Aretha Franklin • Aretha With The Ray Bryant Combo

 

www.arethafranklin.net ...

VA • MOD - The Ultimate Mod Anthems

 

Aretha Franklin • Respect

 

www.arethafranklin.net ...

Respect: The Life of Aretha Franklin

 

Aretha Franklin began life as the golden daughter of a progressive and promiscuous Baptist preacher. Raised without her mother, she was a gospel prodigy who gave birth to two sons in her teens and left them and her native Detroit for New York, where she struggled to find her true voice. It was not until 1967, when a white Jewish producer insisted she return to her gospel-soul roots, that fame and fortune finally came via "Respect" and a rapidfire string of hits. She continued to evolve for decades, amidst personal tragedy, surprise Grammy performances, and career reinventions.

Again and again, Aretha stubbornly found a way to triumph over troubles, even as they continued to build. Her hold on the crown was tenacious, and in Respect, David Ritz gives us the definitive life of one of the greatest talents in all American culture.

 

VA • You're My Thrill

 

Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Bill Evans, Chet Baker, Kenny Burrel, Aretha Franklin, Oscar Peterson, Big Mama Thornton, Etta James, Duke Ellington...

 

 

 

VA • Five Great Women In R&B

 

VA • 20 Greatest Female Songs

 

VA • Rhythm & Blues Espresso Time

 

 

Ray Charles, Bo Diddley, Etta James, Booker T. & The MG's, Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Sam Cooke, Willie Dixon, Memphis Slim, Otis Redding, Fats Domino …

VA • The Best Sixties Album In The World... Ever

 

 

The Monkees, Sonny & Cher, Carole King, Cliff Richard & The Shadows, Del Shannon, The Four Seasons, Dusty Springfield, The Everly Brothers, Tommy James & The Shondells, Jeff Beck, The Move, The Kinks, Beach Boys, The Zombies, Manfred Mann, The Troggs, The Righteous Brothers, Gerry & The Pacemakers, Procul Harum, Glen Campbell, The Hollies, The Walker Brothers, Petula Clark, Andy Williams, The Tremeloes, Marvin Gaye, Otis Redding, Aretha Franklin, Dionne Warwick, The Supremes, The Four Tops, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, Stevie Wonder, Sam & Dave, Tom Jones, Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames, The Small Faces, Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers, Wilson Pickett, Eddie Floyd, James Brown, Fontella Bass, The Moody Blues, Van Morrison, The Byrds, The Animals, Percy Sledge, Patsy Cline, Louis Armstrong, Ben E. King.

VA • Essential Gospel Anthology

 

Aretha Franklin • Lady Soul

 

Review by John Bush
Appearing after a blockbuster debut and a sophomore set that was rather disappointing (in comparison), 1968's Lady Soul proved Aretha Franklin, the pop sensation, was no fluke. Her performances were more impassioned than on her debut, and the material just as strong, an inspired blend of covers and originals from the best songwriters in soul and pop music. The opener, "Chain of Fools," became the biggest hit, driven by a chorus of cascading echoes by Franklin and her bedrock backing vocalists, the Sweet Impressions, plus the unforgettable, earthy guitar work of guest Joe South. The album's showpiece, though, was "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman," a song written expressly for her by Brill Building pop stalwarts Gerry Goffin and Carole King, based on a title coined by producer Jerry Wexler. One of the landmark performances in pop music, the song floats serenely through the verses until, swept up by Ralph Burns' stirring string arrangement again and again, Franklin opens up on the choruses with one of the most transcendent vocals of her career. And just as she'd previously transformed a soul classic (Otis Redding's "Respect") into a signature piece of her own, Franklin courageously reimagined songs by heavyweights James Brown, Ray Charles, and the Impressions. Brown's "Money Won't Change You" is smooth and kinetic, her testifying constantly reinforced by interjections from the Sweet Inspirations. Curtis Mayfield's "People Get Ready," a 1965 civil-rights anthem and a hit for the Impressions, is taken at a slower pace than the original; after a quiet verse, Franklin lets loose amidst a magisterial brass arrangement by Arif Mardin. Powered by three hit singles (each nested in the upper reaches of the pop Top Ten), Lady Soul became Aretha Franklin's second gold LP and remained on the charts for over a year.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/lady-soul-mw0000194521

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Reseña de John Bush
Después de un exitoso debut y un segundo álbum bastante decepcionante (en comparación), Lady Soul de 1968 demostró que Aretha Franklin, la sensación del pop, no era una casualidad. Sus actuaciones fueron más apasionadas que en su debut, y el material igual de sólido, una inspirada mezcla de versiones y originales de los mejores compositores de soul y pop. El tema inaugural, «Chain of Fools», se convirtió en el mayor éxito, impulsado por un coro de ecos en cascada de Franklin y sus coristas de base, las Sweet Impressions, además del inolvidable y terrenal trabajo de guitarra del invitado Joe South. Sin embargo, la obra maestra del álbum fue «(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman», una canción escrita expresamente para ella por Gerry Goffin y Carole King, incondicionales del pop en el Brill Building, a partir de un título acuñado por el productor Jerry Wexler. La canción, una de las interpretaciones históricas de la música pop, flota serenamente en las estrofas hasta que, arrastrada una y otra vez por el conmovedor arreglo de cuerda de Ralph Burns, Franklin se abre en los estribillos con una de las voces más trascendentes de su carrera. Y al igual que antes había transformado un clásico del soul (Respect, de Otis Redding) en una pieza propia, Franklin reimaginó con valentía canciones de pesos pesados como James Brown, Ray Charles y los Impressions. Money Won't Change You» de Brown es suave y cinética, y su testimonio se ve constantemente reforzado por las interjecciones de los Sweet Inspirations. People Get Ready» de Curtis Mayfield, un himno de los derechos civiles de 1965 y un éxito de los Impressions, se interpreta a un ritmo más lento que el original; tras una estrofa tranquila, Franklin se suelta en medio de un magistral arreglo de metales de Arif Mardin. Impulsado por tres singles de éxito (cada uno de ellos en la parte alta del Top Ten del pop), Lady Soul se convirtió en el segundo LP de oro de Aretha Franklin y permaneció en las listas durante más de un año.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/lady-soul-mw0000194521

https://www.arethafranklin.net/

VA • Greatest 70's Classic Hits

 

 

Led Zeppelin, Aretha Franklin, Tom Petty, Fleetwood Mac, George Benson, Rod Stewart ...

VA • Have Mercy! The Songs Of Don Covay

 

 

Review
by Stephen Thomas Erlewine  
As influential as he was as a performer -- and he was, with Mick Jagger owing him a hefty debt -- Don Covay also had a considerable legacy as a songwriter, penning such legendary hits as Wilson Pickett's “Three Time Loser” and Aretha Franklin's “Chain of Fools,” along with the soul standards “Mercy Mercy,” “Long Tall Shorty,” “See Saw,” and “Sookie Sookie.” Have Mercy! The Songs of Don Covay -- a 2012 release from Ace that belongs in their ongoing series of songs and productions from legendary artists -- rounds up 26 of these Covay compositions and, in their standard practice, they anchor the compilation with a couple of big hits (namely the Pickett and Franklin numbers, plus Chubby Checker's “Pony Time”), selecting some lesser-known versions of the aforementioned staples and digging up gems that rarely see circulation. Most of this lies firmly in southern soul territory, but there are enough oddities to keep this surprising: Connie Francis snaps her bubblegum on “Mr. Twister,” Lena Horne brings some showbiz flair to “Love Bug,” Arlene Smith gets bogged down in syrupy strings and corn on “Mon Cherie Au Revoir,” Billy Fury is suitably melodramatic on “Letter Full of Tears,” and Wanda Jackson takes her sandpaper to “There’s a Party Goin’ On,” a blatant rewrite of “Let’s Have a Party.” These are the curiosities. The rest of the compilation offers a pretty perfect pairing of artist and song, whether it’s the Wailers stomping on “Mercy Mercy” or Joe Tex easing through “She Said Yeah,” and the diversity of the material here means all of Have Mercy! is a lasting testament to Covay’s behind-the-stage strengths.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/have-mercy%21-the-songs-of-don-covay-mw0002377254

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Reseña
por Stephen Thomas Erlewine  
Tan influyente como intérprete -y lo era, con Mick Jagger en deuda con él- Don Covay también tenía un legado considerable como compositor, autor de éxitos legendarios como "Three Time Loser" de Wilson Pickett y "Chain of Fools" de Aretha Franklin, junto con los estándares del soul "Mercy Mercy", "Long Tall Shorty", "See Saw" y "Sookie Sookie". ¡Have Mercy! The Songs of Don Covay -- un lanzamiento de 2012 de Ace que pertenece a su serie en curso de canciones y producciones de artistas legendarios -- reúne 26 de estas composiciones de Covay y, en su práctica habitual, anclan la compilación con un par de grandes éxitos (a saber, los números de Pickett y Franklin, además de "Pony Time" de Chubby Checker), seleccionando algunas versiones menos conocidas de las grapas antes mencionadas y desenterrando gemas que rara vez ven la circulación. La mayor parte se sitúa en el territorio del soul sureño, pero hay suficientes rarezas como para que resulte sorprendente: Connie Francis hace estallar su chicle en "Mr. Twister", Lena Horne le da un toque de farándula a "Love Bug", Arlene Smith se atasca en cuerdas almibaradas y maíz en "Mon Cherie Au Revoir", Billy Fury es adecuadamente melodramático en "Letter Full of Tears" y Wanda Jackson lleva su papel de lija a "There's a Party Goin' On", una descarada reescritura de "Let's Have a Party". Estas son las curiosidades. El resto de la compilación ofrece un emparejamiento bastante perfecto de artista y canción, ya sean los Wailers zapateando en "Mercy Mercy" o Joe Tex suavemente a través de "She Said Yeah", y la diversidad del material aquí significa que todo Have Mercy! es un testamento duradero de las fortalezas de Covay detrás del escenario.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/have-mercy%21-the-songs-of-don-covay-mw0002377254


https://acerecords.co.uk/have-mercy-the-songs-of-don-covay

VA • Funky Soul