Soul To Soul: Music From The Original Soundtrack [LP]

Various Artists - Soul To Soul: Music From The Original Soundtrack [LP]

Performances from the 1971 film featuring Ike & Tina Turner, Wilson Pickett, The Staple Singers, Santana and The Voices of East Harlem.

In 1971 several dozen African American soul, jazz, and gospel artists embarked on a journey that would change the lives of everyone involved. They traveled from New York City to Ghana, West Africa to take part in a 13-hour concert entitled Soul to Soul. The concert was a celebration of 14 years of Ghana's independence from British rule. For most of these artists it was their first trip to Africa. For the African American musicians, this was a journey about personal roots, the ancestral homeland, history, discovery, loss, pain and joy. Directed by Academy Award winner Denis Sanders, the concert film/documentary had a limited theatrical run in 1971. It now returns restored with the original edit reconstructing each scene using high quality 2K transfers from the original film elements, which were shot in the 4:3 aspect ratio. The soundtrack has been digitally remastered.

Soul to Soul is an electrifying concert film that features its players at the peak of their powers. The Ike & Tina Turner Revue deliver fiery renditions of "River Deep-Mountain High" and "Soul to Soul," a cut specifically written for this concert. Wilson Pickett, the most popular American artist known to West Africans at the time, delivers a rousing finale of "In the Midnight Hour," "Funky Broadway," and "Land of a 1000 Dances." Gospel/soul family group the Staple Singers were on hand to perform "When Will We Be Paid" and "Are You Sure." Les McCann and Eddie Harris introduced many to jazz via spirited performances of "The Price You Gotta Pay to Be Free" and "Hey Jorler," the latter featuring local Ghanaian artist Amoah Azangeo. Santana, with guest percussionist Willie Bobo, was the wild card. The group only had one African American member but, given its reliance on Afro-Cuban and Latin American rhythm constructs, played the most African-sounding music of any with "Black Magic Woman"/"Gypsy Queen" and "Jungle Strut."

All tracks have been remastered. "River Deep-Mountain High" from Ike & Tina Turner and "Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen" from Santana both make their audio debut here.

Track Listing:

01. Ike & Tina Turner - Soul To Soul
02. Ike & Tina Turner - River Deep-Mountain High
03. The Voices Of East Harlem - Run, Shaker Life
04. The Staple Singers - When Will We Be Paid
05. The Staple Singers - Are You Sure
06. The Staple Singers - He's Alright
07. Santana - Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen
08. Wilson Pickett - In the Midnight Hour
09. Wilson Pickett - Funky Broadway
10. Wilson Pickett - Land Of 1000 Dances

All tracks recorded live in Ghana, West Africa, March 6, 1971.

Press:

"'Soul to Soul' will hook you.... the film sticks to the concert, brilliantly evoking the performances and crowd reactions in a flow of closeups and panoramic shots, to the stabbing, pounding pulse of the music." -- The New York Times, August 1971

"Denis Sanders' 'Soul to Soul' is an awesome slice of history, when Black soul meets its own African soul in Ghana (and vice versa)." -- Rotten Tomatoes

"This is a film in which there is no tension and no debate; there is a broad celebratory unity." -- Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian