Soul...makes food taste better

In my opinion the best music to cook to is funky 60's soul. Maybe the ass shaking it produces helps you to stir more efficiently? Or the certain vibrations that a funky soul rhythm creates, can pass through food making it taste better as it goes. Here is recipe for another of my soundtracks for you to try:

1.Betty Harris-Break in the road. Some call Betty the Soul Queen of New Orleans. I love this track it just has this really great base line to it, and some nice drum work.

2.Earl Gaines-You are my sunshine. This is an interesting version of this song, I got this from a really quirky compilation called 'dirty laundry', it's a soul/country compilation. I always find it interesting when genres merge. I'd have to say this is far more soul orientated than country though.

3.Dr John - Gris Gris Gumbo. I love Dr John, he's just trippy and funky and well lets face it ...weird! He is predominantly a pianist, as well as vocalist and song writer. One album of his that I have has a picture of his hands, which are all bent, and bowed, which is amazing considering his talent in 'tickling the ivories'. This is one of those New Orleans, vodoo tinged tracks. The words make no sense and I'm sure it was written while he was totally off his face. Probably been licking too many toads or something! I have to quote some of the cover notes from this album they are just soo odd! 'My group consists of Dr. Poo Pah Doo of Destine Tamborine and Dr Ditmus of Conga. Dr. Boudreaux of funky knuckle skins....Zombie of the second line under the eight versions of professor longhair reincannated the chants of now'. I want what he's having, pass the toad!

4.Eddie Bo - The Thang. This has really odd off beat drumming to it, almost the kind of thing you'd hear in modern dance music. Again the bass line is really strong, and it's just down right funky.

5.Minnie Ripperton - Les Fleur. The first time I heard this track was about 6 years ago at Vibes on a Summers day being played by Norman Jay. It was THE best thing I had heard all day. The amazing thing is it stands on it's own, he didn't add a single note to it, just played it in it's natural entierty. The middle has this big (in the sense of the size of the noise) choral bit, almost like something out of Jesus Christ Super Star, then it goes back to Minnie's lovely sweet voice. Love it!

6. Aretha Franklin - The house that Jack built. Aretha is up there in my top 10, she really is THE Queen of Soul! I think this track was used in a Levis jeans advert back in the early ninties. In most music I find the instramental part carries the singer. Not so for Ms. Franklin, she dominates the track everytime. The way she bends and wavers notes, she makes a song truly hers every time. When Aretha first tried to unleash her talent on the world she got knocked back due to her large size and average looks, but her amazing talent won critics over. I think if I had one wish it would be to be able to sing like Aretha. She gives me shivers!

7.Al Green- Simply Beautiful. For a good soul love song you really can't go past Al Green. For someone who sings these beautiful songs with such delicate, tender intensity, it is a shock to find out he was actually a wife basher.

8.Ray Charles - Hallelujah I love her so. What a talent for a blind boy from very humble beginnings! Not only does he play the piano and sing, he also writes his own songs! Ray Charles was the first musician to mix Gospel with R&B. It was seen to be very taboo at the time, mixing 'God's music' with R&B which was considered 'sinful' music about relations between men and women. This is another song which has been used in an ad, nescafe I think it was, but it was a long time ago now. It still make me wanna go get a coffee!

9.Irma Thomas - Don't mess with my man. I just love the words to this song 'you can have my husband, but please don't mess with my man'. She sings about her husband only buying her beans and rice, but her man buys her steak. It's a great track instramentally with some prime sounding horns, but it just makes me smile everytime I listen to the words.

10.Carla Thomas - B.A.B.Y. There are two main record lables when it comes to soul, Motown and Atlantis. Carla was one of the 'jewels' in the Atlantic Records crown until moving to lesser known Stax. She had most of her hits in the 60's including duets with Otis Redding. This is a sweet little track with some understated bass lines and nice vocals.

11. Sam and Dave - I thank you. Sam Moore and Dave Prater, coming from humble gospel beginnings as was the way for many of the 60's soul acts. They had a string of hits written and produced by Isaak Hayes, who is best known for writting the theme to 'Shaft'. I love when the drums and bass guitar kick in with this track.

Mmmmm...tasty!