BLACK MUSIC MONTH – THE SOUNDTRACKS

All month I’m going to assemble a list of great black artists and songs. I’ll start with great black soundtracks, since I won’t be able to do the Black Movie Soundtrack show at the Hollywood Bowl this summer.

BLACK ORPHEUS

Not only one of the greatest soundtracks, but arguably the greatest black film ever made. Beautiful black music, costumes, colors and culture…and beautiful black people!

COME BACK CHARLESTON BLUE

This sequel to COTTON COMES TO HARLEM had a great score by Quincy Jones, who had the late great Donny Hathaway sing this theme with Valarie Simpson. I’ve been wearing this song out lately.

THE HARDER THEY COME

Classic film with one of the greatest collection of reggae songs on one album. Every track is a masterpiece. But I’ve been rocking this track a lot lately so I’m serving this one up for you.

SHAFT

Here’s an awesome clip of Isaac Hayes creating the masterpiece soundtrack for this classic.

SPARKLE

The greatest black soundtrack producer has to be Curtis Mayfield, with is work on Superfly, Claudine and Sparkle. Here’s a great song that was sung by Aretha Franklin on the soundtrack, then beautifully covered by En Vogue years later.

JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR

I love this movie, and Carl Anderson’s performance is one of the big reasons why. His acting and singing are so powerful!

SGT. PEPPER’S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND

Earth Wind and Fire take a Beatle’s classic and totally make it their own in the of the highlights of this film, directed by Michael Schultz!

MALCOLM X

Fantastic use of a classic song.

THE BODYGUARD

A great songwriter in Dolly Parton meets one of the greatest voices of our generation and this happens.

PURPLE RAIN

I can watch this opening forever.

DEEP COVER

What a debut! We first heard Snoop when Dr. Dre had him on this banging track.

MARSHALL

Jussie Smollett and Marcus Miller collaborated on this amazing rendition of the Langston Hughes poem LET AMERICA BE AMERICA AGAIN.