Image credit: Courtesy of Starship Records
Listen to 5 essential tracks from Philly native and producer Norman Connors.
Growing up in Philadelphia, like many artists, Norman Connors began exploring music at an early age. He learned how to play the drums, exposing him to jazz music in elementary school and eventually becoming a prodigy on percussion. In middle school, he met his idol Miles Davis and developed his skills further, leading him to sit in for Elvin Jones at a John Coltrane performance. After graduating from high school, Connors went on to study music at Temple University and later Julliard. Shortly after, he recorded with Archie Shepp for several years before signing with jazz label Cobblestone Records a division of Buddah Records.
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Image credit: RES music
Listen to 5 essential tracks from progressive soul and rock chanteuse Shareese Ballard, known widely as RES.
Classically-trained Philly-native RES grew up on sound stylings of Gamble and Huff, Bobby Womack and Teddy Pendergrass. After graduating from Temple University, she was a highly sought-after singer/songwriter when MCA Records signed her to a record deal.
With a kaleidoscopic sound that incorporated alternative rock, rap, reggae, trip-hop and drum n’ bass, her debut album “How I Do” was a shot heard around the world of alternative and progressive soul, quickly and demonstratively establishing RES as an artist with a distinctive voice and unique story to tell.
Philly soul was known for its funk influences and lush instrumentation, and few groups exemplified this style like The Stylistics.
Known for their soulful balladry, The Stylistics formed in 1968 from two Philadelphia groups, The Percussions and The Monarchs, after members from both bands were drafted. The remaining band members included Russell Thompkins Jr., James Smith and Airrion Love of The Monarchs and James Dunn and Herb Murrell of the Percussions.
The musicians were young, just graduating high school, and were encouraged by their English teacher to merge together and continue under a new name.
Click on the player above to hear “5 on 5: The Stylistics” and get a feel for The Stylistics’ Philly soul sound with these five essential tracks:
Image credit: Vibes New & Rare Music
Listen to 5 essential tracks from Detroit-based global deep house producer, Rick Wilhite.
Rick Wilhite has been active in the music industry for over 30 years as a producer, historian and cultural event producer. Throughout the course of his career, he has provided listeners globally with the atmospheric sounds of deep house, nu-disco and techno.
He began his journey into the music industry in the 1980s when he was a music supplier and connoisseur at Buy Rite Music, one of the country’s leading supplier of house and techno music. Now, he’s a leading influential figure of Detroit’s deep house music scene and history.