BBC Orchestra goes Northern Soul ...

[jsmith]

A big proms concert in London last night. 2hrs+ of northern soul from the BBC Orchestra + guest singers ...
It's up on BBC iPlayer but I don't think those outside the UK can access the recording.

[jsmith]

Frank Wilson's "Do I Love You" was performed but there almost as many non-Motown Detroit tracks as Motown ones done in the show.
They did do Edwin, R Dean as well as the Frank Wilson though.
If you're on Facebook go to the BBC orchestra's page ... https://www.facebook.com/bbcconcertorchestra
... to see clips from ahead of & during the show. More clips will be posted up there later on.

[jsmith]

It was only on radio last night but will be televised by the BBC on August 26th or 28th.

[snakepit]

I listened to show last night...live...and really enjoyed it.excellent work all round...especially the Drifter and Jimmy Beuamont

[jsmith]

To follow the NS prom , the BBC are doing a Jazz Prom ...

[BritishTony]

Anyone any idea when it will be on television? Some rumours of 28^th July?

[jack020]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001nnsq

[55Motown]

Very slick and lovely to see/hear further recognition of these songs/genres.

Of course I always find something to comment on, for example on the original 'Time Will Pass You By' there is a backing vocal that is 'don't let it happen baby' which is around one minute in and sung a number of times each chorus pass. On the BBC version the instruments play that melody, but the vocals resort to la la la's probably because they could not make those lyrics out. I know it is extremely hard to hear on the original....but..UK soul singer Diane Shaw got it right :-) And that's probably because we both had a conversation about that lyric after extensive research a few years ago as she wished to perform it. And, in my opinion, she should have performed a few of those songs without a doubt at the BBC gig:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OawkR5W8-2E

Also on The Trammps, 'Hold Back The Night', they missed off the Norman Harris 'Wes Montgomery' guitar octaves. Why is that important? If you know the early 70s Philly sound they are prevalent in many of the songs like 'Hold Back The Night'. Listen to this Philly cut by The Ethics from 1969 called 'Standing In The Darkness' where that guitar octave is played in the chorus:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRZ0udunbac


Nevertheless, really good. I need to listen more in detail. Thank you for posting jsmith.

[jsmith]

Dancing to Edwin's song ..
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/dTy3CCe8vJs

[jsmith]

More Motown ...
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/9V3wlQB8dB4

[Boogiedown]

Northern Soul though?

[jsmith]

BoogieDown, NS really came to the fore around 1972/73/74 with the advent of allnighters @ Wigan Casino and normal sessions at Wigan's main rival, Blackpool Mecca.
While Wigan stuck with tracks that had a 60's Motown beat before going off to also play numerous pop tracks that had a dance beat ... Blackpool Mecca soon progressed beyond the 60's Motown sounding stuff. They didn't go with pop stuff but picked up new 70's soul dance tracks that became massive on the NS scene. I could quote the titles / artists on dozens of these but won't. Needless to say, one of the biggest of these tracks was "Hold Back The Night" [[just in passing, another was the Trammps insto track "Scrub Board" ... which might just be related to HBTN).

[jsmith]

In 1974, this jazz funk number was a massive NS track ... lots of stuff then was what was termed 100mph stuff [[very fast) ... and this certainly fits that bill ..

[Boogiedown]

BoogieDown, NS really came to the fore around 1972/73/74 with the advent of allnighters @ Wigan Casino and normal sessions at Wigan's main rival, Blackpool Mecca.
While Wigan stuck with tracks that had a 60's Motown beat before going off to also play numerous pop tracks that had a dance beat ... Blackpool Mecca soon progressed beyond the 60's Motown sounding stuff. They didn't go with pop stuff but picked up new 70's soul dance tracks that became massive on the NS scene. I could quote the titles / artists on dozens of these but won't. Needless to say, one of the biggest of these tracks was "Hold Back The Night" [[just in passing, another was the Trammps insto track "Scrub Board" ... which might just be related to HBTN).

OK as an extension of Northern Soul then. I'd say the real deal was played out by 1974 and that's when Ian Levine & Colin Curtis were demonized by the core crowd for venturing into modern territory trying to freshen it up. I'm guessing HOLD BACK was one of theirs .....

[Sotosound]

Needless to say, one of the biggest of these tracks was "Hold Back The Night" [[just in passing, another was the Trammps insto track "Scrub Board" ... which might just be related to HBTN).

Ever so slightly ....

[55Motown]

And on the same album 'Soul Recession' by Double Exposure, written by Bobby Eli, myself and Chiquita Green. Big thanks to Ian Dewhirst in the UK for allowing this on the album. This is the official album release with a number of mixes, prior to the 'Philly Re grooved' one. Nothing like Northern Soul, but features a few of the Philly writers/producers/musicians such as Bobby Eli, Earl Young, Rikki Hicks, Jimmie Williams, T G Conway, Dennis Harris:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...2Yoq4sDaajuTLw

[jsmith]

When the stick-in-the-muds objected to newer recordings being called NS, the more enlightened DJ's / folk just rebranded it MS [[Modern Soul) and kept playing it / dancing to it.
By the time Wigan ended & Rotherham Clifton Hall was the top niter venue, rooms would play both styles to full dancefloors. You'd get obscure newies -- such as Otis Clay "The Only Way Is Up", Jan Jones "Independent Woman", Brotherly Love "Whole Lotta You In Me", Jewel "Paradise" [[EW&F soundalike) played alongside LVD's "Never Too Much", Corey Blake's "How Can I Go On Without You", LTD's "Love Magic", Barrett Strong's "Man Up In The Sky" & Peabo Bryson's "Why Don't You Make Up Your Mind". GREAT TIMES, GREAT RECORDS.

[Boogiedown]

When the stick-in-the-muds objected to newer recordings being called NS, the more enlightened DJ's / folk just rebranded it MS [[Modern Soul) and kept playing it / dancing to it. ]

Well their objections were legit wouldn't you agree? A rebranding yes , as in coming up with a more accurate terminology for the added music that was now being included.


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added: I'm now scattered listening ....what a great presentation ....will next give it a decent thorough listening.

jsmith what do you think of the selections??


https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001nnsq

[jsmith]

This show is on the telly in 3 weeks time [[in the UK) ...
. . . wot did I think of the show; the musicians / singers / audience were great. Me, I'm from a different era [[not Wigan Casino) so I'd have picked different songs ... "That's Enough", "Hooked By Love", "Candy", "Knock On Wood", "Humphrey Stomp", "There's Nothing To Say", "Fife Piper", etc.

[jsmith]

Now on Youtube in full ...
NS dancing explained @ 48 mins in, ex Ikette PP Arnold [[in person) after 49 mins & some pre-Maze Frankie Beverly just after 50 mins ... GREAT STUFF THROUGHOUT ...

[soulwally]

Now on Youtube in full ...
NS dancing explained @ 48 mins in, ex Ikette PP Arnold [[in person) after 49 mins & some pre-Maze Frankie Beverly just after 50 mins ... GREAT STUFF THROUGHOUT ...

It really was enjoyable. The musicians were great, obviously true pros.

[jsmith]

"You're Gonna Love My Baby" -- a Motown great -- comes up @ 39 mins in.
The female taking Barbara McNair's part does really well too. The orchestration is wonderful too.

[144man]

I thoroughly enjoyed the show. Not sure if it's still on BBC iplayer.