VOCAL FEATURES OF SOUL MUSIC
Soulful/expressive/powerful/virtuosic vocals
Aggressively delivered vocals
vocal screams
Vocal slides (1)
Gospel style vocals (1)
INSTRUMENTAL FEATURES OF SOUL MUSIC
Use of horn section (not brass)
RHYTHMIC FEATURES OF SOUL MUSIC
Syncopation
Rhythmic stabs
STYLISTIC FEATURES OF SOUL MUSIC
Driving rhythm/strong rhythm section
Harmonic FEATURES OF SOUL MUSIC
Blue notes/scale (1)
INFLUENCES OF SOUL
Combination of elements of Gospel, R‘n’B (not Blues)
Use of vocal improvisation and call and response
POLITICAL INFLUENCES OF SOUL
White people’s growing acceptance of black music helped to make
soul popular
Its association with the civil rights movement helped it to move
from purely love songs to incorporate more socially aware lyrical
conten
EIGHT MALE SOUL ARTISTS
James Brown
(Early) Ray Charles
Booker T & the MGs
Otis Redding
Smokey Robinson
Marvin Gaye
Stevie Wonder
Wilson Pickett
THREE FEMALE SOUL ARTISTS
Diana Ross / The Supremes
Dusty Springfield
Aretha Franklin
MAIN STYLES/PRODUCERS/LABLES
Stax (MEMPHIS)
Atlantic
Phil Spector
Motown (Detroit)