Top 20 r&b/soul albums - Making a list

My partner has decided to reform his wayward ways and get more into r & b. He asked me, the bigger music buff, to come up with some recommendations of albums he oughta have.

For the sake of accessibility/digestibility, I'm thinking of trying to come up with a "top 20" list although I think it's an absurd, vexed task.

Has anyone seen a piece in a music review magazine in recent years that attempts to present such a CD/SACD/DVD-Audio library--something like the "$500 fill-in-the-blank Library" features that CD Review magazine used to do?

An October 1990 issue features a "Definitive Soul/R&B Library" article by a good music writer I like, David Okamoto. The kind of arguably timeless titles I’m wanting to identify are such that his list is still valid even though it was written almost 15 years ago. The problem is that there have of course been so many reissues/remasters in the intervening time. This is where I think I need the most help: identifying when a strong remaster (here I’m referring to the kind of work Rhino typically did for their reissues) of an album is available.

A couple of soft guiding ideas:

• I'm interested in a list of seminal albums, but I'd like to spice it up a bit and not end up with a entirely canonical, predictable list. At its upper digits, I’d also like to broaden the scope of the list and target albums by (black) artists in the funk, disco and perhaps rap idioms.
  
• Of course there will be exceptions for good compilations, but I'd generally like to avoid greatest hits packages.
  
• I'd like to include high resolution SACD and/or DVD-Audio releases where possible.

Another thing I found of value in the Okamoto piece was the chronological organization into five major categories: "Soul Legends" (James Brown, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, etc.), "Motown" (Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, Diana Ross & The Supremes, etc.), "The 70s: Soul’s Last Stand" (Earth Wind & Fire, The Chi-Lites, The Delfonics, etc.), "Fill In the Gaps" (fairly recent compilations such as the Atlantic Rhythm & Blues series) and finally "Torchbearers" (contemporary standard bearers respectfully continuing grand traditions such as Luther Vandross).

So here’s a draft to begin. If I haven’t listed a specific album, it’s because I think that artist deserves a place on the list, but am in need of input on which album should make the cut.

1) James Brown – Live At the Apollo, 1962


2) Ray Charles


3) Aretha Franklin – Aretha's Gold?

I'd say Lady Soul, but then there are seminal Aretha hits that are not on that record . . .


4) Al Green – Call Me


5) Sam Cooke – Portrait Of A Legend, 1951-1964 SACD


6) Marvin Gaye - What's Going On Deluxe Edition CD


7) The Temptations - Anthology (the 2-disc Motown Anthology Series release)


8) Stevie Wonder - Songs In The Key Of Life


9) The Spinners – A One Of A Kind Love Affair – The Anthology


10) Earth Wind & Fire – Greatest Hits, Vol. I (remaster)


11) George Benson – Breezin’ DVD-Audio


12) Rick James – Street Songs

But what about Parliament/Funkadelic?


13) Barry White - All-Time Greatest Hits or The Ultimate Collection


14) Prince - Dirty Mind


15) Babyface – Tender Lover


16) Al Jarreau - Jarreau?

This album, not unlike Patti Austin's Every Home Should Have One, is a nostalgic favorite of mine from the early 80s. But I'm debating whether it should have a place on a top 20 . . .


17) Luther Vandross - The Best Of Luther Vandross: The Best Of Love


18) Chic - Dance, Dance, Dance: The Best Of Chic


19) Booker T. & the MGs - McLemore Avenue?


20) Otis Redding - The Otis Redding Story?

Btw, he’s already got the Special Edition of Thriller so that’s why that is not on the list. But what about Off the Wall?

I welcome all reasoned recommendations, links and even some stunned posts of omission/inclusion indignation. This is very much a work in progress.

Thanks in advance for your help all.

Paul

Mentioning Motown, unless I missed it, I saw no mention of the Four Tops, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, The Commodores/Lionel Ritchie to name a few.

By the way here is a link to classic Motown stuff:

http://classic.motown.com/

Phil:

The Commodores are mentioned at #10. But I'm debating whether or not both that large, funk-inflected ensemble that was at its peak at the same time as EW&F deserves mention on a top 20 list versus EW&F versus both. Your thoughts?

Any specific album recommendations for the other artists you mentioned?

Other classic Motown artists are on the list so far. I'm concerned about over-representing that label given various debates that exist concerning it, such as that Berry Gordy conformed his artists into an aesthetic of making black music for white audiences and that Marvin Gaye was much more interested in libidinous and socially-conscious topics that Gordy didn't want to release. Heck, AllMusic.com's What's Going On album information listing recounts some lore in connection with the making of the record: Gordy didn't sign off on Gaye recording the album until after he heard the title cut. Gaye then recorded the rest of the album in 10 days.

So I think I'd wanna include more Stax artists, such as Booker T & the MGs, before generally including more Motown. But again, I'm certainly open to more album-specific suggestions/arguments should you hopefully wish to make them.

-p

My suggestions would be:

Harvey Mason's FUNK IN A MASON JAR

Funkadelic's MAGGOT BRAIN

Arthur Conley's SWEET SOUL MUSIC & MORE SWEET SOUL MUSIC

Crown Heights Affair S/T

Ray Parker & Raydio's ROCK ON

Aretha Franklin's GOLD

Wilson Pickett's GREATEST HITS

Booker T. & the M.G.'s - McLEMORE AVENUE and anything else by them too like GREEN ONIONS

Parliment's MOTHERSHIP CONNECTIN & AQUABOOGIE

Otis Redding's SITTING ON THE DOCK OF THE BAY

The Meters' ANTHOLOGY or CISSY STRUT

Anything you can find by the original Bar-Kays, not the later replacement group

Clifford Curry's SHE SHOT A HOLE IN MY SOUL

anything by Issac Hayes, HOT BUTTERED SOUL or SHAFT would do

Prince's DIRTY MIND

Dr. John's RIGHT PLACE WRONG TIME & DESTITIVELY BONNAROO

Chaka Khan...with or without Rufus, pick about any of her albums

Other artists worth a look: L.T.D., Mar-Keys, Quazar, King Curtis, Earth, Wind & Fire, Action Band, Slave, and my brain has gone blank for now....

If you are hit oriented or want compilations, Rhino is a good place to look. Also Time-Life has a number of good collections.

You really need to list a top 150 or so albums to be representative.

I'd take The Chronic off the list because its a hip hop album that redoes Parliament Funkadelic (might as well go with the original) and his Dr Dre.-2001 album is better.

You can't complete that list without Otis Redding or Mary J. Blige's "My Life".

For the Temptations, Supremes and Four Tops, I think you'd do best to stick with "best of" compilations, such as:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...music&n=507846

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...music&n=507846

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...music&n=507846

As mentioned above, Time-Life also has some good compilations.

Anything by Isaac Hayes

Anything by Bobby Blue Bland

Something by Funkadelic such as Free Your Mind and Your Ass Will Follow

You could do a lot worse than to include something by The Coasters

If your friend has some "cheddar" to spend, the Stax/Volt label group has released several magnificent 9-CD box sets

Anything off Rachael B's list, although I would recommend the Rufus/Chaka Kahn album that contains Tell Me Something Good

Here's some on my list:

MARVIN GAYE- WHAT'S GOIN ON, LET'S GET IT ON
EARTH, WIND AND FIRE- THAT'S THE WAY OF THE WORLD, ALL N' ALL
BROTHERS JOHNSON- LIGHT UP THE NIGHT
MICHAEL JACKSON- OFF THE WALL
HEATWAVE- TOO HOT TO HANDLE
CAMEO- WORD UP
GAP BAND- III
SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE- THERE'S A RIOT GOIN' ON
OHIO PLAYERS- FIRE
SLAVE- STONE JAM
AREHTA FRANKLIN- LADY SOUL
THE SPINNERS- MIGHTY LOVE
RICK JAMES- STREET SONGS
ISLEY BROTHERS- THE HEAT IS ON, HARVEST FOR THE WORLD, 3+3
JAMES BROWN- LIVE AT THE APOLLO
LUTHER VANDROSS- NEVER TOO MUCH

How did I forget the Average White Band??? 2st album, S/T, and WARMER COMMUNICATIONS are my fav's.

Rachael: Thanks a ton for your funky, alternative list. More cross-talk later . . .

Robert Willis: Any specific compilations that are well-reviewed with good liner notes, sound quality and song selection that you can recommend?

Mark Murphy: Interesting--your comments about Chronic versus 2001. I've heard so much about the former being the sh*t. How do you feel about Doggystyle?

Any specific Otis Redding album recommendations?

I dig "Family Affair," but is Mary J. Blige really all that--to be included on a top 20 list of r&b/soul albums of all time? No More Drama is on my list of things to buy (I'm very tardy to the MJB party) and I note that Amazon reviewer Geoffrey Himes (never heard of him) calls her "the premier soul diva of the hip-hop generation," but daaayum. Can I get a witness and/or an "Amen!" on this?

Marvin: Do you have any of the three compilations that you linked to? I looked at all of them, skimming their track listings, customer and editorial reviews. That Four Tops Essential Collection on Hip-O Records looks strong . . .

-p

It is... positively fantastic!

A few suggestions:
Earth, Wind and Fire -- there are two SACDs, both really wonderful sounding. I'd recommend "Gratitude", as it's the classic album of the two, but "Alive in 75" has slightly better sound quality. Still, I think "Gratitude" better fits your criteria.

The Supremes -- like alot of the Motown acts, they were more a singles group than an album-oriented one, hence I think you'd be better off with a collection. Avoid the "Ultimate" one that's probably in all the stores right now, as it's horribly compressed and maximized (the one Marvin linked to above). The best I've heard (and the one that tends to get most of the audiophile recommendations) is from the Motown 2-disc Anthology series as seen here: http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p...0:rp59kectkq7v

Isaac Hayes "Hot Buttered Soul" -- on SACD/CD hybrid from Mobile Fidelity, and still one of their best SACDs.

Ray Charles -- For post-Atlantic years, go for the Sandstone/DCC D2-33079 Ray Charles - "Uh Huh His Greatest Hits" Yes, as seen on TV! And also as mastered by Steve Hoffman, this time with the tubes rig. The two single disc "His Greatest" releases that preceded this release was transferred with solid state equipment and sounds very good... but not as good as the "Uh Huh" release! For the Atlantic years, get the 3-disc boxset. I know you're shying away from compilations, and there's much to be said for getting Ray's individual records, but these two compilations are so fantastic and so inclusive as to be very nearly all you'd ever need.

Rachael: Again, thank you for your contributions.

I've tweaked the list to: add Aretha's Gold as a candidate for her in addition to Lady Soul (any thoughts here?), add McLemore Avenue (a good choice for my partner as he's a Beatles fan), and add Otis Redding (any album recommendations here? "Sitting On the Dock . . ." was a single, but not an album, no?).

Also added Jarreau as a suggested album for Al Jarreau.

I must confess that I'm a Crown Heights Affair neophyte. Perhaps I'd recognize one of their singles if I heard it. Just read the AllMusic.com band biography; Bertram Reid just died last December.

Thx to you (and Rob G.) for the Isaac Hayes mention. I see MFSL's return to the market included a hybrid SACD of Hot Buttered Soul--might just have to add that to the list. (I could have sworn there was a DTS CD of this album also, but it's not listed at the DTS site . . .)

Excellent mention of AWB. The tape of their eponymous album got a helluva lotta play from me back in the day; was/is a fave of my Dad's. "Pick Up the Pieces"!

So this now puts me at 20 titles/artists, with question marks next to/alternate slots for Barry White, Parliament and The Commodores . . .

-p

David Coleman: Thanks very mich for your list/suggestions, David. Thx for mentioning Slave, the Ohio Players, Sly and the Family, Cameo and The Gap Band! Whodathunk the HTF was so funky!

I'm spinning my Off the Wall SE CD now and am contemplating making a slot for it . . .

Love That's the Way Of the World and have the remastered CD of that.

Rich: Thank you! Eeexxcellent to hear that the Deluxe What's Going On does not disappoint. And I've been reading your posts for a long time and absolutely trust your opinion and value your input.

I have the Gratitude remaster and the SACD is on my Wish List. A little disappointed that original engineer George Massenburg didn't do the 5.1 mix. But this is a strong, historic candidate. I think the Vol. I hits might give a better overview of the band's output . . .

We cross-posted re Hot Buttered SACD--great tip though. (I wish MFSL would bring their SACD prices down a bit . . .)

It looks like the Supremes title you link to at AllMusic is from the same "Anthology Series" line as The Temptations title Marvin links to?? Thx for the tip about the Ultimate Collection Supremes--that's exactly the kind of 411 I need on compilations.

Off to go look up the Ray Charles titles you mentioned . . .

-p

Oh and Rachael (and everyone else): Thoughts/comments/feelings on the one Prince album that should be on such a list? I picked Sign O the Times based upon a friend's recommendation. Have the CD, but don't find it heart-stopping. Rachael I see your vote's for Dirty Mind . . .

-p

Paul - I have those compilations. I really can't say if they're the best sound-wise as they're all I have. But the song selections are very good.

I have to second AWB but specificall the album AWB (The White Album)!

While at it how did I forget Stevie Wonder?? TALKING BOOK and INNVERVISIONS are definitely my favorites however I love SONGS IN THE KEY OF LIFE TOO!

Let me throw in STYLISTICS: ROUND 2 and the SPINNERS: THE SPINNERS album. Top to bottom 2 excellent albums!!

CAMEO's- SHE STRANGE is another classic one along with GAP BAND- IV.

Hey for one's sensual pleasures can't overlook Marvin Gaye's- I WANT YOU!

RUFUS and RUFUSIZED is a classic album of theirs and don't forget Chaka's- SO NAUGHTY, I FEEL FOR YOU along with her debut CHAKA KHAN.

Let's also not forget CHIC- RISQUE and C'EST CHIC. Though they have been classified forever as disco they seriously had one of the greatest rhythmn sections ever in Bernard, Nile and Tony!!

Of coure THE MAESTRO Barry White!! What would the world be if it never had I'VE GOT SO MUCH TO GIVE and STONE GON'.

Lastly can't mention ISAAC HAYES without mentioning BLACK MOSES.

I only wish it had been released as a SACD/CD hybrid, but it came out just before they started doing that (with some of the Deluxe Eds. anyway). But it sounds great, and IMO there's not a single gratuitous moment in all the extra materials even if they alternate album mix isn't hugely different.

Exactly right... the same series! These were compiled and mastered by Inglot and Hersch (I think... going on memory), and they did a fantastic job. I'm not crazy about the solo Diana Ross stuff at the end of disc 2, but I've never heard any of this material sound as warm and wonderful as it does on this release (but my experience is limited to CD issues). I searched this one out after buying the "Ultimate" compilation for my wife, only to be appalled when I heard it playing through my speakers... ugh, a nasty, congested mess! It may be a tad hard to find (not sure if it's officially OOP), but I seriously doubt you'll have to pay big eBay prices. I found my copy just this past year in the used bins of my local Newbury Comics, for less than when it was purchased new.

The Sandstone/DCC release of Ray Charles "Uh-Huh His Greatest" will likely be the hardest one to find as the Hoffmanites are nuts about finding all the OOP discs he mastered... and this is certainly one of the best. I got mine for $25 on half-com on the day of Ray's death, and others still report finding them for cheap in used record stores. It's definitely worth seeking out. That Atlantic era 3-disc "Birth of Soul" one should be easy to get and not terribly expensive (I think I read that BMG sells it in case you're a member).

Being an Al Jarreau fan let me throw out the following:

BREAKIN' AWAY- really Al at his finest hitting the pop, jazz, r&b stratosphere. If not his best(I really like HEART'S HORIZON)it's definitely up there

THIS TIME- what would the world be without SPAIN or ALONZO?

Marvin: Thx for getting back re the compilations.

Rich: I've added Anthology as the The Temptations title for the list.

David: Ugh! How could I forget Chiiiiic?! I'm a huge fan. I've dropped The Chronic and added either the terrif Dance, Dance, Dance Atlantic & Atco Remasters Series compilation, Risque or C'est Chic to the list instead.

My only issue with the early 80s Jarreau I have--Jarreau, High Crime and Breakin' Away--is sound quality. All three of those albums are in need of remastering. Very thin sounding mixes. But mos def keeping a spot for him on the list. I like Nile Rodger's production of L Is For Lover but don't think that album is as definitive/essential as some of its predecessors.

Incidentally, I've heard very good things about Tenderness. Do you have it? All I Got is on SACD, too . . .

-p

Paul concerning CHIC please don't overlook their compilation (sorry can't remember the name of it, not at home) that lists there lesser know songs like:

TAVERN ON THE GREEN
SOUP FOR ONE
REBELS ARE WE
STAGE FRIGHT

... and a host of other's when CHIC was really doing some experimentation with time changes and other musical challenges.

I have TENDERNESS but admit it's not a big listen to me? I guess cause he did so many remakes of several of his classics that didn't match the originals and the new songs weren't all that inspiring. However he and Kathleen Battle doing MY FAVORITE THINGS is definitely a highlight!!

As for L IS FOR LOVER with the exception of SAYS, ACROSS THE MIDNIGHT SKY and TELL ME WHAT I GOTTA DO for me you can toss the rest of it!

I definitely wouldn't count it as seminal Al Jarreau.

I always thought it really strange that Al chose Nile to do an album like L IS FOR LOVER after all the work he'd done with Jay Graydon? At this time Nile was producing rock acts like Madonna, Duran, Duran and David Bowie so he was a curious choice to produce Al??

However Nile did redeem himself producing the excellent Philip Bailey album INSIDE OUT!

While at it let me give a shout out for my favorite male singer Will Downing and one of my all-time favorites and certainly a seminal album

A DREAM FULFILLED

if not in your collection certainly needs to be there!

Paul, DIRTY MIND was Prince's breakout album and well demoes everything he can do.

You simply must get The Meters. They're proably the most copied group ever. They play on the two Dr. John albums I listed. Cissy Strut is the prototype of the Allman Brother's sound.

MORE SWEET SOUL by Arthur Conley is a must. Duane Allman is on it too.

Clarence Carter is one I forgot, get the Collectables double album CD. It has Patches and C.C. Blues & Weekend Love and Duane Allman on ROAD OF LOVE

The best Otis Redding is the 3 CD set. It's got the B-sides and Christmas songs and everything.

You got to include the real Bar-Kays, the ones killed in the plane crash! Not the replacment group!!!!

Maggot Brain by Funkadelic is roots funk and more rock sounding but should not be missed.

Red Hot Chili Peppers second album with George Clinton producing is a funk masterpiece. See: YERTLE THE TURTLE and HOLLYWOOD AFRICA which is a Meters/Neville Brothers song taken to a whole nother level!

Gotta go, I'll check in later. By then, maybe, just maybe, I'll remember everything I've forgotten????

David:

Glad you can parse stuff that you don't like from what you do on L Is For Lover--I largely agree with your choices, but still dig most of the rest of that record, especially since James Farber's recording sounds so damn fine. I understand where you're coming from re Al's choice of Nile, but given his background clearly Nile's r & b credentials/chops couldn't be questioned, regardless of his having done a record for Duran Duran that same year. This was 2 years after Like A Virgin and the guy was huge. I'm sure Al was happy at the time to broaden his aud.

Since you're at work I grabbed some links:

Dance Dance Dance: The Best Of Chic (1991)

The Best Of Chic, Volume 2 (1992)

The Very Best Of Chic (2000)

I have the first, want the second and the third doesn't have anything on it that the first two don't cover plus more. The first includes "Chic Cheer" so I'm thinkin' that's the one for the list . . .

-p

Yes Paul vol 2 is the one to get!!!

With the addition of Chic, I've dropped Cheryl Lynn and left that spot tentatively, exclusively for a Barry White title.

Rachael: David Okamoto, in the article I mentioned in my first post, mentions a 3-CD Otis Redding set called The Otis Redding Story. Is this the same release you're referring to?

-p

But David, if only Volume 2 is included, you don't get seminal Chic smashes like "Le Freak" and "Good Times."

Of the four songs you mentioned, "Soup For One" is on Dance x 3 and the other three are on Vol. 2. But would you really rank, say, "Tavern" higher than "Dance Dance Dance," "Good Times" and "I Want Your Love." Maybe you mis-typed, but if not I'd disagree . . .

-p

No... it's just that TAVERN is one of 2 (3) instrumentals of there's so I mention it so it doesn't get lost. SAVOIR FAIRE is the instrumental most may know of. My favorite of the three you mentioned is I WANT YOU LOVE which is the song which made me a CHIC fan.

You'd have to include:

1. Ray Charles - The Birth of Soul (3 CD set of his best Atlantic sides)

2. Aretha Franklin - where to start? You can't go wrong with I Never Loved a Man, or Lady Soul, but I have a weakness for Spirit in the Dark - great, underrated album.

3. Dreams to Remember - a great 2-CD set of the best of Otis Redding (R&B is particularly well-represented in best-ofs, but if you want real, honest albums, you can go with Otis Blue).

4. Home in My Heart - the best of Solomon Burke (the best pure soul singer, according to Jerry Wexler).

5. Best of the Spinners - the late, great Philippe Wynne, ladies and gentlemen.

6. Star Time - 4 CDs of James Brown. Either this or Live at the Apollo.

7. The Complete Stax-Volt Singles, Vol. 1 - grittier, nastier than Motown (not that I don't love Motown, but this is the real deal).

8. Let's Get it On - Marvin Gaye - if only for the little-aired and rhapsodic "Keep Getting it On" - if you ever wished a favorite song faded out forever, this is for you.

9. The Heart and Soul of Al Green - 4 CDs of his best, and virtually no filler.

10. Stevie Wonder - Innervisions - It's amazing that someone who could produce something like this could spend the last 28 years (since Songs in the Key of Life) producing almost nothing that comes close to it.

You could do worse than picking each and every one of these up. Enjoy.