Soul, a prominent ingredient to the development of Jazz



This is one of the strongest music genre. What I mean is that Soul music can stand on its own being popular and being adapted by popular music to add spices to their style music.

It first stand on its own and later collaborate with Jazz influences to the forming of Jazz derivatives.

It was derived from gospel music and also rhythm and blues. The song has the influence of gospel quartet form back between 1940s and 1950s.

This style then is becoming benchmark to soul singers of the 1960s. Soul music itself despite of using gospel sounds it incorporates secular lyrics for popularity or just for freedom of expression.

Early composition of musical Instruments used in this genre includes guitar, bass, piano, organ, drums, horn sections, keyboards, vocals.

One of the key artist who contributed to the forming of soul music was Ray Charles. Many considered him as the inventor of the genre when he composed his 1954 single “I Got a Woman”. He admitted that his style was very much influenced by Jesse Withaker, the vocalist of Pilgrim Travelers.





A decade later Solomon Burke really put this style into a firm genre on his recordings for Atlantic Records. His intital songs include “Cry to Me,” “Just Out of Reach” and Down in the Valley”.

Artists who are later known as soul legends include Little Richard, Jackie Wilson, James Brown, and Fats Domino.

Soul music was started in the United States especially in Chicago. And the flare spreads quickly across the country. The states quickly caught the warmth of soul were New York, Detroit, Memphis and Florence.

Motown Records was the recording label which catapulted this genre into nationwide and later worldwide fame. Artists promoted by Motown were Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Marvin Gaye, the Temptations, and the Supremes. Motown was so significant and people started to identify it as a music brand.





Entering the1970s the soul of soul music is enriched by other style of music such as the psychedelic rock and many others. Lyrics of the songs were also becoming sharper with comment on social and politic issues.

In those days James Brown took the lead to squeeze the juice of soul and mixed it with a sip of Funk. The 70s were full with energy. Disco was the main theme of all the clubs. Soul was going a different way.

Soul music still heats up the temperature but with a different atmosphere. Calmer and slower but still with that certain identity which later influences soft rock and adult contemporary.

We can say that entering the 80s there were a much technology involved. Electro music was very influential. The edges of soul are not dull but its more slick. A newborn style emerged, the contemporary R&B. It is quite different with the initial rhythm and blues when it was first created.

Entering the 1990s and the 2000s soul has become the ingredient of the popular hip hop.





I can't resist but to just upload this one video. Look at how one classic soul music has capture the heart of the world.