg, via Michael Miner.
