I’ve had a ton of people ask me for soul music recommendations and playlists and artists and the whole deal for several years, in particular since we started Swing & Soul. Well, finally I have gotten my stuff together to put up a sort of beginners guide for Soul music for dancers (particularly swing dancers). The good thing about having waited this long is that now a ton of this music is available online and really easy to get for cheap. So, I’ve linked up a bunch of good albums, mostly compilations/greatest hits collections for you to check out and buy if you want. This is the general page and I’ve also got pages dedicated to the Stax and Motown labels with a bunch of their artists as well. Hope this is helpful folks, enjoy!
SAM COOKE
Like this amazing compilations says – “the man who invented soul”. This collection is great and the last disc is actually his “Live at the Harlem Square Club” where you can hear Sam live and a different side of him than the mainly sweet pop offerings (which are still the bomb) when he gets soulful and gritty for the crowd.
JAMES BROWN
The godfather of soul, you can’t go wrong with JB. This 4-disc compilation is a great start.
ARETHA FRANKLIN
Of course you need some Aretha and this CD is a pretty solid start, with a bunch of great, danceable hits.
Other songs to get by her are some great covers she does, “You Send Me” “Don’t Play That Song” and “Tracks of My Tears” and her version of “Groovin” is amazing.
CURTIS MAYFIELD
Curtis Mayfield is a true genius who is really not given enough credit for his work. His early stuff with the impressions is amazing and well-represented in this compilation. Lots of good dance stuff in here, and some of the MOST beautiful and touching slow songs there are.
Later Curtis stuff is totally amazing as well, particularly in my opinion, the albums, “Curtis”, “There’s No Place Like America Today”, and “Superfly” – they show a really different and increasingly political sound from Curtis, but really amazing. (Also check out the Mayfield-produced “Let’s Do it Again” by the Staples Singers – so good!)
For more of the 60′s Chicago soul sound that Curtis and the Impressions were at the center of, check out some MAJOR LANCE too:
AL GREEN
Al Green is also a must have, and his production under Willie Mitchel is very much his own thing. For starters, you can’t go wrong with any single track off of his Greatest Hits album.
If you are hungry for more, you can also get a hold of “The Immortal Soul of Al Green” a 4 disc set which is comprehensive and amazing, but can’t be found for download on the onlines. But really, if you are into him, you shold just get all the albums, you’ll be happy you did. (you can skip “I Can’t Stop” according to me, released in 2003, I was not feelin it)
ISLEY BROTHERS
For some late night sexy slow jams, you can’t go wrong with the Isley Brothers.
They also did “Shout”, “This Old Heart of Mine”, and “Twist and Shout” and those are worth checkin out as well.
Well, this is of course just the tip of the iceberg, but hopefully you can find some stuff you like. Don’t forget to check out the Stax and Motown pages too.
