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Solomon Burke
tourdates
official Web site
articles/contests
Track List:
1. Don't Give Up On Me
2. Fast Train
3. Diamond In Your Mind
4. Flesh And Blood
5. Soul Searchin'
6. Only A Dream
7. The Judgment
8. Stepchild
9. The Other Side Of The Coin
10. None Of Us Are Free
11. Sit This One Out
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Solomon Burke - Don't Give Up On Me
(Fat Possum)
By Lou Friedman
Remember Atlantic Records back in the '60s? It was the heyday of soul, with such stars as Wilson Pickett and Aretha Franklin leading the charge, as well as blue-eyed soulsters the Young Rascals. Even one-hit wonders like Arthur Conley ("Sweet Soul Music"), Clarence Carter ("Patches"), and Archie Bell and the Drells ("Tighten Up") helped Atlantic keep Stax and Motown from monopolizing the genre. Almost lost in that mix is one of the most underrated soul singers ever to grace Atlantic's roster—Solomon Burke. Burke, now 62, signed with Atlantic in 1960 and put out several classics during that time, including "Cry To Me" (which appears on 1987's Dirty Dancing soundtrack) and "Everybody Needs Somebody To Love," both of which were later covered by the Rolling Stones. A 2001 inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and dubbed "The Wonderboy Preacher," Burke has earned the respect of his musical peers, even though he has never scored a Top 20 hit in his career. Like Franklin and Pickett, Burke got his start singing gospel music (he hosted a gospel radio show when he was just nine years old). The Preacher's latest release—and first for Oxford, Mississippi, blues label Fat Possum—is called Don't Give Up On Me. From the looks of things, several prominent people in the music world haven't given up on the singer. A notable and diverse list of songwriters that includes Elvis Costello, Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, Brian Wilson, Nick Lowe, Joe Henry, and Tom Waits all contributed songs to this powerful CD, which rides on the strength of Burke's smooth, vibrant, emotive voice.
Recorded in just four days, Don't Give Up On Me marks the first time Burke has gone in the studio and sang naturally live since the '50s. Even though Burke puts his rich vocal stamp on each song, part of the beauty of this collection is the way each star writer adds his own signature through both lyrics and musical arrangement. Prime example: listen to "Diamond In Your Mind," one of the best songs on the disc. Substitute Tom Waits' voice for Burke's, and one can easily see that it's a Waits composition. The same goes for Elvis Costello's dramatic "The Judgment," which becomes even more remarkable on the wings of Burke's emotion-laden baritone. Ever the professional, Burke adds a world of feeling to each track without histrionics or taking over the song. The other outstanding cut in this grouping is the Barry Mann/Cynthia Weil-penned "None Of Us Are Free," which features guest vocalists The Blind Boys of Alabama. There's nothing quite like Burke, Clarence Fountain, Jimmy Carter, and George Scott sharing a microphone, and their stirring gospel-tinged performance also benefits from a powerfully spiritual message: if one person is in chains, nobody is truly free. Every song on Don't Give Up On Me is well done, from Dylan's "Stepchild" to Morrison's pair of contributions, "Fast Train" and "Only A Dream." Lowe also adds a wonderful "The Other Side Of The Coin" to the mix, while former Beach Boy Wilson chips in with the poignant "Soul Searching." The title song strongly evokes memories of vintage Atlantic soul; in fact, it's not hard to picture Burke doing something like this more than 40 years ago.
Among musicians and die-hard fans of the genre, Solomon Burke is as much a part of the '60s soul landscape as bigger names like Pickett and Franklin. Why Burke got lost in the mix over the years is a question that doesn't appear to have a logical answer. Thankfully, one of the finest soul singers ever to grace planet Earth has returned with his strongest overall body of work in nearly four decades. Don't Give Up On Me? Not a chance.
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