Pages tagged “solomon burke”

With his last several albums—from 2002’s soulful Don’t Give Up On Me to the rocked-up Make Do With What You Got and 2006’s countrified Nashville—Solomon Burke has helped secure his legend, proving himself as a relevant artist, even into his late 60s. The King of Rock and Soul’s brand-new record, Like A Fire, features the songs and playing of Eric Clapton, Keb’ Mo’, and a pair of Burke’s younger admirers, Ben Harper and Jesse Harris. The laidback, stripped-down record deals with the complex issues the world faces today in the only way former preacher Burke knows how—with thoughtfulness, humor, grace, love and the soulful power of his versatile voice. Paste recently had a chance to speak with this legendary artist, who was at home in L.A.

Since 1984, when Jeff Lynne, Paul McCartney and Dave Edmunds helped The Everly Brothers launch their comeback with the album EB ’84, a certain kind of record has been a fixture on the pop landscape. The formula is familiar: An older performer tries to get back on the charts by relying on younger admirers to contribute singing, picking, songwriting and—most importantly—celebrity to a project. The result is not exactly a tribute album, since the artists being honored are lead vocalists on every cut. Let’s just call it a “tributee album.”

When legendary artists like B.B. King or James Brown grow old and start resting on their laurels, it’s easy to forgive them. After all, they’ve long since earned the right to sit back, enjoy life and let the new kids pick up the slack. But, even at 64 years old, Solomon Burke refuses to go through the motions.

The sound here is nothing new, but on Make Do With What You Got—the follow-up to Burke’s subdued 2002 masterpiece Don’t Give Up On Me—he does just that, using his roof-raising, gospel-tinged belting to make classic ’60s- and- ’70s-style soul seem right at home in the information age. Aided by producer Don Was, and a supporting cast of studio cats who’ve backed everyone from Ray Charles and Marvin Gaye to Elvis Presley and Willie Nelson, Burke turns out a big-sounding record that plays like a Stax Revue. Even ’80s R&B icon Ray Parker, Jr., drops in on the action, lending some tasteful guitar fills, and believe you me, this ain’t no “Ghostbusters.”

From the Keith Richards rhythm guitar and “Angel of Harlem” horn section on “I Need Your Love In My Life” to the Sunday-morning rendition of Hank Williams’ “Wealth Won’t Save Your Soul,” Burke cranks up the volume. And the album’s song selection is nearly as impeccable as its predecessor. With moving takes on The Band, Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, Van Morrison and Dr. John, Burke further cements his reputation as one of the greatest living song interpreters in American music.

The singer rose to prominence during Atlantic Records’ soul-stirring ’60s heyday, albeit in the shadow of folks like Aretha Franklin and Otis Redding. Though Burke had plenty of R&B hits, he never had the crossover success of his contemporaries, but that didn’t stop him from influencing ’60s rockers like the Stones. Early on, Mick, Keith and company covered two Burke tunes—“Everybody Needs Somebody To Love” and “Cry To Me.”

Now, with Burke’s cover of the Sticky Fingers gem “I Got The Blues,” his connection to the Stones comes full circle. With sweltering Hammond organ, bursting horns and steady-as-she-goes guitar picking, the former child preacher rides a slow-cresting sonic wave to the song’s gospel-choir chorus. The music builds to a rave-up crescendo and Burke starts screaming sermon-like ad-libs from his pulpit of heartache—“I got the blues for you! I won’t tell ya! Look what you doing to me baby! I cut off all my hair! I don’t know which way to turn! I can’t watch TV! I can’t watch The Late Show! Find myself three o’clock in the morning cryin’! Baby, you somewhere watching the Rolling Stones! I’m laying here in this bed of blues all alone!”

With all the soul-music luminaries who’ve passed on, fallen from grace or faded into obscurity, Burke is now the genre’s torchbearer, and Make Do With What You Got is proof he still has the mojo to deliver the goods.

When critics began raving about Burke’s comeback album, more than a few fools in the crowd asked "Solomon who?" But without Burke there would be no soul music–he was a preacher and Gospel singer before he crossed over to the secular stage, and his early sides for Atlantic Records were as influential as those of Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin in establishing the genre. He was a major influence on Mick Jagger’s vocal style, and The Stones performed and recorded many of his hits including "Cry to Me" and "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love," which is nothing short of a sexualized Baptist church service. He was also one of the first soul singers to cut country tunes, years before the Ray Charles hit "Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music." Some may think soul music obsolete, but it’s remained vital in the south for decades, and as Burke’s return proves, soul music will never sound dated as long as hearts love and break. When producer Joe Henry told people he was working with Burke, songwriters lined up to give the man good material, resulting in this stunning collection. Burke’s vocal power is undiminished, and he still performs with a trademark restraint that takes every emotion to a deeper physical and higher spiritual level. His years in the church give Tom Waits’ "Diamond in Your Mind," Brian Wilson’s "Soul Searchin’," Van Morrison’s "Only A Dream" and Bob Dylan’s "Stepchild" a consecrated power that’s been missing in popular music for a long time.

See the rest of our 20 Signs of Life in 2002.