Home Engine See what "Soul" is in other dictionaries. What is soul: history and prominent representatives Modern soul performers

See what "Soul" is in other dictionaries. What is soul: history and prominent representatives Modern soul performers

What we sometimes call “music of the soul”, “singing with the heart” and described in beautiful words, American black musicians simply called “ soul"and they were absolutely right. Soulful singing and music that touches the soul - all this directly relates to soul.

So, America again. Once again, black musicians are doing something incredible. They sing about hard fate, about broken hearts, about hard work, about injustice, God and politics. At the same time, they sing like no one else, with their hearts. They perform soul. This special style appeared in the middle of the last century as a result of the fusion of jazz, rhythm and blues and spirituals - spiritual Negro chants. The first pillars of soul were Ray Charles (remember his immortal “Hit the road, Jack”) and James Brown.

But real national popularity came to this style in the 1960s. It was not by chance that I said “popular” - the music of blacks became very popular among the white population, who supported blacks in their struggle for equal rights with whites. During this period, soul stars were Aretta Franklin, Sam Cooke, James Brown, Stevie Wonder. In 1961, the style acquired its name “soul music”, and in addition to the standard translation of “soul”, the word “soul” in black slang also means “sincere”, “honest”, which best suits the definition of the style. During this decade, local soul scenes were also formed. The four main ones - Memphis, Chicago, Orleans and Detroit - differed from each other in their different sound patterns. Experiments with soul began in the mid-1960s. Phil Spector is rightfully considered the main experimenter, who created entire soul symphonies, inviting both white and black musicians to collaborate.

In the 1970s, soul briefly lost ground to funk, but the number of soul artists continued to grow. So at the peak of popularity at that time were Al Green, the Earth, Wind & Fire team, Robert “Peabo” Bryson. At the turn of the 1960s and 70s, soul made its way to Great Britain, where Beatlemania hysteria was still raging. However, numerous British subcultures of the time (skinheads, mods, teddy boys) did not succumb to the mainstream, but became seriously interested in the music of American blacks. Soul gained wider popularity in the UK a little later, in the 1980s, when masters of the musical Olympus, such as Elton John, David Bowie, Van Morrison, turned to soul in their work. Blacks jokingly called it “blue-eyed soul.” However, this kind of British soul was also a huge commercial success. By the end of the decade, soul was undergoing changes influenced by the same funk, pop music and the emerging disco. In the 1980s soul Some electronics were also added.

By the early 1990s, it became clear that soul had spawned many varieties. In addition to local scenes, experts highlight psychedelic soul, British soul, new jazz and neo-soul. In the 1990s and today, soul continues to exist, captivating the hearts of listeners with the sincerity of its performance and soulful compositions. In the 2000s, music observers began talking about another “British invasion” of the American scene. Moreover, it turned out to be not an invasion of British rock or disco, but a real soul invasion. Adele, Amy Winehouse, Joss Stone, Leona Lewis and many other performers have conquered the American (and what can we say, the world) stage, performing high-quality soul in a modern format. Sounds like soul, just like

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- (from English soul music, literally music of the soul, heart), one of the styles of American pop music, based on the musical and dance traditions of Negro folklore... Modern encyclopedia

- (English soul soul) black music associated with the blues tradition. It is characterized by an orientation towards the traditions of blues and Afro-American folklore... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

- [English] soul] music direction, style of rock music performed predominantly by people of color in the USA. Dictionary of foreign words. Komlev N.G., 2006 ... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

Noun, number of synonyms: 2 music (65) style (95) Dictionary of synonyms ASIS. V.N. Trishin. 2013… Synonym dictionary

Soul- (from English soul music, literally music of the soul, heart), one of the styles of American pop music, based on the music and dance traditions of Negro folklore. ... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary

- (from the English soul music, literally music of the soul, heart), one of the styles of American pop music, based on the musical and dance traditions of Negro folklore. * * * SOUL SOUL (from the English soul soul), a type of rhythm and blues (see RHYTHM ... ... encyclopedic Dictionary

soul- with oul, and and unism... Russian spelling dictionary

soul- u, h., music. Vocal jazz form, a variety of rhythm and blues with spiritual elements. Soul/ul jazz is a differentiated form of hard bop that mirrors elements of the blues tradition and the cult music of African American blacks. So/ul rock straight up rock music... Ukrainian Tlumach Dictionary

soul- (eng. soul soul) music. type of pop music popular in 1964, dry appearance, fashionable option, modification to izvorniot blouses, gospel music, sound and rumble... Macedonian dictionary

soul- condition... A short dictionary of anagrams

Books

  • She-Hulk Unlawful Behavior Volume 2, Soul Ch. She-Hulk, Hellcat and Giant-Man team up to save officemate Jen - but what is Hank Pym hiding? Meanwhile, She-Hulk gets a new client - Captain America! Somebody…
  • Star Wars Obi-Wan and Anakin, Soul Ch.. Their future is predetermined. But now they are just a teacher and a student, which is dangerous in itself! Before they became heroes of the Clone Wars, before their tragic battle on Mustafar and many years ago...

Music that penetrates every corner of the soul and creates a whirlwind of emotions inside. She plays about the heart, moral values ​​and inner peace. All notes add up to wonderful compositions that make you want to move, think, travel and love. That's what soul music is.

Terminology

Soul is a genre of popular African-American music that originated in the southern United States of America in the fifties. The post-war period needed some changes and innovations. The basis for this was rhythm and blues and gospel (gospel solo singing by African Americans). This style is distinguished by a strong emotional beginning and the presence of blues motifs in the melody.

In order to understand what soul is, it is necessary to understand what characteristic stylistic features the genre has:

  1. Bending is the application of a tightening in all parts of the melody to the main tone.
  2. Durty tone - sound instability and forced dynamics.
  3. Shaut is the use of shouting in singing.
  4. Off-pitch.
  5. Yodeling is an element of Tyrolean performance.
  6. Subtone - singing with a breath or strangled playing the saxophone.

A brief definition of what soul is in music - the feelings and experiences captured in the song. Why did this style arise and what do the performers want to convey? The answers should be sought in long-term history.

Historical reference

The sixties were a time when few people asked what soul was. This genre represented the most popular direction of African-American music. At that time, rhythm and blues and jazz had already been “occupied” by white people, so African Americans decided to express themselves in a new area. This style was considered their identification, their calling card.

Soul demonstrated symbolic biblical themes and current political issues in the modern world. A Change Is Gonna Come by Aretha Franklin is a vivid example of the struggle for one’s own rights and freedom. Therefore, soul was not only about music, but also about the desire to take a clear position in society and defend one’s rights.

With the activation and popularization of soul, different visions began to develop, and subsequently schools:

  • southern “Memphis” soul with virtuosic instrumental playing, pronounced rhythm and a direct connection with its predecessor - the blues. Prominent representatives Otis Reddin, Isaac Hayes, Al Green;
  • northern “Detroit” soul is a commercial version of performance aimed at black and white audiences. Among the legendary performers it is worth noting the Jackson 5, Diana Ross and others.

With the development and success of the second school, by the seventies many already knew the definition of what soul is in music. The “white” side began to work in this genre: Joe Cocker, Elton John and David Bowie. Therefore, soul was divided into “blue-eyed” (white-skinned performers) and “brown-eyed” (African-American singers).

Updated version

What is soul in an updated interpretation? Since the eighties, soul has shared the throne with funk. During this period, there is a synthesis in all sorts of variations of sensual and slow transitions with a fast and elusive rhythm.

Whitney Houston was also called the most successful soul singer at that time. They stood out thanks to their sophisticated and tender love ballads. Every sound and blow is thought out impeccably, so one gets the impression of emasculated emotionality. Michael Jackson and George Michael focused on funk, although many attribute them to the ranks of pure soul performers.

Their albums do not contain classic soul, where instead of an ideal sound there was truth and the soul was reflected. Modern soul should be called the very vague term urban (radio station broadcast format).

Quiet Storm

The next stage in the evolution of soul is the 80s - mid-90s. Quiet Storm represents American pop music that catered to a wide range of radio formats. Quiet Storm was a commercial variety of very light and catchy rhythm and blues. The direction was distinguished by its glossy sound and the absence of any “mistakes”.

Prominent performers:

  • Toni Braxton;
  • Mariah Carey;
  • Luther Vandross.

But over time, the clean notes began to give way to the aggressive beats of hip-hop. The combination of rhythmic rapping, thumping beats and classic soul gave birth to a new direction that is still popular - neo-soul.

Neosoul

The late nineties and early 2000s were characterized by a revival of interest in soul classics (especially Al Green). Pioneers on the road of neo-soul are the guys from the famous trio The Fugees. The band subtly points out the flaws and pathos of quiet storm in some of their own compositions. Alicia Keys, in turn, masterfully combined elements of hip-hop, jazz vocals and classical motifs in her albums.

Despite the passage of time, street dancers, old-school establishments and atmospheric bars return to the classics of soul to this day. Therefore, if you want to be inspired by soulful African-American music, then you should include Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, Tina Turner and Bill Withers. You can't go wrong with a playlist like this.

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