Comments on: ESTHER PHILLIPS / “Esther Phillips Mixtape” http://www.kalamu.com/bol/2009/08/03/esther-phillips-%e2%80%9cesther-phillips-mixtape%e2%80%9d/ a conversation about black music Fri, 10 Feb 2012 03:17:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: hurtinski http://www.kalamu.com/bol/2009/08/03/esther-phillips-%e2%80%9cesther-phillips-mixtape%e2%80%9d/#comment-155849 hurtinski Fri, 07 Aug 2009 18:03:51 +0000 http://www.kalamu.com/bol/2009/08/03/esther-phillips-%e2%80%9cesther-phillips-mixtape%e2%80%9d/#comment-155849 Right, she died a quarter-century ago exactly, in L.A. This morning my copy of the (complete) "Confessin' the Blues" CD arrived in the mailbox. (Collectibles has a twofer of "Confessin'" and "Burnin'" but leave one track each release. And, misspell the name of "Confessin' " in the booklet as "Confession." So it goes; Esther Phillips is half-forgotten. But to folks who care about popular singing and how difficult it is for even the best singers to adapt to changing tastes, Phillips is a remarkable subject. I think she was one of the handful of truly great soul singers, in there with Aretha, Dusty Springfield, Al Green, like that. She swung mightily, and I use this jazzbo language, daddy-o, to emphasize how rare this quality is. Didn't use to be. Esther came up thru R&B, jazz and soul, in the era where black American music really began mutating. Anyway, she's major. Big catalogue I'm just now really investigating. I have all the Kudu releases, and guess I'd recommend "From a Whisper to a Scream" and "Black-Eyed Blues" from that run of albums. But I like the disco stuff, some with Joe Beck: "For All We Know" and "Capricorn Princess" and "What a Diff'rence a Day Makes," These records are an attempt to modernize--the disco era was coming. I like disco music and Esther sounds perfect for it. Also checking out the aforementioned Atlantic shit, plus everyone should hear "Cheater Man," a Dan Penn tune, on "Soul Sisters: Atlantic Unearthed" compilation of a few years back. Esther tears it up, and it was apparently done in Memphis with the American Studios rhythm section, in soul's anna mirabilis, 1967. Right, she died a quarter-century ago exactly, in L.A. This morning my copy of the (complete) “Confessin’ the Blues” CD arrived in the mailbox. (Collectibles has a twofer of “Confessin’” and “Burnin’” but leave one track each release. And, misspell the name of “Confessin’ ” in the booklet as “Confession.”

So it goes; Esther Phillips is half-forgotten. But to folks who care about popular singing and how difficult it is for even the best singers to adapt to changing tastes, Phillips is a remarkable subject. I think she was one of the handful of truly great soul singers, in there with Aretha, Dusty Springfield, Al Green, like that. She swung mightily, and I use this jazzbo language, daddy-o, to emphasize how rare this quality is. Didn’t use to be. Esther came up thru R&B, jazz and soul, in the era where black American music really began mutating.

Anyway, she’s major. Big catalogue I’m just now really investigating. I have all the Kudu releases, and guess I’d recommend “From a Whisper to a Scream” and “Black-Eyed Blues” from that run of albums. But I like the disco stuff, some with Joe Beck: “For All We Know” and “Capricorn Princess” and “What a Diff’rence a Day Makes,” These records are an attempt to modernize–the disco era was coming. I like disco music and Esther sounds perfect for it.

Also checking out the aforementioned Atlantic shit, plus everyone should hear “Cheater Man,” a Dan Penn tune, on “Soul Sisters: Atlantic Unearthed” compilation of a few years back. Esther tears it up, and it was apparently done in Memphis with the American Studios rhythm section, in soul’s anna mirabilis, 1967.

]]> By: taro nombei http://www.kalamu.com/bol/2009/08/03/esther-phillips-%e2%80%9cesther-phillips-mixtape%e2%80%9d/#comment-155729 taro nombei Thu, 06 Aug 2009 16:05:03 +0000 http://www.kalamu.com/bol/2009/08/03/esther-phillips-%e2%80%9cesther-phillips-mixtape%e2%80%9d/#comment-155729 There's plenty of music you post that I know well. I still love listening anyway -- there's always some gems to discover. But Esther is all new to me, I don't know how I've never managed to come across her. Brilliant voice, steamy delivery, fantastic. Thanks as always, Kalamu. There’s plenty of music you post that I know well. I still love listening anyway — there’s always some gems to discover.
But Esther is all new to me, I don’t know how I’ve never managed to come across her. Brilliant voice, steamy delivery, fantastic.
Thanks as always, Kalamu.

]]> By: lindamae2410 http://www.kalamu.com/bol/2009/08/03/esther-phillips-%e2%80%9cesther-phillips-mixtape%e2%80%9d/#comment-155643 lindamae2410 Thu, 06 Aug 2009 06:36:28 +0000 http://www.kalamu.com/bol/2009/08/03/esther-phillips-%e2%80%9cesther-phillips-mixtape%e2%80%9d/#comment-155643 THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! I am listening to your wonderful ESTHER PHILLIPS MIXTAPE! This is the most fantastic, incredible tribute there could ever be to ESTHER PHILIPS! This is a private memorial service to her! I CAN FEEL THE LOVE! I am so thrilled to hear all her wonderful music, but I am saddened that she is not right here also listening right along with us! ESTHER PHILLIPS, I LOVE YOU! I MISS YOU! (Her words/my words) THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

I am listening to your wonderful ESTHER PHILLIPS
MIXTAPE! This is the most fantastic, incredible
tribute there could ever be to ESTHER PHILIPS!

This is a private memorial service to her!
I CAN FEEL THE LOVE!

I am so thrilled to hear all her wonderful music, but
I am saddened that she is not right here also
listening right along with us!

ESTHER PHILLIPS,
I LOVE YOU! I MISS YOU!

(Her words/my words)

]]> By: lindamae2410 http://www.kalamu.com/bol/2009/08/03/esther-phillips-%e2%80%9cesther-phillips-mixtape%e2%80%9d/#comment-155365 lindamae2410 Tue, 04 Aug 2009 02:42:08 +0000 http://www.kalamu.com/bol/2009/08/03/esther-phillips-%e2%80%9cesther-phillips-mixtape%e2%80%9d/#comment-155365 Thank you for keeping ESTHER PHILLIPS alive in memory! Do you realize 25 years ago she passed on August 7! ESTHER PHILLIPS, I LOVE YOU! I MISS YOU! (Her words/my words) Thank you for keeping ESTHER PHILLIPS alive in
memory! Do you realize 25 years ago she passed
on August 7!

ESTHER PHILLIPS,
I LOVE YOU! I MISS YOU!

(Her words/my words)

]]> By: Frank McNulty http://www.kalamu.com/bol/2009/08/03/esther-phillips-%e2%80%9cesther-phillips-mixtape%e2%80%9d/#comment-155253 Frank McNulty Mon, 03 Aug 2009 12:36:35 +0000 http://www.kalamu.com/bol/2009/08/03/esther-phillips-%e2%80%9cesther-phillips-mixtape%e2%80%9d/#comment-155253 Thank you again, one of my favorite singers of all time. Peace, Frank. Thank you again, one of my favorite singers of all time.

Peace,

Frank.

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