Black Music Month

I wanted to share some of my favorite songs for Black Music Month.

Little Milton

You are kidding right?

About what?

Fly right

This is newer but has an older vibe to it

Jimi Hendrix--the greatest musician of the Sixties. "Purple Haze" is far from my favorite Hendrix, but this video shows his matchless, effortless technique:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJunCsrhJjg

Elmore James: "King of the Slide Guitar":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKo80b-QfK0

I don't know how wide a scope or how far back we're going here but to name a few: James Brown, Ray Charles, Chuck Berry, Nat King Cole, Bo Diddley, not to mention Prince, Whitney Houston. Tho I'm not an expert on what to look for as far as musician's know-how playing an instrument. My judging goes by "if it's awesome, it's awesome." I agree with Turnbull on Jimi Hendrix. His guitar skills were unbelievable and he made it seem so easy.

I would kick myself it I didn't also include the entire Motown sound which introduced so many great black artists. Being originally from Michigan I take pride in the great music that came out of Detroit. Talk about Black female groups (Supremes, Martha and the Vandellas, The Marvelettes to name a few) were so good! Then of course there's Smokey, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Gladys Knight, and two of my personal favorite Motown groups: The Four Tops and The Temptations. I KNOW there are so many I'm missing but we certainly cannot deny the many GREAT talents that come from the Black community. Makes me wanna go to my pandora and click on "Motown."



TIS

BF, thanks for that excellent blues. The only song I remember of Little Milton's was "We're gonna make it."

TIS, a big part of Berry Gordy Jr.'s Motown genius was that he didn't want the music he produced to be pigeonholed or stereotyped as "Soul," or "R&B," etc.--which would have shunted it off to the ghetto of mainstream pop music. Instead, he billed Motown as "the music of young America," which included everyone, not just blacks. Motown's artists and their music were unmistakably rooted in urban R&B, but everyone could enjoy and relate to it. To his solid rhythm section he added strings and horns. He also had a dance coach for his male acts (as in "The Temptation Walk") and a finishing school for his female acts.

I never really knew for instance, if people like Bob Seger and Mitch Ryder (another of my favorites) was considered "Motown" because their "sound" was different from the others.

Re: the Temptations walk. Yes I picture them in their peach colored suits, lacey shirts....smooth as silk. LOL Btw, if I may rant on. One of the best instrumental (IMHO) openings to a song is the Temps "Papa Was A Rolling Stone." You just gotta get on your feet.

TIS

Your welcome Turnbull! Glad you enjoyed that song. It's a commonly played here in Mississippi.

I enjoy his music tremendously.

This is a great example of the best in black music.

Otis Redding

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJC5rJkrGx0

Fats Domino

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLK1_mIjONI

Bo Diddley

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7031HvXLuk

His first album was really good

The mold breakers- Bad Brains.

I can never hear this and not want to dance

Ciment, I saw Fats Domino and Bo Diddley many times at the Alan Freed R&R shows at the Brooklyn Paramount in the Fifties.

Fats often was the headliner. He had his own, fair-sized band with him. The stage lights would go out, Freed's big band musicians would leave the stage, and Fats' guys would come out. A piano would roll out for Fats. Then the lights went on and Fats would barrel through his current hits (he had more Top 40 hits than any act but the Beatles). Fats always smiling. Great band, too--his sax player, Herbert Hardesty, was tops.

Bo Diddley played a custom-made, square-shaped Gretsch guitar. Used only one amp, but had a huge, distinctive sound. Snaky dance steps, too. Had two guys behind him--drummer and maracas player.

Can't beat a bit of Sam Cooke..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wOcOBjB3uU

Loved those times wish I can re-live those moments.

Stuff like this always puts me in a good mood

Chicago West Side's Magic Sam. Died of a heart attack at age 32.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsfcUZBMSSg

Long Live The Rooster.

@ SC, disappointed in you that you had to stoop to name calling. But youre the boss. Feel bad for you too now.

@ Loscalzo, your nonsense about Tampa still holds no weight and Ive been vindicated many times over.

All the best to Nickle, Bensonhurst, Cabrini, and Giacomo. Keep up the good posts in my absence

I can never understand why some music is labeled as black...I just like music. Black and white people have always written/sang music and its up to you whatever you like. Black music...am I now a white guy that likes black music? Does my black friend now like white music? What a lot of bullshit. We like whatever music we like, and we don't "celebrate" or highlight anyone's achievements just because they happen to be white or black...it causes more divisions.