In the early 70s, Stax Records boasted a roster that comprised a heaping portion of the important funk, soul, and R&B artists of the pre-disco era. And so, with all that talent under a single roof, they held a huge concert in the summer of 1972 right in the center of the then riot-torn Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles, an event that history often fondly remembers as "the black Woodstock."
Isaac Hayes, the Staple Singers, Carla Thomas, the Bar-Kays, Rufus Thomas, and oh-so-many others threw down on the stage of the Los Angeles Coliseum to a crowd numbering in the six digits. The concert became a film, and the film became a soundtrack, both entitled Wattstax. Now Wattstax is back, flipping the original two LPs into a jam-packed 3CD set featuring 47 tracks culled from the concert itself and select performances that took place in the week running up to the event.
A pair of tracks by late comedian Richard Pryor, recorded at L.A.'s Summit Club and used as connective thematic elements in the film, are also included on the soundtrack, as is an introduction by then-Stax signee the Reverend Jesse Jackson. The new set-- complete with rare photographs and new liner notes by soul historian Rob Bowman-- will be released August 28 on (you guessed it!) Stax Records
Isaac Hayes, the Staple Singers, Carla Thomas, the Bar-Kays, Rufus Thomas, and oh-so-many others threw down on the stage of the Los Angeles Coliseum to a crowd numbering in the six digits. The concert became a film, and the film became a soundtrack, both entitled Wattstax. Now Wattstax is back, flipping the original two LPs into a jam-packed 3CD set featuring 47 tracks culled from the concert itself and select performances that took place in the week running up to the event.
A pair of tracks by late comedian Richard Pryor, recorded at L.A.'s Summit Club and used as connective thematic elements in the film, are also included on the soundtrack, as is an introduction by then-Stax signee the Reverend Jesse Jackson. The new set-- complete with rare photographs and new liner notes by soul historian Rob Bowman-- will be released August 28 on (you guessed it!) Stax Records
Now this was re-released last summer and if you missed out i suggest you try here and grab yourself a physical copy (and please support the artist, they still receive residuals ya know) for your own achrives......i'll bless you all wit it here as i think it should be re-lived and enjoyed...it goes perfect wit a Saturday afternoon get together that last into the night.......Peace...and don't forget to leave a comment..or two
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