Neo soul
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
This article does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. (March 2007) |
Neo soul (also known as nu soul) is a marketing term for a sub-genre of contemporary R&B.The main difference between neo soul and the more popular sub-genres of R&B is that it is the most ethnocentric type of R&B. Neo soul artists tend to be well educated and very well informed on 'black' history. These artists use their poetic and artistic skills to teach the world about 'black' history, love, politics, life and supporting one another as a human race. The music itself is usually a hybrid of 1970s-influenced soul music with influences from jazz, funk, Latin, African, hip hop and occasionallyhouse music. The term neo soul was originated by Kedar Massenburg of Motown Records in the late 1990s. Neo soul's audience tends to be underground, preferring that the music favor underground credibility and soulfulness over mainstream popularity.[citation needed] Some musicians who create what is described as neo-soul prefer to disassociate themselves from the tag, due to the term's buzzword-like usage. Some of these artists refer to themselves as educators, artists, musicians or simply as soul artists.
Contents |
[edit] History
[edit] 20th Century
USA: Some consider the genre to have originated from the strong musical influences of 'Philly' in the 1970s. Later Raphael Saadiq's band Tony! Toni! Toné! and R&B/soul band Mint Condition in the early 1990s, but the term began to surface after the release of singer Joi's debut album Pendulum Vibe, which contained elements of early 1970s style arrangements along with Rock style elements. It resurfaced with D'Angelo's 1995 LP Brown Sugar. Brown Sugar featured elements of classic soul, inspired by artists such as Stevie Wonder and Donny Hathaway, that had not been regularly seen in modern African-American mainstream music since the early/mid-1970s. In 1995 came the work of a duo called Groove Theory, which included the members Amel Larrieux, the singer and Bryce Wilson. Another possible origin of the neo-soul movement is the UK with early Nu Soul artists such as Omar (UK) & Don-e also acid jazz artists such as Young Disciples & Urban Species - UK artists which were influenced by & called on raregroove & 70's Soul artists such as Marvin Gaye, Curtis Mayfield & Donny Hathaway. scene of the early 1990s, with artists such as Jamiroquai, The Brand New Heavies, and N'Dea Davenport.
In 1996, Singers Maxwell & Eric Benet both debuted the successful solo albums Urban Hang Suite and True to Myself, pushing the new soul sound into the mainstream. In 1997, Motown Records artist Erykah Badu released her debut LP, Baduizm. The success of that album paved the way for new Motown chief Kedar Massenburg to shift the direction of much of the company's output towards Badu's style, which he dubbed neo-soul. The first soul revival artist to make a major impact on the mainstream was Lauryn Hill, whose 1998 The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill LP was a critical and commercial success, garnering five Grammy Awards.
It was really Lauryn Hill's phenomenal success that influenced a number of other neo-soul artists began who began scoring R&B hits, most notably Angie Stone, Musiq Soulchild, Eric Roberson, Jill Scott, Goapele, India.Arie, Davina, Pru, Raphael Saadiq, Alice Smith, Jazzyfatnastees, Ursula Rucker, Rhian Benson and Martha Redbone. Other major soul artists have included Lucy Pearl, Floetry, Glenn Lewis, Res, Anthony Hamilton, Bilal,Hill St. Soul, Rahsaan Patterson and Dwele, all of whom became staples of R&B radio. Recent major neo soul artists include Stephanie McKay, Jaheim, Malina Moye, Emily King, Raheem DeVaughn, Sy Smith, Ledisi, Cleveland, Ohio's Conya Doss, Big Brooklyn Red, Antonia Jenae, The Square Egg, Britain's Julie Dexter, Laurnea, N'Dambi, Gaelle, Rachael Bell, Joy Denalane, Joi, Chuckie "Taliaferro" Slay, Aya, Divine Brown, Asa and Angela Johnson.
In general, neo soul has remained almost exclusive to R&B outlets such as urban radio and Black Entertainment Television (BET), as well as TV One. Most of its artists are unfamiliar to mainstream audiences, and its sound generally focuses on artist expression rather than pop orientation. While these artists have found major success in those venues, they generally have yet to cross over to mainstream American music listeners. Several neo soul artists prefer to remain unexposed or underexposed in comparison to most mainstream r&b artists.
Lauryn Hill remains the best-known and consistently successful neo soul artist from a mainstream, commercial point of view, thanks to two big pop singles: "Everything Is Everything" and "Doo Wop (That Thing)", both of which were far more hip hop oriented, containing rapped verses, than most neo soul. Hill is also widely known because of her successful sweep of the 1999 Grammys.
[edit] 21st Century
Since the year 2000, artists like Lauryn Hill, Jill Scott, Musiq Soulchild, Sy Smith, Eric Roberson, Dwele, Omar, Platinum Pied Pipers, Erykah Badu, Raphael Saadiq, Raheem DeVaughn, John Legend, Anthony Hamilton and Kem maintain making Neo Soul music.
Other neo soul artists are hardly known of at all in mainstream America, having yet to cross over to the mainstream despite the fact that most have found success with the urban audience, urban radio, and BET. Most have also found success on the music video channels MTV2 and VH1 Soul. Some, like Maxwell, Erykah Badu and D'Angelo, are somewhat known by mainstream America for having initiated the neo soul genre, from critical acclaim, from word-of-mouth recommendations of their albums, and from other media appearances, such as D'Angelo's performance on VH1's Men Strike Back 2000 and Badu's role in the movie Blues Brothers 2000. D'Angelo's critically acclaimed 2000 album Voodoo has been recognized by many critics as a masterpiece and the cornerstone of the neo soul genre.[1][2][3]
Neo Soul Radio & Clubs that pioneered the sound: In October 2003, neo soul was given an outlet in commercial radio in the city of Charleston, South Carolina. WPAL 100.9 FM went from playing traditional R&B and classic soul, to playing neo-soul, under the consultation, and lead of its program director J.R. Rivers. J.R. Rivers later went on pioneer Neo Soul independent Soul & Hip Hop radio station Warrior FM founded by UK Soul DJ Paul Aaaron in 2006 on Martin Luther King day. Paul Aaaron, JR Rivers, Sanpanico, DJ Angle, DJ Diesel & Johnny Blaze continued to push the new & often not yet released new artists making Neo Soul on both sides of the Atlantic. Other DJs of note who pioneered Neo Soul early on were Garth Trinidad of KCRW & also Anthony Valadez of KCSN in LA. Anthony Valadez & Paul Aaaron also joined up in a USA / UK radio project on KCSN in LA & House FM in London UK giving air coverage to then newly emerging artists such as Eric Roberson , Sy Smith, Martin Luther, Anthony David & Nu Soul Pioneers such as Omar. Anthony Valadez & Paul Aaaron also took the new sound to the clubs of LA & London with Valadez being resident at Temple Bar, Santa Monica & Paul Aaaron hosting Neo Soul events across London with his Keep The Faith Eclectic Soul Events Org at venue's such as Jazz Cafe with events such as UK Soul Jam which championed Nu & Neo Soul.
Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings and Nicole Willis and the Soul Investigators are also up and coming artists linked to this area of music, along with artists such as Amy Winehouse who have at times returned to a more traditional 1960's Soul production & writing feel.
In February 2007, a British boutique label, known as Lola Waxx Records was established by lawyer and former DJ, Allis Karim. Allis Karim wanted to capture the neo soul influenced sound of Incognito and Brand New Heavies and to a lesser extent, Tamia. Allis Karim hooked up with LA producer Armand Tulumello to release a double A side single 'Starting Over/Don't Know What' by Simone in July 2007. Success was to come in February 2008 when both hooked up together again to release 'Make Me Wanna Fly' by Shu'ane which flooded the specialist/underground radio airwaves. On the back of such critical acclaim, Lola Waxx Records decided to venture into the compilation market with 'Independent Soul Divas: Independence Day' (September 2008) which featured some of the top Neo Soul Divas around today recording independently of the majors such as Rena Scott, Lina, Kelli Sae and Chanel and including newcomers such as, LeNora Jaye and Maya Neiada.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- NEO SOUL on FACEBOOK
- NEO SOUL LONDON
- SoulBounce (Blogs, Podcast, Reviews)
- ProjectVIBE Internet Radio (24 hr Internet Radio Station for Soul/Jazz/House/Beyond)
|
||||||||
|
||||||||
