SOUL SURVIVOR
Raphael Saadiq continued
Photo courtesy of Columbia
Published: September 3, 2008
Indeed, it was a vacation to Costa Rica and the Bahamas that initially laid the disc’s creative seeds. The vocal scratches added to “Sure Hope You Mean It” or the familiar bass line and doo-wop harmonies of “Keep Marching” were all crafted to have the lasting impact of the traditional R&B tunes he overheard folks listening to on the beaches.
“It wasn’t that I was trying to do Motown or any one particular thing. It was more like I seen a void, and I knew I could move people. Like, if you hear something that make you switch a little bit, twitch a little bit,” he explained. “I mean, imagine hearing “My Girl” for the first time. I’m not saying that I give people that feeling, but I wanna get as close to it as I can. Make them feel like, if you missed it, you could have one more go at it.”
Four months later, the album was done. Saadiq played all the instruments save for a few key contributions from others, including Jack Ashford of the legendary Funk Brothers and Stevie Wonder. He didn’t have to venture too far for inspiration, though. “It’s in me. I dream that stuff. I don’t have to go listen to it. I would’ve been with them if I was there. I was just born too late.”
Similar to tracks that fueled the civil rights movement like “People Get Ready” or “A Change Is Gonna Come,” The Way can’t help but draw from today’s political climate as well. “It’s a recession, you know. I always knew when it was bad times people would reach out and listen to you a little harder than they would probably in the 80s. They’ll lend an ear to you right now.”
Back in Cedar Lake studios, Raphael has more than our attention. Having just finished the bilingual ballad “Callin’,” he segues into more familiar lyrics: “I haven’t seen ya face in a year / I can’t wait til I get there..." The audience’s earlier hand jives and Temptations-like choreography clearly were born more from repeats of The Five Heartbeats than actual experiences. This is what the 30-somethings tonight really remember -- high-top fades, Hammer pants, Cross Colours, and New Jack City -- and everyone is ready to dance like it’s 1991. Unfortunately, the logistics of a TV taping won’t allow for standing without ruining camera shots, so we settle for singing along to the staples like “It Never Rains in Southern California,” “Anniversary,” and “Feels Good” from our seats.
Tony! Toni! Tone! did a reunion tour in ’07 and is rumored to be recording new material with original members Dwayne Wiggins and Timothy Christian. However, cousin Amir Khalil will provide lead vocals. Saadiq told me that, while he may still perform with his old band mates from time to time, he has no plans to rejoin permanently. Instead, he’s looking forward to his own growth as an artist and in discovering new acts for his independent label, Velma.
It’s now after 9 PM, and the crew has started to break down the equipment. After leaving the studio, I stop inside a Times Square bar and catch the last few minutes of Obama’s speech on television. The buzz from the Democratic National Convention is still high right now, but the next day, Republican opponent John McCain will up the ante with a surprise pick of Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska for running mate. As USA Today later noted, Obama must now convince voters that the once “little-known state legislator from Illinois is ready for the Oval Office.”
Raphael Saadiq must also show and prove. The Way I See It is due September 16, and while he has almost two decades of hit making behind him, I still wonder if fans are ready for this new direction. Amy Winehouse brought the 60s back with great success recently, but let’s be honest. The novelty of a white girl from the UK with an affinity for tabloid debauchery and drugs may have a lot to do with it. Even Saadiq’s adoring fans may have a hard time going back some 40 years to jukeboxes, penny loafers, and poodle skirts in an age of ringtones, Facebook, and texting. Plus, what about marketing and those crucial first week sales? They’re a cost of business that any major label act must face, right?
During our interview, I asked the singer if he had any reservations about going too far left for this project. “Nah, I never really cared. I do this for me, man,” he said while strumming his guitar. “Truth is, I been making music for myself the whole time. I didn’t know any better. Maybe if I thought a different way, I’d be trying to do what everybody else was doing. I haven’t made all the money I could because I haven’t done that, but at the same time I’ve been consistent for 20, 21 years doing what I love to do."
So, perhaps all the glass-half-empty thinking is just the focus of media critics and Soundscan-stalking naysayers. Such things obviously couldn’t be further from Saadiq’s mind. Dr. Wayne Dyer calls such confidence the power of intention. For spiritual teacher Eckhart Tolle, it’s the awakening of consciousness. For one guy from Oakland, it simply means going with your gut, making the music you want to hear, and keeping the platinum plaques at your mama’s house.
>>Get the latest music news on our blog
<<PREVIOUS 1 2
Related Features
Q-Tip: Once Again
Standing Ovation: Teddy Riley
Finding Ledisi
Is Neo-Soul a Bad Word?
|
