Aretha Franklin 1942 - 2018

[Lat-Literal]

……….and now Aretha.

Great legacy......especially on the pivot that was sixties:

Orig - Simon and Ace (Mattis/Alexander):

Bridge Over Troubled Water - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04WhASZ3G8g
My Song - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awA2aoFPgNo

With the Ray Bryant Combo:

Right Now - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1u7tHQfiQc
Today I Sing The Blues, '60 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ja20WWg5r-o

Live, in 1964, on the Steve Allen Show:

Won't Be Long - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1p92gQTQCg

Tinush featuring Aretha Franklin, 2016:

Struggle - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5v9WeJfJVg

RIP -

[cloughie]

The Associated Press
The Associated Press
@AP
BREAKING: Publicist for Aretha Franklin says the Queen of Soul died Thursday at her home in Detroit.
2:57 PM · Aug 16, 2018.

One of the TRULY greats. I first heard her on French radio in the early 60s, the Columbia single "It won't be long", very Ray Charles, knock out piano. For anyone thinking she had nothing to do with "jazz", check out her first ever French concert on You tube, or her "Soul 69" album on Atlantic with the cream of Jazz session players. She was extraordinary. One of my favorites, her heart stoping remake of Johnny Ace's "My Song", a 60s Atlantic throwaway B side. Ravishing.

Or indeed check out her Columbia catalogue. Her gospel background and those recordings primed her for the 'Soul' career she launched with the help of Jerry Wexler and Arif Mardin on Atlantic.

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

Yes, I think some of those first Columbia sides are often maligned. There are some ropey show tunes there and stock arrangements as they worked out how to showcase her, but also some gems. Ray Bryant played piano on some also. There an early clip of "It won't be long" on Youtube from 1964 with Aretha playing piano and fronting the Steve Allen Show's house band. She's brilliant. I also been told that Cecil Taylor was a huge fan of hers! Not sure if it was reciprocated, but maybe.

[antongould]

She was wonderful ..... her Bridge Over Troubled Water even impressed the composer

[johncorrigan]

[gradus]

So much wonderful music to choose from Aretha.
Never Let Me Go https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8Ju5lw5MeA
How it was with her.

[Ian Thumwood]

Got to say that I don't know much about Aretha Franklin but am intrigued by Bluesnik's comments about her relationship with jazz. What little I have heard of her music does make me think that her earlier stuff had a jazz influence whereas this became increasingly less prevalent in her later work. The whole relationship between jazz and soul is usually shrugged off as being part of the heritage from gospel music without really taking into account how gospel music have itself evolved to take on the influence of popular music. What is strange is to listen to the Billy Taylor trio track on JRR on "Listen again" and realise there is not a great deal of difference between this and the Franklin track from the Steve Allen show posted above.

I must admit that I don't mind her music and feel the same about it as I do so much of the 1960's / Motown classics. The music seems far more musical than what passes for pop music these days and far more authentic and organic too. There was a sniffy reference to "stock arrangements" on this thread whereas I think that a degree of credit needs to be given to the arrangers producing the charts for the strings in these types of arrangements. Certainly, if you compare soul from the 1960s with what was produced by the "British Wave" bands of the same decade, the American groups seem far more musically savvy. I don't just think that their music was musically "better" but also produced by musicians who were technically more accomplished too. I would have to say that I don't think that Franklin was at all unique having seen singers like Roberta Flack and Chaka Khan perform live too, the whole oeuvre needs praising. In addition, I would add too that hearing some more contemporary singers like Mary J Blige perform live too, the newer generation is not in the same class.

[Stunsworth]

I had a listen to her debut album "Songs of Faith". It's an astonishing album for a 14 year old, the voice is fully formed and the piano playing - I'm assuming she was playing the piano - very good too. I'm sure everyone involved thought she was going to be a star.

[Conchis]

I had a listen to her debut album "Songs of Faith". It's an astonishing album for a 14 year old, the voice is fully formed and the piano playing - I'm assuming she was playing the piano - very good too. I'm sure everyone involved thought she was going to be a star.

It took over ten years to make her a star. Her first label - Columbia - didn't know what to do with her, how to record her, or how to market her.

[cloughie]

Got to say that I don't know much about Aretha Franklin but am intrigued by Bluesnik's comments about her relationship with jazz. What little I have heard of her music does make me think that her earlier stuff had a jazz influence whereas this became increasingly less prevalent in her later work. The whole relationship between jazz and soul is usually shrugged off as being part of the heritage from gospel music without really taking into account how gospel music have itself evolved to take on the influence of popular music. What is strange is to listen to the Billy Taylor trio track on JRR on "Listen again" and realise there is not a great deal of difference between this and the Franklin track from the Steve Allen show posted above.

I must admit that I don't mind her music and feel the same about it as I do so much of the 1960's / Motown classics. The music seems far more musical than what passes for pop music these days and far more authentic and organic too. There was a sniffy reference to "stock arrangements" on this thread whereas I think that a degree of credit needs to be given to the arrangers producing the charts for the strings in these types of arrangements. Certainly, if you compare soul from the 1960s with what was produced by the "British Wave" bands of the same decade, the American groups seem far more musically savvy. I don't just think that their music was musically "better" but also produced by musicians who were technically more accomplished too. I would have to say that I don't think that Franklin was at all unique having seen singers like Roberta Flack and Chaka Khan perform live too, the whole oeuvre needs praising. In addition, I would add too that hearing some more contemporary singers like Mary J Blige perform live too, the newer generation is not in the same class.

I think that Franklin, Flack and Khan were better musicians than many today, they sang better songs, with better tunes and lyrics that told a story with better diction and were surronded by better musicians. Today there is too much reliance on self-penned, often not very good, sysnthesisers and studio gismos and gimmicks. I do, however, think that Aretha’s post Atlantic career lacked musical direction and management. Maybe I do her a disservice in saying this as there may have been other things happening in her life which put music in the background, but her musical achievements do seem rather disappointing compared to her talents.

[Serial_Apologist]

I think that Franklin, Flack and Khan were better musicians than many today, they sang better songs, with better tunes and lyrics that told a story with better diction and were surronded by better musicians. Today there is too much reliance on self-penned, often not very good, sysnthesisers and studio gismos and gimmicks. I do, however, think that Aretha’s post Atlantic career lacked musical direction and management. Maybe I do her a disservice in saying this as there may have been other things happening in her life which put music in the background, but her musical achievements do seem rather disappointing compared to her talents.

I literally cannot STAND whatever the device now used across pop genres is that appears to trip up words as they are being sung, rather akin to the effect of the tongue being randomly flicked across the lips, and which has now become a cliché. Was Herbie Hancock culpable as being the originator with his Vocoder treatment of his own singing in "I Thought There Was You" (1977)? I don't think Aretha would have ever resorted to using it.

[johncorrigan]

Max Reinhart started last evening's 'Late Junction' with 'Mary Don't you Weep' from Aretha's 1972 'Amazing Grace', where she returned to church to record a gospel record backed by the Southern California Community Choir. Apparently there is film footage of this concert that was never released. Would be great to see it...wonderful singing throughout this record.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIX6btGIn8w

[BBMmk2]

The dreaded C has claimed another. I attended my keyboard jamming partner's funeral last Friday. He passed away with cancer. I just wonder myself! RIP Aretha

[Serial_Apologist]

The dreaded C has claimed another. I attended my keyboard jamming partner's funeral last Friday. He passed away with cancer. I just wonder myself! RIP Aretha

Same around here this year, Bbm. At this rate we'll end up as the oldest duffers in town!

[Quarky]

My first exposure to Aretha was in the late 60's when I was going through a difficult period at Birmingham University. At the time I was heavily into Jazz, but "Say a Little Prayer" would raise my spirits sky high. God bless, Aretha.

But it never occurred to me to perform an analytical dissection as to which category I would put her music. She was part of the great Afro-American contribution to music, which for me put most of the British contribution of that period into the shade - and still does.