Legendary soul music stars as well as hip-hop artists will come to Duke this spring for a series of performances that connect the past, present and future of soul.
Duke Performances' two-month-long series, called "Soul Power: From Gospel to the Godfather," will feature Solomon Burke and the Dixie Hummingbirds; Mavis Staples and The Blind Boys of Alabama; and DJ Spooky and King Britt. Tickets are available at the University Box Office.
"The series looks at soul music's roots in gospel, its most exemplary current manifestations and its impact on hip-hop and DJ culture and music," says Aaron Greenwald, director of Duke Performances. "It definitely looks at how gospel artists and music took a turn into soul music and explores what that is as a broad, national musical style."
The thematic series begins with a performance Jan. 19 of four masters of the soul jazz genre: Dr. Lonnie Smith on the B3 organ; David "Fathead" Newman, saxophonist, flutist and longtime member of Ray Charles' band; alto saxophonist and Badin, N.C., native Lou Donaldson; and Houston Person, tenor saxophonist.
"These are four of the folks living who are the most influential exponents of a style of music known as soul jazz," Greenwald says. "We've been calling it the Soul Jazz Summit."
Soul moves into the future Jan. 26, when DJ King Britt's Sylk 130 Collective premieres a piece called "A History of Philadelphia Soul." Britt will perform with a full band and three vocalists, weaving the soul history of his hometown throughout the concert.
The series continues in February with five performances from artists ranging from the legendary Solomon Burke to the conceptual artist DJ Spooky.
"It's like looking backward and also looking forward," Greenwald says. "How do you make this music, but how do you not parrot, but create something new from it?"