While this weekend’s Sharon Jones and the Dapkings shows have attracted the attention of this paper, the Washington Post’s Going Out Gurus, and NBC4’s online self-proclaimed music snob, listeners to Saturday blues and soul programming on WPFW and to quiet storm sounds on WHUR are hearing about a different soul show.  The Mother’s Day Soul Jam Saturday night at the Showplace Arena in Upper Marlboro features five classic ‘70s era soul acts–the Stylistics, Dramatics, The Manhattans, The Chi-Lites, and Cuba Gooding, Sr. & the Main Ingredient.   I have seen them all in recent years at such locations as Constitution Hall, Fort Dupont, the Showplace Arena or Carter Barron, and my fave is the Stylistics.

Only two of the current members of this Philly combo may be original members, but in recent live appearances they still brilliantly captured the original outfit’s high notes lead with backing harmony technique. Expect the current incarnation to smoothly step back and forth onstage in cleverly choreographed fashion and wow the audience with versions of  such r’n’b hits of theirs as  “Stop, Look, Listen (to Your Heart),” “Break Up to Make Up,”  and “Betcha by Golly Wow.”  Their brightly colored, matching throwback suits will help capture the past as well.  While it may not be like hearing them in 1970, seeing them live even this many years later helps add to my appreciation of what they accomplished.  Less raucous than the late ’60s feel Sharon Jones goes for, but it still sounds good.

“Mother’s Day Soul Jam” Saturday May 9 at 8 p.m. at the Showplace Arena,14900 Pennsylvania Ave, Upper Marlboro, MD

There is a whole genre’s worth of performers who draw large crowds throughout the American South (and parts of the North) and who sell a sizeable amount of music, but rarely get mainstream media press, rock website attention, or airplay on stations that program for younger folks. I’m talking Chitlin Circuit soul aka Southern Soul. As these artists occasionally draw from a related 12 bar song form, the promoter is billing the traveling festival hitting Showplace Arena, 14900 Pennsylvania Avenue, in Upper Marlboro, Maryland Friday night March the 13th at 8 as “The Blues is Alright Tour,” and locally as “The Capitol Blues Festival.” However, do not expect beer commercial style guitar heroics.

With a roster featuring Clarence Carter, Marvin Sease, Latimore, Mel Waiters, and Roy C., the focus will be on earthy lyrics about drinking, womanizing, hanging out, and memories of good ol’ days. While the artists can get raunchy, Marvin Sease does “The Candy Licker,” Mel Waiters has the “Get It On Song,” and veteran performer Clarence Carter does “Strokin,’” all of the performers also have some storytelling lyrics that work thanks to their gospel-rooted vocals and upbeat keyboard, bass and drum backing rhythms.

One of my fave albums in the genre is Mel Waiters’ 2006 Throwback Days. Waiters’ warm syllable-stretching beautifully conveys the melancholy message of the title cut, while he gets raspier on the upbeat “Friday Night Fish Fry.” I talked briefly on the phone with Waiters.

Read More “Southern Soul Concert Friday and Interview with Participant Mel Waiters” »