Prom 65 - 1.09.17: Stax Records: 50 Years of Soul

**DracoM** · 02-09-17, 10:24

In a club, in a danceable venue this would have been sweatily, tinselly electrifying, but cleaned-up gentrification like this just demeans / devalues the music.
Yes, it was brilliantly played - all that. But this is just the wrong venue and the wrong sequence of concerts to be included into.

**Stanfordian** · 02-09-17, 11:50

Originally posted by DracoM View Post

Watched the telly version for a bit.
Frankly embarrassing and way, way out of its comfort zone. RAH is not the right venue and sure as heck the Proms not the right umbrella. Jules Holland must be short of a bob or two to allow himself to be part of a demeaning potpourri like this.

Love Stax! Can't stand Jules Holland! So I don't know if to listen or not?

**Stanfordian** · 02-09-17, 12:02

Originally posted by DracoM View Post

In a club, in a danceable venue this would have been sweatily, tinselly electrifying, but cleaned-up gentrification like this just demeans / devalues the music.
Yes, it was brilliantly played - all that. But this is just the wrong venue and the wrong sequence of concerts to be included into.

Certainly Stax music does not have to be played in a club, even if I might prefer it to be. Don't forget that in 1972 a massive outdoor venue the Los Angeles Coliseum was successfully used by Stax label performers for the 'Wattstax' concert. At the start of play some 112,000 were in the audiance that day.

**Constantbee** · 02-09-17, 13:09

If the England hadn't already sent you to sleep, this certainly would have

It's DANCE music. Think youth club disco. Gotta move. Gets you points on your activity monitor

Buckley would have done it better. Holland's a studio bloke. He's talking to a camera. Not so good with a live audience.

Sounds like a terrible night all round, actually.

**Conchis** · 02-09-17, 13:57

I happened on this by accident and thought it was great! :)

No problems with the RAH - yes, it's a seated venue (and so, not ideal for this type of music) but non-classical gigs have been a mainstay of the place for a very long time.

Very moving to see so many of the surviving Stax pioneers up there, looking good and as nattily dressed as ever.

I'm not keen on Holland, either, but he was relatively unobtrusive.

**teamsaint** · 02-09-17, 14:28

Originally posted by Conchis View Post

I happened on this by accident and thought it was great! :)

No problems with the RAH - yes, it's a seated venue (and so, not ideal for this type of music) but non-classical gigs have been a mainstay of the place for a very long time.

Very moving to see so many of the surviving Stax pioneers up there, looking good and as nattily dressed as ever.

I'm not keen on Holland, either, but he was relatively unobtrusive.

Eh ?
Last time I was there, there was a great big standing area right in front of the stage.......

**Conchis** · 02-09-17, 14:30

Originally posted by teamsaint View Post

Eh ?
Last time I was there, there was a great big standing area right in front of the stage.......

It looked like an all-seated gig to me, including the Arena. No Prommers , though I'm happy to be corrected

**teamsaint** · 02-09-17, 14:31

Originally posted by Conchis View Post

It looked like an all-seated gig to me, including the Arena. No Prommers , though I'm happy to be corrected

Oh really.
Apologies if that was the case.
But if so, why on earth? The usual proms arrangement is perfect for this type of event, I would have thought.

**cloughie** · 02-09-17, 17:29

Originally posted by Conchis View Post

I happened on this by accident and thought it was great! :)

No problems with the RAH - yes, it's a seated venue (and so, not ideal for this type of music) but non-classical gigs have been a mainstay of the place for a very long time.

Very moving to see so many of the surviving Stax pioneers up there, looking good and as nattily dressed as ever.

I'm not keen on Holland, either, but he was relatively unobtrusive.

Whatever you may think of him, he is a good musician and can adapt the sound of his band to what is required and last night it was a good sounding soul combo, well aided by half the MGs and backing singers.

**Eine Alpensinfonie** · 02-09-17, 17:53

Originally posted by Conchis View Post

It looked like an all-seated gig to me, including the Arena. No Prommers , though I'm happy to be corrected

I wasn't there, of course, but this seems unlikely. It was the second Prom of the evening, and it would take several hours and many screwdrivers to it back the seating.

**Stanfordian** · 02-09-17, 18:31

KD is reviewing the Stax Prom on the 'Proms Extra' programme on BBC 2 TV. I can only stand a minute or two of her so I've decided to watch a more uplifting programme 'Can't Pay? We'll Take it Away!' on Channel 5.

**jonfan** · 02-09-17, 20:26

Originally posted by Stanfordian View Post

JD is reviewing the Stax Prom on the 'Proms Extra' programme on BBC 2 TV. I can only stand a minute or two of her so I've decided to watch a more uplifting programme 'Can't Pay? We'll Take it Away!' on Channel 5.

No idea who 'JD' is but 'Proms Extra' have been excellent this year, done live as well. KD is in her element here and brings out the best in her guests which results in some interesting exchanges. DON is a national treasure and should be preserved at all costs.

**Lat-Literal** · 02-09-17, 23:18

In the end, I had mixed feelings about this one. All the old Stax stars were very good - some surprisingly - although Booker T and Cropper were bound to have been reliable and as ageless as it is possible to be. Next, the Jools Holland stalwarts, British, and almost a part of his own band so frequently are they associated with him - Beverley Knight, 44, Ruby Turner, 59 and Tom Jones, 77. Now Jones - who was advised today on doctor's orders to postpone an American tour so he did well in the circumstances - has never been my cup of tea. I can, though, see why he features in anything requiring a soul voice because he could claim in his own way to have one. It doesn't work convincingly for me but it isn't wholly out of place.

Turner fits better and is to be respected for the way in which she has persistently pursued a non-trendy course not so far removed from last night's content. A strong voice. Have never been sure whether it is a really great voice but beggars can't be choosers. As for Knight, I think I would make similar comments although she is arguably more versatile and can even be contemporary. Not so keen on her modern material myself but I fully appreciate the need for it to maintain relevance plus she is the consummate professional. I do have time for her.

Now the ages of them. These too are relevant because I think one has to question what is taking place here. Is the combination of all these people just an idea for the night or were we supposed to be thinking about taking the music on in a live setting once the Stax stars themselves have gone? If so, that will not be Jones and nor in the longer term will it be Turner. So on that basis what one got was a glimpse of the future in which Stax live would be Knight and - we can probably dismiss the two very young people who didn't immediately suggest longevity - James Morrison who at 33 was good enough in the sense of pastiche. I doubt that as a prospect is exciting enough. Who else? James Hunter? More a Sam Cooke, I think.

And, actually, not exciting enough is possibly how I felt about the Prom. It was reasonably lively but lacked a bit of zest. It was good but it wasn't great. It was also very much in the Holland style which is not in my opinion a plus point. The biggest plus with him is that nobody else would be pulling such a thing together. Would I have preferred to have heard only the Stax people? At this stage, I think the answer is yes. The Knights and the Morrisons can do another in fifteen years. Booker T would then have drawn on his more contemporary output. That would have meant some modern hip hoppy stuff in places and elsewhere perhaps the ultra smooth. Mainly - although not exclusively - that additional stuff would not have been to my own personal taste but it would have drawn a wider, younger, audience. And I can more than cope with, say, this one from 2011 - in fact, I reckon it is a bit of a modern classic:

Booker T Jones - Representing Memphis - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMvyQkwUkWo

**Globaltruth** · 03-09-17, 06:57

Comments on this thread about classical music vs, erm, non-classical prompt me to suggest that the Proms could perhaps feature classical music from other cultures

This would address some of the contentious issues in the Chineke! thread too.

Has this happened in the past? I'm sure you'll tell me...

**Eine Alpensinfonie** · 03-09-17, 08:25

Originally posted by Globaltruth View Post

Comments on this thread about classical music vs, erm, non-classical prompt me to suggest that the Proms could perhaps feature classical music from other cultures

This would address some of the contentious issues in the Chineke! thread too.

Has this happened in the past? I'm sure you'll tell me...

Well, we've already had Indian classical music, but I agree that there's much more we should hear.