RIBS TPTD: Bonus Hours - Bill Withers

OK, quick… name me 5 Bill Withers songs…

Oh that’s easy, let’s see there’s:
1. Use Me
2. Lean On Me
3. Ain’t No Sunshine

and… ummm… that one he did with Grover Washington, Jr. ummm… oh, I know!
4. Just The Two Of Us

and… ummmm, uhhhh… oh I give up!

Ha! That’s my point this week. Bill Withers is one of our great singer/songwriters (remember those? people who actually had the talent to write music AND sing) who I think many people are starting to forget about these days. AAMOF, if you are younger than the age of 40-45 you probably aren’t that familiar with him, at least not the majority of his early work.

Well, Bill has always been one of my favorite artists and has penned many a song that is part of the fabric of the Soundtrack of My Life, especially the +’Justments album which, as you’ll see, is well represented in the mix.

So… the RIBS TPTD has a dual purpose this week, a way for me to indulge in and review the discography of one of my favorite singers and a chance to introduce to you again (or for some of you, the first time) the talent and music of a true singer/songwriter.

This week I present to you: Bill Withers

RIBS TPTD: Bonus Hours - Bill Withers
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Playlist:

1. Bill Withers - You [+'Justments]
2. Bill Withers - Harlem [Just As I Am]
3. Bill Withers - I Don’t Want You On My Mind [Still Bill]
4. Bill Withers - Lovely Night For Dancing [Menagerie]
5. Bill Withers - Kissing My Love [Still Bill]
6. Bill Withers - Who Is He (And What Is He To You)[Still Bill]
7. Bill Withers - Soul Shadows [w/The Crusaders on their Rhapsody and Blues album]
8. Bill Withers - Better Off Dead [Just As I Am]
9. Bill Withers - Hope She’ll Be Happier (Live) [Live At Carnegie Hall]
10. Bill Withers - Stories [+'Justments]
11. Bill Withers - Railroad Man [+'Justments]
12. Bill Withers - The Same Love That Made Me Laugh [+'Justments]
13. Bill Withers - Heartbreak Road [+'Justments]
14. Bill Withers - Lonely Town, Lonely Street [Still Bill]
15. Bill Withers - I Wish You Well [The Best Of Bill Withers]
16. Bill Withers - Green Grass [+'Justments]
17. Bill Withers - Can We Pretend [+'Justments]
18. Bill Withers - Let Me In Your Life [Live At Carnegie Hall]
19. Bill Withers - Grandma’s Hands [Live At Carnegie Hall]
20. Bill Withers - I Can’t Right Left Handed [Live At Carnegie Hall]

Enjoy!

And remember…
If you have the question: “Where are are the good Soul music sites on the ‘Net?
We have the answer: “Check out NetInfoWeb’s ‘SoulSites’ Aggregator Page!”

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RIBS TPTD: AWB, KC and the Sunshine Band, Hall & Oates…

So… what, exactly, *is* the “color of Soul”?

That’s the question that kept popping into my mind while cooking up this week’s RIBS mix. Of course the answer to that question is “all colors of the rainbow”, from the darkest ebony to the whitest white… and everything in between!

This week’s RIBS trio is a perfect example of that very point as we take a look at three groups that perfectly exemplify the lighter end of the Soul spectrum. “Lighter” only in the predominant pigmentation of most of the band members, but still very heavy on the “Soul” as far as the fine music that they play.

When I hear the music from these groups it always takes me back-in-the-day to my college years and working at the school radio station (not to mention all of the happenin’ parties I DJ’d on campus too!) The Average White Band (AWB) was anything but, and I have always loved the play on words that their names implies. These boys are flat out funky as they wanna be and can belt out a “turn the lights down low, up against the wall you all” slow ballad as well. KC and the Sunshine Band… love this group. Who out there didn’t jump out of their seat when the first few notes of “Get Down Tonight” started playing? Then again, I always have been a sucker for a group with a tight horn section. And Hall & Oates? For a group that is technically a Rock band, these boys have a lot of Soul! And ballads, did you say ballads? “Sarah Smile” and “She’s Gone” have been a part of many a memorable romantic evening! {smile}

So… let’s trip down here at the lighter end of the “Soul Rainbow” as I present to you:

1. Average White Band
2. KC and the Sunshine Band
3. Hall & Oates

RIBS TPTD: AWB, KC and the Sunshine Band, Hall & Oates
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Playlist:

1. Hall & Oates - Out Of Touch (extended) [Big Bam Boom]
2. Average White Band - Oh Maceo [Soul Tattoo]
3. KC and the Sunshine Band - Do It Good [Do it Good]
4. Hall & Oates - Method Of Modern Love (extended) [Big Bam Boom]
5. Average White Band - Do Ya Really [Soul Tattoo]
6. KC and the Sunshine Band - I’m A Pushover [Do It Good]
7. Hall & Oates - I Can’t Go For That [Starting All Over Again]
8. Average White Band - If I Ever Lose This Heaven [Cut The Cake]
9. KC and the Sunshine Band - Love Me [The Painter]
10. Hall & Oates - She’s Gone [Starting All Over Again]
11. Average White Band - Window To Your Soul [Soul Tattoo]
12. KC and the Sunshine Band - I Get Lifted [KC & The Sunshine Band]
13. Hall & Oates - Maneater [Legendary]
14. Average White Band - Work To Do [Pickin' Up The Pieces]
15. KC and the Sunshine Band - Wrap Your Arms Around Me [Part 3]
16. Average White Band - Cut The Cake [All In Time]
17. KC and the Sunshine Band - That’s The Way I Like It [KC & The Sunshine Band]
18. KC and the Sunshine Band - Do You Feel Alright [Who Do You Love]

Enjoy!

And remember…
If you have the question: “Where are are the good Soul music sites on the ‘Net?
We have the answer: “Check out NetInfoWeb’s ‘SoulSites’ Aggregator Page!”

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RIBS TPTD: Bonus Hours - Eloise Laws…

Eloise Laws… who?

Last week in our The LAWS Of Jazz post we took a look at one of those musically gifted families, the Laws siblings: Hubert Laws, Ronnie Laws, Debra Laws and… Eloise. While reviewing and researching the music for that mix it occurred to me that while Hubert, Ronnie and (to a slightly lesser degree) Debra are pretty familiar names to most hard core music fans, sister Eloise is largely unknown. This is a shame because, IMHO, she is every bit as talented as her other family members and (again, just my opinion) has a better singing voice than her baby sister Debra (Eloise is actually the second oldest of the four right behind Hubert and just before Ronnie).

As a matter of fact, I encourage you to check out her bio on her website EloiseLaws.com and see just how talented this lady really is. Not only does she sing but she has acted on Broadway, most notably in the Tony-nominated play It Ain’t Nothin’ But The Blues (which she also co-wrote), and on the big screen in the Vincent Spano directed film BetRunner.

Eloise actually has four albums from early in her musical career…

1. Ain’t It Good Feeling Good (1977)
2. Eloise (1979)
3. Eloise Laws (1980)
4. All In Time (1982)

…all with some beautiful music on them. You know the music business is funny. Sometimes very talented people just don’t get the big break and become household names to music fans like some others do. Well, in Eloise’s case it certainly didn’t seem to hold her back any as far as carving out a successful and fulfilling career in her chosen profession (or maybe we should call it “the family business” {smile}).

Anyway… this week I present to you the “unknown” Laws (or rather, the least well known)…

ELOISE LAWS

RIBS TPTD: Eloise Laws
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Playlist:

1. Eloise Laws - Baby You Lied [Eloise]
2. Eloise Laws - If I Don’t Watch Out [Eloise Laws]
3. Eloise Laws - I’ve Got The Rhythm, You’ve Got The Blues [All In Time]
4. Eloise Laws - You’re Incredible [Eloise]
5. Eloise Laws - Love Comes Easy [Eloise]
6. Eloise Laws - Let’s Find Those Two People Again [Eloise Laws]
7. Eloise Laws - While The City Sleeps [All In Time]
8. Eloise Laws - Strength Of A Woman [Eloise Laws]
9. Eloise Laws - I Believe In You Baby [Ain't It Good Feeling Good]
10. Eloise Laws - I’m Just Warming Up [Eloise Laws]
11. Eloise Laws - If You Don’t Love Me By Now [All In Time]
12. Eloise Laws - Forever Now [Eloise]
13. Eloise Laws - You Are Everything [Eloise Laws]
14. Eloise Laws - Put A Little Love Into It [Ain't It Good Feeling Good]
15. Eloise Laws - If I Had My Way [All In Time]
16. Eloise Laws - I’ve Loved You Somewhere Before [All In Time]
17. Eloise Laws - Where Did We Go Wrong [Ain't It Good Feeling Good]
18. Eloise Laws - His House And Me [Eloise]
19. Eloise Laws - Moment To Moment [Eloise Laws]

Enjoy!

And remember…
If you have the question: “Where are are the good Soul music sites on the ‘Net?
We have the answer: “Check out NetInfoWeb’s ‘SoulSites’ Aggregator Page!”

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RIBS TPTD: The LAWS of Jazz…

Welcome back for another musically satisfying buffet cooked up especially for you right here in the RIBS kitchen!

Hopefully you feel we got 2008 off to a great start with our look at WAR last week in the “Bonus Hours” format (one artist, three specific albums from their discography). Themed formats like that are a lot of fun to put together and we’ll have more mixes like that in the weeks and months ahead.

By the way, before I go any further I just want to mention that this week’s mix was inspired by the fine crew over at the 4 Brothers Beats blog, especially GeeeFlat. Back in November, GF uploaded a great post about Hubert’s Romeo & Juliet album that had the whole site buzzing for a couple of days (good, witty writing will do that). In addition to setting the house on fire, GF’s post not only reminded me about the great cuts on this album but set me off digging through the crates to find the rest of the Hubert Laws discs in my collection. The result of all of that inspiration and crate digging is today’s TPTD mix. So… here’s an extra slab o’ RIBS on your plate GeeFlat and the rest of the 4 Brothers Beats crew (Lafayette, Soulbrother and Arkane1). Thanks fellas!

This week we look at one of those families that just has an overabundance of excellent musical talent running through their genes. It’s just unfair I tell ya {smile}. Among them they’ve conquered the world of Jazz, made their mark on the Pop and Soul charts, performed on Broadway and continue to tour around the world always leaving satisfied audiences in their wake.

Ladies and gentlemen I present to you… the LAWS of Jazz (and Soul):

1. Hubert Laws, flute
   
2. Ronnie Laws, saxophone
3. Debra Laws, vocalist/actress
   
4. Eloise Laws, vocalist/actress