Portal:Rhythm and blues

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Wikipedia's Rhythm and Blues Portal

Introduction

Rhythm and blues, frequently abbreviated as R&B or R'n'B, is a genre of popular music that originated within African-American communities in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to African Americans, at a time when "rocking, jazz based music ... [with a] heavy, insistent beat" was becoming more popular. In the commercial rhythm and blues music typical of the 1950s through the 1970s, the bands usually consisted of a piano, one or two guitars, bass, drums, one or more saxophones, and sometimes background vocalists. R&B lyrical themes often encapsulate the African-American history and experience of pain and the quest for freedom and joy, as well as triumphs and failures in terms of societal racism, oppression, relationships, economics, and aspirations.

The term "rhythm and blues" has undergone a number of shifts in meaning. In the early 1950s, it was frequently applied to blues records. Starting in the mid-1950s, after this style of music had contributed to the development of rock and roll, the term "R&B" became used in a wider context. It referred to music styles that developed from and incorporated electric blues, as well as gospel and soul music. From 1960s to 70s, some British groups were referred to and promoted as being R&B bands. By the 1970s, the term "rhythm and blues" had changed once again and was used as a blanket term for soul and funk. (Full article...)

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Let's Get It On is a studio album by American soul musician Marvin Gaye, released August 28, 1973 on Motown-subsidiary label Tamla Records. Recording sessions for the album took place from June 1970 to April 1972 at Hitsville U.S.A. and Golden World Studio in Detroit and from February to July 1973 at Hitsville West in Los Angeles. Let's Get It On served as Gaye's first venture into the funk genre and romance-themed music. The album has been noted by several music writers for its sexually-explicit lyrical content, being described as "one of the most sexually charged albums ever recorded."^[2]

Following the breakthrough success of his socially-conscious album What's Going On, the initial acclaim of Let's Get It On helped establish Marvin Gaye as a sex icon, while furthering his mainstream appeal. With the help of the hit single title track, the album became the most commercially successful album of Gaye's recording career, as it further expanded his creative control during his tenure with Motown. The recording sessions for Let's Get It On contributed in emphasizing Gaye's multi-tracked vocals to the forefront of his music and influenced later R&B and soul production. The sexual balladry and seductive, funky sound featured on the album had a profound effect on the music industry and soul musicians at the time, and helped pioneer slow jam music and quiet storm, while influencing many contemporary R&B artists.

Following its initial reception of general praise from critics, the album has been regarded by many music writers and critics as a landmark recording in R&B and soul music, as Gaye's smooth soul sound on the album marked a change for his record label's previously success with the "Motown Sound" formula, while also helping further funk music's popularity during the 1970s. Let's Get It On has also been ranked at or near the top of many publications' "best album" lists in disparate genres. On September 18, 2001, Let's Get It On was reissued by Motown Records as a two-disc deluxe edition release featuring extensive liner notes and digital remastering, as well as material from the initial recording sessions. In 2003, the album was ranked number 165 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.^[3]

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The Delfonics at The Rhythm & Blues Foundation in 2006. L-R: Randy Cain, William Hart and Wilbert Hart

The Delfonics were an American R&B/soul vocal group from Philadelphia. The Delfonics were most popular in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Their most notable hits include "La-La (Means I Love You)", "Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time)", "Break Your Promise", "I'm Sorry", and "Ready or Not Here I Come (Can't Hide from Love)". Their hit songs were primarily written by lead vocalist and founding member William "Poogie" Hart, and arranger and producer Thom Bell. Wilbert Hart is the last surviving founding member.

Their songs have been used in film soundtracks, including Quentin Tarantino's 1997 movie Jackie Brown, in which "La-La (Means I Love You)" and "Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time)" underscore the pivotal relationship between the characters played by Pam Grier and Robert Forster. Their songs "Ready or Not Here I Come (Can't Hide from Love)" and "Funny Feeling" were used in the video game Grand Theft Auto V on the fictional radio station The Lowdown 91.1. (Full article...)

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The following are images from various rhythm and blues-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1The original line up of the Kinks, 1965 (from British rhythm and blues)
Image 2The Cleftones during their participation in the doo-wop festival celebrated in May 2010 at the Benedum Center. (from Doo-wop)
Image 3The instruments of the skiffle group the Quarrymen, who would become the Beatles (from British rhythm and blues)
Image 4Herman Santiago, original lead singer of the Teenagers (from Doo-wop)
Image 5Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings at Middelburg in 2009 (from British rhythm and blues)
Image 6Chris Barber, one of the major figures in the early popularisation of the blues in Britain, playing at the Musikhalle, Hamburg, 1972 (from British rhythm and blues)
Image 7The Animals in 1964 (from British rhythm and blues)
Image 8The Moonglows, 1956 (from Doo-wop)
Image 9Muddy Waters, a major influence on the movement, pictured in 1971 (from British rhythm and blues)
Image 10The Jam in Newcastle-upon-Tyne in 1982 (from British rhythm and blues)
Image 11The Jimi Hendrix Experience performing on Dutch television in 1967 (from British rhythm and blues)
Image 12Lead Belly's recordings would be a major part of British R&B repertoires, although he never performed in the UK (from British rhythm and blues)
Image 13Alexis Korner in Hamburg in 1972 (from British rhythm and blues)
Image 14Alternative R&B artist Frank Ocean performing at the Coachella Festival in 2012 (from Alternative R&B)
Image 15Janet Jackson's Control, released in 1986, was one of the most critically acclaimed albums of the 1980s. (from New jack swing)
Image 16Beyoncé was named by Billboard the most successful female act of the 2000s. (from Contemporary R&B)
Image 17Michael Jackson holds the record for the best-selling new jack swing album with his 1991 release, Dangerous. (from New jack swing)
Image 18Peter Green of Fleetwood Mac onstage in 1970 (from British rhythm and blues)
Image 19The Ramones in Toronto (1976) (from Doo-wop)
Image 20Kathy Young with the Earth Angels performing Kathy's hit "A Thousand Stars" during the festival of this genre celebrated at the Benedum Center for the Performing Arts in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in May 2010 (from Doo-wop)
Image 21Usher was cited by Billboard as the no. 1 Hot 100 artist of the 2000s decade, with 7 number-one singles that accumulated 42 weeks at the top. (from Contemporary R&B)
Image 22John Lee Hooker, whose visit to England was the anticipated R&B event of 1964, shown in 1978 (from British rhythm and blues)
Image 23Alicia Keys ranked fifth on Billboard Artist of the Decade list. "No One" ranks No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs of the decade. (from Contemporary R&B)
Image 24Led Zeppelin performing at Chicago Stadium in January 1975
Image 25Georgie Fame, leader of one of the most widely influenced R&B groups, in 1968 (from British rhythm and blues)